policing Archives - The Austin Common

Police Oversight Implementation Workgroup Meeting

Amy Stansbury — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 00:30:00 +0000

Join the Office of Police Oversight for the first quarterly Police Oversight Implementation Workgroup meeting on November 21, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

We invite community members to attend this meeting to learn about the City’s progress in implementing Proposition A and Resolution 99.
The meeting is open to the public and will be hosted virtually on Zoom.
Registration information:

Register to participate here. You will receive a Zoom link to the meeting, as well as meeting reminders once you have registered.

Accessibility and Accommodation Information:

The event will be presented in both English and Spanish, as well as American Sign Language (ASL). Additional interpretation services and accessibility accommodations are available upon request.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email OPO.Outreach@AustinTexas.gov or call (512) 974-9090.

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North Austin Safety Summit

Amy Stansbury — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Join your neighbors to talk about the crime and safety issues facing our community, learn about crime prevention strategies, share your concerns with your councilmember or APD representative, and brainstorm community-based responses.

PURPOSE – To build trusting relationships among community members to find better solutions and advocate for our needs.

FOCUS AREAS – The 3 mile radius around the intersection of North Lamar and Braker Lane. Including the neighborhood association areas of Georgian Acres, Gracywoods, North Austin Civic Association (NACA) North Lamar, Quail Hollow, and Walnut Creek.

ORGANIZERS – We’re All Neighbors, The Walnut Creek Safety Team and participating neighborhood associations.

Check out the full agenda here.

The event is based on the following principles:

1. Trusting relationships create safer communities. Trust is the basis of a healthy community. When we build relationships with our neighbors, our service providers, and our officials, we build safety.

2. We are more empowered than we think. Everyone has a part to play. By focusing on our assets and what we can do as individuals and small groups, we can make a difference.

3. Public safety is a systemic issue. Nothing happens in a bubble. When we understand the systems that create and affect crime and safety issues, we can find better solutions.

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Police Contracts: Why They Matter & What’s Happening In Austin

Amy Stansbury — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 19:13:30 +0000

There’s been a lot of news lately over Austin’s police contract. In this episode, we break it all down for you & explain what police contracts even are, the ways they impact accountability and staffing, and how an upcoming election could impact the future of public safety in Austin.

Our guests include Chris Harris (Equity Action) & Austin City Council Member Alison Alter.

You can hear this episode on any of the following podcast services:

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Here’s What’s On Your Ballot: Prop A

Amy Stansbury — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:14:28 +0000

Hey Austin… It’s time to vote again! Check out our guide below to learn the basics about Prop A.

PS – Want to learn more about Prop A? Check out these links:

You can learn more about No Way On Prop A, the group that has formed in opposition to Prop A, here.
You can watch a No Way On Prop A press conference here.
You can learn more about Save Austin Now, the group that put Prop A on the ballot, here.
You can watch a Save Austin Now press conference here.
You can read the complete ordinance (which would go into effect if Prop A passes here).
You can read the City Budget Office’s cost estimates for Prop A here.
Sample ballots & voting info for Travis County residents – VoteTravis.com
Sample ballots & voting info for Williamson County residents – Wilco.org

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Should Austin Reinstate Its Homeless Camping Ban? (Episode 15)

Amy Stansbury — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 15:26:59 +0000

Should Austin reinstate its homeless camping ban? That’s the question voters will have to decide on May 1st. (It will be called Prop B on your ballot.)

In this episode of The Austin Common Radio Hour, host Amy Stansbury dives deep into the upcoming City of Austin elections, sharing everything you need to know about Propositions A & B. Topics include the Austin Firefighters Association & the city’s homelessness ordinances. Guests include Bob Nicks of the Austin Firefighters Association, Matthew Mollica of ECHO, Cleo Petricek of Save Austin Now, and Marina Roberts and Seneca Savoie of Homes Not Handcuffs.

Give it a listen! You can hear this episode on any of the following podcast services:

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Mental Health & Policing (Episode 14)

Amy Stansbury — Fri, 26 Mar 2021 00:37:40 +0000

Did you know that earlier this year, Austin became the first city in the country to add a mental health option to its 911 call center script? Did you also know that in 2018, a city audit found that amongst the 15 most populous US cities, Austin had the highest per capita rate of fatal police shootings involving those believed to be experiencing a mental health crisis?

So how did we get here? And how can we better serve Austinites experiencing mental health crises in the future?

In the latest episode of The Austin Common Radio Hour, we answer all your questions. Guests include Karen Ranus (of the National Alliance on Mental Illness) & Marisa Aguilar (of Integral Care).

Give it a listen! You can hear this episode on any of the following podcast services:

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UWSA Actionar: Confronting White Backlash to Austin’s Policing Reforms – Part II

Amy Stansbury — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 01:00:00 +0000

On Thursday, March 11th, we will be gathering for the second Actionar of 2021, where we will be looking at the white backlash to last summer’s uprisings, and the movement to defund the police. How is this reinvestment in white supremacy impeding the reallocation of funding away from policing – both in Austin’s City Council, and in the 2021 legislative session? Join us as we map out what’s on the horizon for the next few months.

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Phonebank to #DefundAPD

Amy Stansbury — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 21:00:00 +0000

We’re coming into the home stretch! We are now at the point where there are amendments on the table before city council which would, if passed actually remove $100 MILLION dollars from APD to spend on essential services and alternative first response. Something that would have been flatly impossible a few years ago is now just a few votes from being a reality, but we have to work as hard as possible to make sure we get those votes!

Austin DSA will be calling progressive voters in the districts of the swing council members to make sure they tell their council members to move forward on truly transformative reforms! We’re using an auto-dialer, which makes the calls faster and more effective the more people who are doing it at once, which means you should BRING A FRIEND (or comrade). We’ll be training folks to speak on the specific amendments, and then working through our entire list!

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DSA New Member Call

Amy Stansbury — Sun, 09 Aug 2020 21:00:00 +0000

RSVP here for the zoom link —> https://actionnetwork.org/events/new-member-call

Democratic Socialist politicians like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Austin’s own Jose Garza are raising the expectations of millions of people across the United States and bringing them into a political awakening. The membership of DSA, the largest socialist organization in the United States, is rapidly growing by the thousands. Millions of everyday people are calling for Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, defunding the police, universal rent control, and more.

But what is democratic socialism? What does it mean to be a member of DSA?

Let’s talk about it.

This event will be held on zoom! RSVP for the Zoom link here —> https://actionnetwork.org/events/new-member-call

Join us to discuss what our political moment calls for, make new friends, and get plugged into our fight for democratic control of the things that we need for all of us to live a dignified life.

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Socialist Night School: Why Are The Police Like This?

Amy Stansbury — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Join us on Wednesday, August 5th for a discussion about the history of policing in America, and their role in repressing labor and social justice movements.

Socialist Night School is an open course that provides a chance to develop our politics together, regardless of background knowledge or whether you’ve attended a class before. Non-members, New members, and lifelong socialists, all are welcome!

We will start with a brief lecture on the readings, then break out into discussion groups.

“We live in the aftermath of a history.”

-Alex Gourevitch

Readings:

Why Are The Police Like This? – by Alex Gourevitch:

https://jacobinmag.com/2020/06/police-united-states-strikebreaking-class-war.

The Best Way to “Reform” the Police Is to Defund the Police, an Interview with Alex Vitale:

https://jacobinmag.com/2020/06/defund-police-reform-alex-vitale

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