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Austin Police Department highlights community‑liaison work; seeks sworn staffing and better outreach coordination
Summary
The Austin Police Department’s Office of Community Liaison briefed the City Council Public Safety Committee on outreach programs, staffing shortfalls in district representatives, Safe Place partnerships, Operation BlueSanta and plans to centralize event outreach and data tracking.
The Austin Police Department’s Office of Community Liaison (OCL) described on April 7 its outreach programs — including Safe Place training, National Night Out coordination and Operation BlueSanta — and asked for citywide support to increase sworn presence and fill vacant liaison positions.
Foster Rodriguez, an executive lieutenant with APD, described a recent Univision town hall where OCL staff intervened to connect a crime victim with services. "Had it not been for the Office of Community Liaison being present, visible, and engaged…this woman would have never gotten the help that she needed," Rodriguez said.
OCL manager (name not stated in the transcript) told the committee the office’s mission is to foster inclusiveness and…
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