[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6429330,"mediaKeyId","5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d","parentId",5897038,"title","APD reports drop in auto thefts, outlines G‑file workload and cadet retention plans","audioSeconds",1771,"startMs",2223000,"endMs",3994000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d&start=2223&end=3994","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d/thumbnail_2223000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6429330/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/APD-reports-drop-in-auto-thefts-outlines-Gfile-workload-and-cadet-retention-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6429330-1ad4bb8341883dc4a47bd7539a72a4fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770623093&Signature=UBG573xFWhtTu~iTiJ8xfgzmfFvip0HcQO48JPCnYhYmAvdEVDuCu6wbtC1TGtOyQIeoi7x5np5AjO89jZwgy9Uijt7RZ90V0iRs4WoqpAZG8X1j6AJGxrsK6o7yXr5q36dNWfop7y6FmfBcO3uyeXW4zBqRE-6BnWyVqxf5qAzKekIMeKVGJuPNqrmWdE-D8qS9KUj29EBbVv3F1RNjENSAIpux4QRYb0XuGHgZ15rWc6b90FPk~dV93hcOCNROCcei-RYMtT9Poxu8AYv92vGw8sl6Tl0teTWtZnfmljLNtKqz9iclA2DlRopruGRf0FPqwAV92BKnUkgAkSTjCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","article","Robin Henderson, chief of staff presenting the Austin Police Department quarterly report, told the Public Safety Commission on Oct. 6 that auto theft incidents are down about 31% from the same time last year and about 18% compared with the five‑year mean.

Henderson described targeted initiatives: partnerships with vehicle dealerships, new outreach to storage facilities and residential garage theft prevention (including an outreach magnet campaign to remind residents to secure garage doors), motors unit enforcement and cooperation with TxDOT on speeding and reckless driving along RM 2222.

Henderson said the department is using “place‑network” investigations to analyze locations that contribute to criminal activity and is coordinating enforcement and prosecution with the Travis County District Attorney and County Attorney where repeat offenders are identified. She added the mounted unit has been redeployed to increase patrols at parks and hard‑to‑reach areas.

On records requests, Henderson said APD had received 184 G‑file requests through mid‑September, with 139 closed and 45 open. She said processing time varies with the number of redactions required and the length of an officer’s service record. APD averages roughly 633 public information requests per week across systems, she said, and legal review is part of the redaction process.

Henderson reviewed staffing and academy updates: sworn vacancy rate was reported at 17.6%, professional staff vacancies at 9.3% and emergency communications at 6.7%. A cadet class recently graduated and 34 officers are still in field‑training; the department expects to place newly solo officers into sectors with the highest vacancy rates when they complete probation. APD added reporting of academy attrition for recent classes and said attrition was higher for classes hired while the department was out of contract; newer classes hired under contract have lower attrition so far.

The department described steps to support cadets and reduce attrition: enhanced onboarding, early academic intervention and tutoring, standardized lesson plans, optional physical fitness sessions, victim‑services counseling, and dog‑therapy visits. Henderson said the department expects to run four cadet classes per year and aims to graduate about 50 cadets per class; APD projects full staffing by the end of calendar year 2028 under current plans.

Henderson also reported on Narcan administrations: across five years the department recorded 254 reported Narcan administrations but noted a sharp decline in 2025 with only 17 reported uses through mid‑year. She said APD is investigating whether the decline reflects under‑reporting or a real decline in uses.

Henderson discussed a public‑messaging review after a Zilker Park shooting, saying APD and partners including AISD and emergency communications are reviewing protocols for verification and rescission of community notices and will report back at a future meeting.

Commissioners questioned vehicle rebranding and recognition: Henderson said uniform patches and badges will not change, but vehicle liveries will be updated over time as cars are replaced; the department plans public messaging before any new liveries are put into service. She noted early mockups had unintended visual results and the rollout will be gradual to avoid confusion.

Henderson closed with community programming highlights (Community Police Academy, multi‑housing safety program, Coffee with a Cop, National Night Out and trunk‑or‑treat events) and said APD will report further on place‑network investigations related to car burglaries at future meetings.

Ending: Henderson committed to provide a follow‑up on G‑file fulfillment counts (how many requests were paid and completed), a weather‑radio/alert follow‑up where relevant, and a future report on place‑network work on vehicle burglaries.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Public Safety Commission","oneSentenceSummary","APD Chief of Staff Robin Henderson reported a roughly 31% year‑over‑year drop in auto theft, described new prevention efforts, gave counts on G‑file requests and detailed cadet‑academy recruitment, attrition and support changes.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6429333,"Austin Emergency Management outlines new structure, community-focused plans and alert upgrades",1131,200000,1331000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d&start=200&end=1331","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d/thumbnail_200000.jpg","/articles/6429333/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-Emergency-Management-outlines-new-structure-community-focused-plans-and-alert-upgrades","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6429333-77dd52d5e8fc053161078f256a9d2491/orig.mp4?Expires=1770623093&Signature=oYoHENwTuPBOnNa9N3c5Br9O0DPzAO6P1vtZe9xgBbqWkx5iu5LRhowLn-68Gfx04vCJlIAJolB5dLnGbMTw5fgCYmkCMwNOoYdGEEKJvLXcqPRVbsN8J9HR6FsOpXzwifQ6l~m38lHYPtVT6W6csNPgxmpO65zQgBKgmVagysEwjOKKEVO-QC9FXeddjK1FQpyJbkRbQRCH3fDla6ch-bbeIeebviA55o1JhKIOJ1gL006PDZGMx5SB6n5rDJbn35hkdqd6qADIWNejn5bljl-yZ-44YxUmBTBwSiNUGOIA1ViAFBpfT6LEX6Y8wbG-2jRWzXTErrQUgeb-q6Y8zg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Austin Emergency Management Director Jim Redick told the Austin Public Safety Commission on Oct. 6 that his office has changed its name and internal organization and is rewriting emergency plans and outreach to be more usable during disasters.

Redick said the office — renamed from “Homeland Security and Emergency Management” to “Austin Emergency Management” — reorganized on Oct. 1 for the new fiscal year into two branches: a public information/finance/technology branch and an operations/strategy/training branch. “We are in a state of just wholesale change,” Redick said, adding the shift is intended to make planning, exercises and response more streamlined and accessible.

Redick said the department is adopting a “whole‑of‑community” approach that brings city departments, higher education, the private sector, nonprofits, the military and faith groups into planning. He described the use of emergency support function (ESF) annexes — the operational contacts, authorities and resource lists tied to the city’s basic response plan — and said the city is considering adding a separate ESF to recognize emergency medical services.

The office is rewriting the city’s foundational “basic plan” so it is usable in an Emergency Operations Center and by partner agencies and the public. Redick said hazard‑specific annexes (for wildfire, flooding, extreme heat, etc.) will document the incident command relationships, public messaging, and operational checklists for mass care, sheltering and logistics. “We don’t plan for the community. We want to plan with the community,” he said.

Redick described the city’s alerting strategy and tools: the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (iPAWS), Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), and a city page for consolidated messages (austintexas.gov/alerts). He said the department will use WarnCentralTexas (the regional notification network) for follow‑up or preparatory messages that are not life‑safety WEA alerts and that the goal is to “over‑communicate rather than under‑communicate” while avoiding alert fatigue.

On sheltering, Redick said the city’s homeless office currently uses a centralized embarkation point to move people to shelter beds and that Austin Emergency Management provides background support. He said that system is separate from general emergency shelters and that the department’s aim is to locate shelters as near affected neighborhoods as possible during localized emergencies. He noted the homeless office process was identified in the meeting by the shorthand “1 Texas.” Redick said the mass‑care team is reimagining how to stage and staff shelters in a way that reduces unnecessary travel for residents.

Commissioners pressed Redick on extreme‑heat sheltering. Commissioner Barnhart asked whether the city has funding to support longer hours for cooling centers; Redick said extreme‑heat strategies are being incorporated into the hazard mitigation plan and into separate extreme‑heat planning efforts the city coordinated with public health and the resilience office. He said the mitigation plan will document hazards, vulnerabilities and goals and that the plan is updated formally with the state every five years and reviewed annually internally.

Commissioner Wynne, who noted she works with the Red Cross, asked how shelter and cooling plans will serve seniors, medically fragile people and households that lose power. Redick said the basic plan will include a community makeup section and the hazard annexes will be data‑driven: “We want to know exactly where the need exists, how we can help meet those needs, and we’re only going to get that by talking with folks out in the community.”

Redick said the department will tighten and test alerting systems: the office plans targeted WEA and iPAWS tests by council district, and he committed to follow up on reports that NOAA weather‑radio tests have been spotty in Travis County. He said Austin Emergency Management maintains a 24/7 duty‑officer capability to support after‑hours incidents, and that WEA will be used to wake people for life‑safety messages if residents have not opted out.

Redick also highlighted training and exercises, saying the office is mapping exercise requirements across partner organizations, breaking down silos and developing a three‑year training and exercise plan tied to capabilities and grant opportunities such as UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) and state homeland security grants. He said plans will be living documents updated after drills and real incidents and that the office is working to capture donated volunteer hours so they can count toward potential federal reimbursement.

The presentation closed with commissioners offering to help the department identify needs for future council recommendations. Redick said he will bring forward specific asks if and when they are ready.

Ending: Redick did not present a funding request at this meeting but asked the commission to expect further briefings as hazard annexes and the mitigation plan are finalized and as the department follows up on alert‑system testing and extreme‑heat planning.","Director Jim Redick told the Public Safety Commission the department reorganized on Oct. 1, is rewriting response plans to be community‑facing, and will expand alerting, exercises and sheltering guidance including work on extreme‑heat responses.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6429327,"Public Safety Commission approves working‑group recommendation to audit Cadet Training Academy and pause staff reassignments",3439,3376000,6815000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d&start=3376&end=6815","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d/thumbnail_3376000.jpg","/articles/6429327/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Public-Safety-Commission-approves-workinggroup-recommendation-to-audit-Cadet-Training-Academy-and-pause-staff-reassignments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6429327-a7d78fe7395f856286196ec78d3ce829/orig.mp4?Expires=1770623093&Signature=L~dAUXSdV6vnA9yyPd69j~zBrXlOLPofldHLtGIPdtU1RPYTYAUvrw9pGmGprahgyPqVY4AO-s8u6v4Hsr~VqD40wCIuXThOiUzktINXAxFO50JuRmlXJHHYYIz9VrjHgxKB2iG6UVyEgf0CovuinUrw~V5CEXCnFbUx3kd2cItBYMoyx11ZfrcESzrAKm3kUlJOM1vmp-i0O71mHAINXEk1Scc1TEy2kbvxDjNeNtZ-7g7bUQ1H5r2j~9Ln~aMUqotRYxuyhc7JnpIIMbWmU~JiN6SWbeaBqGZa0QbYRT-xYiaPKUTdGHnOOnTGyiIcnxvetkRy4TBD0NZUafJ-yQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Safety Commission on Oct. 6 voted to send a set of recommendations to city council and other oversight bodies asking for an audit and greater public transparency around reforms at the Austin Police Department Cadet Training Academy and asking APD not to reassign current academy staff while continuity measures are implemented.

Commissioner Michael Sierra Vallejo, a member of the working group, summarized the timeline of reviews dating to 2020, including multiple assessments by Kroll and others that recommended shifting the academy away from stress‑oriented, military‑style training toward a guardian model and evidence‑based continuous improvement. Sierra Vallejo said the working group found progress but also a lack of clear, publicly available documentation mapping reforms to the many prior recommendations.

The commission’s recommendation as approved has two main components. First, the commission recommended that APD not reassign current academy staff while the department implements a learning‑management system (LMS), an instructor‑training program and a continuity plan to accommodate instructor turnover. Second, the commission requested a layered transparency and accountability package: 1) a full audit of progress on academy reform by the city auditor’s office; 2) expansion of the city’s open policing data portal to show progress and completion of reimagining‑public‑safety, Kroll, Office of Police Oversight and City Council recommendations pertinent to the Cadet Training Academy; and 3) a public application process for participation in the community and professional advisory committees tied to the academy.

Commissioners amended the draft language on the floor to clarify the personnel recommendation: rather than a broad prohibition on any staffing changes, the approved text recommends not reassigning current academy staff officers so the academy retains institutional experience while continuity systems are put in place. That amendment passed by voice vote and the commission then approved the full recommendation as amended; commissioners present recorded the motion and subsequent voice votes as carried unanimously.

The working group presentation and the final motion repeatedly cited earlier recommendations by Kroll and the reimagining public safety process and asked that any audit or progress tracker be publicly accessible through the city’s existing policing data portal so residents, researchers and council members can see which recommendations have been completed, which are in progress and which are deferred.

Ending: The commission directed staff to transmit the approved recommendation to the city council and city auditor and asked APD and the auditor to report back at a future commission meeting with the results of the audit and the public portal updates.","After a year of review the commission voted to recommend an audit, to expand public tracking of academy reforms and to pause reassignment of current academy staff until learning‑management and instructor continuity measures are in place; the motion passed with amendments and a unanimous commission vote.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6429324,"Public Safety Commission approves minutes, updates 2026 schedule and appoints downtown representative",1393,6693000,5300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d&start=6693&end=5300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5897038-289c82efa26c25a19e429b23bc4a856d/thumbnail_6693000.jpg","/articles/6429324/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Public-Safety-Commission-approves-minutes-updates-2026-schedule-and-appoints-downtown-representative","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6429324-801a07d3328685165ac1bd98c23c9cd0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770623093&Signature=jAMnvdg-pxjqRSy1MUAX2PH1V3UOQEE8sONDVxgO28PqkloxCalZCVzk~LwBFU4HMZQkK9HRkWdiHM9SoXGCMVL6UI0sP8kz1dVVMyHPglPiV0MdqqcqculIHz3D8cn~RApioU~um5WwUmURiuZSlU~1~MdRCtCKw9ZABj9ruNT7SLxMGYTqxSX6DzvcjNu~Al7~-t6qE5X5q0FpxCo9ZpnK211U0JZ0L6kb1tdCtDJHjrC0m4~1y6pq462gTds-SNHXnO8qkfCzeNyi2BxxaF08gwG1P8KHv9sh~MTVTNNptRV2aqsvjrmibciAQSSdsv8EoSWQNiNRDVAKIo70jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Oct. 6 meeting the Austin Public Safety Commission completed a series of procedural items and votes.

Minutes: The commission unanimously approved the Sept. 8 meeting minutes by voice vote after a motion and second (motion moved and second recorded on the transcript). Commissioners recorded unanimous approval; no roll‑call tally was given.

2026 meeting schedule: The commission amended the proposed 2026 meeting calendar to move the September meeting from Sept. 14 to Sept. 8 (the change was proposed because Labor Day falls on Sept. 7). A motion to amend passed by voice vote and was recorded as approved.

Downtown commission representative: Commissioner Bernhardt volunteered and the commission voted to appoint Commissioner Bernhardt as the Public Safety Commission representative to the Downtown Commission. The motion passed; one commissioner (Commissioner Winn) recorded an abstention.

Bylaws working group: The commission agreed to replace Commissioner Bernhardt with Chair Ramirez on the bylaws working group to support pending council‑level changes; the motion to swap members carried by voice vote.

Ending: The commission closed with reminders about National Night Out and other community events; chairs and staff noted follow‑ups and that several agenda items will return once staff and partner agencies complete analyses called for by the commission.","The commission approved Sept. 8 minutes, amended its 2026 meeting schedule to move one September meeting to Sept. 8, appointed Commissioner Bernhardt as the downtown commission representative and approved a bylaws working‑group membership change.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

APD reports drop in auto thefts, outlines G‑file workload and cadet retention plans

Austin Emergency Management outlines new structure, community-focused plans and alert upgrades

Public Safety Commission approves working‑group recommendation to audit Cadet Training Academy and pause staff reassignments

Public Safety Commission approves minutes, updates 2026 schedule and appoints downtown representative