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public safety
Newest first. Briefs are AI-written from the official agenda backup and grounded in that
source text — every item links to its full record.
Item 8 Monday, August 17, 2026 No vote recorded
This ordinance sets up the official job classifications and positions in Austin Fire's classified service, creates certain new positions, and repeals an earlier ordinance covering the same ground. It's the kind of behind-the-scenes staffing framework that determines how the fire department is organized and who fills which roles. Funding is available in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budgets of Austin Fire.
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Item 9 Monday, August 17, 2026 No vote recorded
This ordinance sets up the official job classifications and positions for the folks working at Austin-Travis County EMS, and repeals the previous ordinance covering the same thing. It's the kind of behind-the-scenes staffing framework that shapes how our EMS crews are organized. Funding comes from ATCEMS's Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget.
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Item 10 Monday, August 17, 2026 No vote recorded
This ordinance sets the official classifications and positions in the Austin Police Department's classified service, replacing an earlier ordinance from August 2025. It's the kind of administrative housekeeping that defines the ranks and staffing structure the department operates under. Funding comes from the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget of Austin Police.
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Item 15 Monday, August 17, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to take a hard look at how the city measures Austin Police performance, calling for a comprehensive review of existing data, audits, and models used for performance management. The idea is to figure out whether current metrics actually capture how the department is doing before recommending any changes. For anyone tracking police accountability in Austin, it sets the groundwork for how success gets defined going forward.
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Item 17 Monday, August 17, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to build a security plan for Austin's parks and recreation lands, including acquiring and activating equipment to improve safety. It also requires that any surveillance technology in parks fully comply with the city's TRUST Act (Ordinance No. 20260423-029) and prioritize parks with a history of violent crimes. For folks who spend time in Austin's greenspaces, it sets the ground rules for how security tech shows up where you play.
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Item 19 Monday, August 17, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to set up an Office of Joint Emergency Communications within the Management Services Department and to take the steps needed to eventually spin off an independent Joint Emergency Communications Department separate from the Austin Police Department. It also asks the City Manager to bring back recommendations on standing up that independent department. The move reshapes where Austin's 911 and emergency dispatch functions live, shifting them out from under APD.
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Item 21 Monday, August 17, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to hand Council a summary list of police misconduct complaints — the records commonly known as the "G-file" — plus an assessment of what it would take to build a publicly searchable online database of misconduct allegations, including costs and any legal, technological, or operational hurdles. It's a step toward more transparency around how complaints against Austin police are tracked and shared with the public.
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Item 8 Friday, August 14, 2026 No vote recorded
This ordinance sets up the official job classifications and positions in Austin Fire's classified service, creates certain new positions, and repeals the earlier ordinance that governed these classifications. It's the kind of housekeeping that determines the department's staffing structure. Funding is available in Austin Fire's Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and Fiscal Year 2026-2027 operating budgets.
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Item 9 Friday, August 14, 2026 No vote recorded
This ordinance sets the official job classifications and positions for Austin-Travis County EMS, the folks who staff our ambulances and answer medical calls across the region. It replaces last year's version (Ordinance No. 20250813-007) and keeps the department's staffing structure current. Funding comes from ATCEMS's Fiscal Year 2026-2027 operating budget.
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Item 10 Friday, August 14, 2026 No vote recorded
This item sets the official classifications and positions in Austin Police's classified service, replacing an earlier ordinance from 2025. It's the kind of staffing framework that spells out the ranks and job categories that make up the department. Funding comes from the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget of Austin Police.
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Item 15 Friday, August 14, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to dig into how the Austin Police Department measures its own performance — reviewing existing data, audits, and models to recommend key performance measures. It's a behind-the-scenes accountability move that sets the yardsticks for judging how APD is doing. No cost is listed in the source text.
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Item 17 Friday, August 14, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to build a security plan for Austin's parks and rec facilities, and to buy, install, and turn on equipment aimed at making those spaces safer. Any surveillance tech has to comply with the city's TRUST Act (Ordinance No. 20260423-029), with deployment prioritized for parks that have seen violent crime. The stakes here are how the city balances safety in public green spaces against the privacy rules laid out in that ordinance.
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Item 19 Friday, August 14, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to stand up an Office of Joint Emergency Communications within the Management Services Department and to take the steps needed to eventually spin off an independent Joint Emergency Communications Department separate from the Austin Police Department. It also asks the City Manager to bring back recommendations on how that standalone department should come together. The move matters because it would reshape where 911 and emergency dispatch operations live in the city's org chart.
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Item 21 Friday, August 14, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution asks the City Manager to give Council a summary list of police misconduct complaints — the records long known around Austin as the "G-file" — plus related information. It also directs staff to size up the costs and any legal, technological, or operational hurdles to building a public online database of misconduct allegations. For a city that's spent years debating how much of that file the public gets to see, it's a step toward putting more of it in the open.
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Item 8 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 No vote recorded
This ordinance updates the official roster of job classifications and positions in the Austin Fire Department's classified service, creating certain new positions and repealing the previous ordinance that set those classifications. It's the kind of housekeeping move that keeps the department's staffing structure current, but it shapes how AFD is organized and who fills which ranks. Funding is available in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budgets of Austin Fire.
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Item 9 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 No vote recorded
This ordinance sets up the official job classifications and positions for Austin-Travis County EMS, replacing the version council passed last August. It's the kind of administrative housekeeping that defines the ranks and roles for the folks who show up when you call 911. Funding comes from ATCEMS's Fiscal Year 2026-2027 operating budget.
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Item 10 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 No vote recorded
This ordinance sets the official job classifications and staffing positions in Austin Police's classified service, replacing the prior ordinance that governed those classifications. Funding comes from the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Operating Budget of Austin Police.
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Item 15 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to review and recommend key performance measures for the Austin Police Department, including a comprehensive look at existing data, audits, and performance-management models. It's about how the city tracks and evaluates police performance, setting the groundwork for how APD's work gets measured going forward.
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Item 17 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to draft a security plan for Austin's parks and recreation lands, including acquiring and deploying equipment to improve safety at parks with a history of violent crime. Any surveillance technology used has to comply with the city's TRUST Act (Ordinance No. 20260423-029). For anyone who spends time in Austin's green spaces, it's a look at how the city plans to balance safety measures with privacy protections.
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Item 19 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to stand up an Office of Joint Emergency Communications within the Management Services Department and take steps toward creating an independent Joint Emergency Communications Department that sits outside the Austin Police Department. It also calls for recommendations on how to build out that independent department. The move matters because it would shift responsibility for the city's emergency communications — the folks who answer and route 911 calls — away from APD and into their own standalone operation.
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Item 21 Wednesday, August 12, 2026 No vote recorded
This resolution directs the City Manager to hand Council a summary list of police misconduct complaints — the records long known around town as the "G-file" — along with related information. It also asks staff to size up what it takes to build a public online database of misconduct allegations, including the costs and any legal, technological, or operational hurdles. For anyone tracking police accountability and transparency in Austin, it's a step toward getting this information into public view.
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This item amends City Code Chapter 10-2 to update Austin's emergency medical services rules, including who has authority on emergency scenes, when non-emergency medical transfer providers must reimburse the city, and how private medical operators are regulated at events. It also authorizes related fees and creates a new offense for violations. The change has no fiscal impact.
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This item ratifies a $141,885 contract with Meridian Rapid Defense Group to rent anti-vehicle mobile barriers and related services for the Austin Police Department. These portable barriers are the kind used to block vehicles from entering crowded areas during events and gatherings. The funding comes from Austin Police's operating budget.
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This item amends the city's contract with Capital Area Occupational Medicine, doing business as St. David's Occupational Health Services, for ongoing employee exams and related medical testing. The amendment adds $80,000, bringing the total contract to no more than $460,000, with the new funding coming from Austin Fire's Operating Budget Special Revenue Fund. Funding for the rest of the contract term depends on what future budgets allow.
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This item authorizes a second amendment to a lease with Austin Executive Airport Services for hangar, office, ramp, and parking space in Pflugerville used by the Austin Police Department. The amendment runs three years, from August 2026 through July 2029, covering roughly 14,750 square feet of hangar building plus adjacent ramp and parking space at 6012 Aviation Drive. The total cost is not to exceed $611,337, with $32,966 available in the police department's current operating budget and the rest contingent on future budgets.
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This item approves a resolution allowing construction and use of the property at 6420 Helen Miller View, which sits within 500 feet of a hazardous pipeline. Under City Code Section 25-2-516, sites near hazardous pipelines get extra scrutiny when their use requires evacuation assistance, so the council weighs in directly on the go-ahead. The item has no fiscal impact.
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This resolution extends line-of-duty illness leave for Austin Fire Lieutenant Suzanne La Follette through May 30, 2027. The item has no fiscal impact — her salary and benefits are already part of the FY 2026-2027 Austin Fire operating budget, and overtime costs to backfill the position are covered in existing overtime projections.
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This item lets the city apply for and accept a grant from the Office of the Governor's Public Safety Office to fund a Role-Based Cybersecurity Training program running from January through December 2026. The grant provides $60,000, with a required $15,000 city match available in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Operating Budget of Austin Technology Services.
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This item authorizes the City to apply for and accept a state grant to run its Network Threat Management program, which guards Austin's technology systems against cyber threats, for the 2026 calendar year. The Office of the Governor's Public Safety Office puts up $287,544, and the City chips in a required match of $71,886 from Austin Technology Services' current operating budget.
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This item accepts a $25,000 grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to fund APD's STEP - Operation Slowdown Mobilization Project, a traffic enforcement effort. The 20% city match is covered by the base salary and fringe benefits of existing APD positions rather than new spending. Accepting the funds appropriates them into the police department's special revenue budget for the current fiscal year.
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This ratifies an amendment to the city's agreement with Integral Care (the Austin-Travis County mental health center) for the Homeless Outreach Street Team, which provides street outreach services to people experiencing homelessness. It adds $440,000 to the current term and each of three remaining 12-month extension options, bringing each option to no more than $839,354 and the total agreement to no more than $3,756,770. The $440,000 comes from this year's Homeless Strategies and Operations Social Services budget, with future years contingent on available funding.
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This resolution signs off on the police chief's picks for Austin's police reserve force — a group the chief can tap to back up the regular force when the city needs extra hands. It's required under City Code Chapter 2-17 and Texas Local Government Code Section 341.012. The item has no fiscal impact, since reserve positions are paid through Austin Police payroll and fully reimbursed by third-party vendors through special-event fees.
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With Houston hosting a slate of 2026 FIFA World Cup matches, this ratifies an interlocal agreement to send Austin Police officers to help with law enforcement during those events. The City of Houston reimburses Austin for the public safety services provided, so the costs are covered by Houston rather than Austin taxpayers.
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This kicks off a round of updates to Austin's Land Development Code, specifically tweaking the 2024 International Residential Code with local amendments to cover multifamily buildings of up to four attached units. It directs the City Manager to fold in certain minimum life-safety requirements, line the work up with an earlier March resolution, and review and propose changes to the city's technical codes in Chapter 25-12. For anyone building or living in these smaller multifamily projects, the item shapes the safety rules that apply.
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Item 6 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
This would let employees and retirees of the Austin Firefighters Retirement Fund join the City's 457(b) deferred compensation plan, a tax-advantaged way to save for retirement. The source notes there's no fiscal impact, since participation is cost-neutral to the City with no overall expense as a result.
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Item 7 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
This would let employees and retirees of the Austin Police Retirement System join the City's 457(b) deferred compensation plan — a retirement savings option that gives those folks another way to set money aside for the future. Council notes it's cost-neutral, with no overall expense to the City as a result.
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Item 9 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The Council is greenlighting an Official Notice of Intention to issue $156,265,000 in Certificates of Obligation — a form of city debt — to bankroll a long list of public projects, from fire and EMS stations and a family violence shelter to bridges, dams, street and road work, park upgrades, and Waller Creek District improvements. This is the procedural first step that lets the city advertise and eventually sell the bonds. Advertising the sale runs an estimated $3,000, and the resulting debt service is currently pegged at about $12,538,250, to be folded into the FY 2026-2027 proposed budget.
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Item 17 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The city wants to renew and beef up its contract with Carahsoft for Cellebrite tools — hardware, software, and services APD uses to extract and analyze data from digital devices. The amendment adds $275,400 and extends the deal another year, bringing the total to no more than $733,400. Of that, $75,000 is covered in APD's current operating budget, while the rest depends on funding council approves in future budgets.
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Item 21 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The city wants to hire Rucoba and Maya Construction to overhaul the intersection of Burleson and Stassney, which has been flagged as a high-crash spot. The goal is to make the crossing safer for the folks who drive, walk, and bike through it every day. The contract runs $2,095,275 plus a $209,528 contingency, for a total not to exceed $2,304,803, drawn from the Transportation and Public Works capital budget.
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Item 28 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The Council is weighing nine contracts to supply the Austin Police Department with ammunition, firearms, and firearm accessories. Each deal would run for an initial year with options for up to two one-year extensions, with the contractors splitting a total not to exceed $4,035,000. Of that, $739,407 is already available in APD's operating budget, while the rest depends on funding in future budgets.
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Item 35 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The Council is weighing a construction contract with Alpha Paving Industries for Austin's airport to handle midfield investigations and build a vehicle checkpoint. The work is part of ongoing capital projects at Austin-Bergstrom, where infrastructure has been straining to keep pace with the airport's growth. The contract runs $1,599,840 plus a $133,133 contingency, for a total not to exceed $1,732,973, paid out of Austin Aviation's capital budget.
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Item 42 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The city wants to renew its deal with UT Austin for dock space at the University of Texas Rowing Center on Lady Bird Lake, so Austin-Travis County EMS can keep launching its inflatable rescue boats from that spot near Hearn Street. The amendment extends the arrangement for five years with two one-year renewal options, keeping water rescue crews ready on one of Austin's busiest waterways. According to the item, there's no fiscal impact.
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Item 44 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The city wants to amend a lease with Engelhart CTP Management Corp. for 8,828 square feet of office space in the City-owned Two Barton Skyway building off South MoPac, moving up the lease expiration from January 31, 2027, to November 1, 2026. The building is one of two slated to become the new public safety headquarters for Austin Fire, Austin Police, and Austin-Travis County EMS. Cutting the lease short is projected to reduce revenue in Austin Facilities Management's 2026-2027 operating budget by $99,636.
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Item 59 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
This resolution tells the City Manager to get Austin's rules up to speed on e-motos — those electric mini motorcycles and dirt bikes you've probably heard buzzing around town. The plan covers updating City Code and administrative rules, launching a public awareness campaign, aligning police training and general orders, and even exploring a dedicated public spot where folks could ride them legally. Staff would then report back to Council on the progress.
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Item 88 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The Council is being asked to greenlight an application for federal Homeland Security grant money, funneled through the Governor's Public Safety Office, to bankroll a handful of public safety projects under the FY2026 State Homeland Security Program. The grant is capped at $1,397,063, and the good news for city coffers is that no local match is required. If approved, the city can both apply for and accept the funds.
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Item 89 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
The Council is being asked to greenlight an application for up to $3.7 million in federal Homeland Security grant money, funneled through the Governor's Public Safety Office, to fund a range of public safety projects under the Urban Area Security Initiative. Because there's no local match required, Austin wouldn't have to chip in its own dollars to land the funds. If approved, the city accepts both the application and the grant money in one move.
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Item 91 Thursday, May 28, 2026 Passed 9-0
APD wants to accept a $25,000 grant from the Texas Department of Transportation to fund its part in the statewide "Click It or Ticket" seat-belt enforcement campaign. The grant requires a 20 percent City match, which would be covered by the salaries and benefits of officers already on the payroll. Approving this lets Austin tap state dollars for stepped-up seat-belt enforcement without new local spending.
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This sets up a formal mutual-aid agreement letting Austin-Travis County EMS automatically share emergency medical response with Georgetown, Travis County, Williamson County, and the Lago Vista and Pflugerville fire districts. The idea is that when a 911 call comes in near a jurisdictional line, the closest available crew responds regardless of which agency they work for. The item is listed as having no fiscal impact.
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Item 9 Thursday, May 21, 2026 Results pendingunofficial The city wants the green light to apply for and accept up to $1,397,063 in federal Homeland Security grant money, funneled through the Governor's Public Safety Office, to fund a handful of public safety projects under the FY2026 State Homeland Security Program. Best part for local taxpayers: no city matching dollars are required, so this is federal money with no strings on Austin's wallet.
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Item 10 Thursday, May 21, 2026 Results pendingunofficial The council is weighing whether to apply for and accept up to $3,700,000 in federal Homeland Security grant money, funneled through the Governor's Public Safety Office, to fund multiple public safety projects under the Urban Area Security Initiative for fiscal year 2026. The dollars come from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and, notably, require no local matching funds from the city. If approved, the grant would bankroll a slate of public safety efforts without dipping into Austin's own coffers.
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The Council is being asked to greenlight a grant application to the Texas DMV's Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority to keep Austin's Auto Burglary and Theft Interdiction Project running — the program aimed at cracking down on car break-ins and thefts around town. The grant would bring in $1,496,234.90, with the city chipping in a required match of $347,394.50, covered by the salaries and benefits of existing staff already assigned to the work.
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Council is being asked to sign off on appointing Sarah Ivory and Robert Gross to the Civil Service Commission that oversees personnel matters for Austin's firefighters, police officers, and EMS workers. This commission helps shape how hiring, promotions, and disciplinary decisions play out for the folks who staff our emergency services. The item comes with no fiscal impact.
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The Council is being asked to greenlight a partnership with Travis County to set up an Austin/Travis County Family Justice Center, a hub aimed at helping survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking. It's the kind of one-stop support that can make a real difference for folks navigating crisis. The deal runs 12 months starting June 1, 2026, at up to $250,000, with four possible year-long extensions that could bring the total to $1,250,000. The first $250,000 comes from Austin Public Health's budget, while money for later years depends on future budgets.
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The Council is being asked to back Travis County's bid for a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, with Austin signing on as a partner applicant. The money would go toward making road intersections safer and beefing up post-crash care and emergency medical response. No dollar figure is on the table yet — if the grant comes through, staff says they'll come back to Council to formally accept the funds and pin down a funding source.
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The Council is being asked to approve a legal settlement in the federal lawsuit Javier Ambler v. City of Austin and Officer Nissen, filed in the Western District of Texas. Settlements like this resolve claims against the city and its officers without going to trial. The money would come from the city's Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Liability Reserve Fund, though the source text doesn't specify the settlement amount.
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Item 5 Thursday, May 7, 2026 Passed 10-0
Council is weighing whether to amend the city's agreement with Integral Care to keep the Homeless Health and Wellness Center running — a program that pairs behavioral health care with primary medical services for Austinites experiencing homelessness. The change adds a one-time $497,299, bringing the total contract to no more than $2,388,026, with the new money coming from the Austin Community Court's current operating budget.
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Item 13 Thursday, May 7, 2026 Passed 10-0
This greenlights a contract with Vieux & Associates to build out a flood early-forecasting, mapping, and modeling system — plus the user interface that lets Watershed Protection actually read it — for a city that knows its way around a flash flood. The deal runs one year with up to four one-year extensions, capped at $2,200,000, with $220,000 already set aside in the current Watershed Protection budget and the rest depending on future funding.
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Item 39 Thursday, May 7, 2026 Passed 10-0
This item would let the city sign on with the Texas Department of State Health Services to handle mobile food vendor inspections — think the food trucks Austin loves — starting July 1, 2026. The initial 13-month term is capped at $680,000, with up to four 12-month extensions bringing the total agreement to no more than $3,400,000, and it's projected to bring in $680,000 a year in revenue for Austin Public Health.
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Item 42 Thursday, May 7, 2026 No final action
Council will huddle behind closed doors with the city's attorneys to talk through legal issues tied to the Yogurt Shop criminal cases. This is a private executive session, allowed under the Texas Open Meetings Act for confidential consultation with legal counsel, so the public won't be in the room for this one.
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Item 24 Thursday, April 23, 2026 Passed 10-0
The City owns the Two Barton Skyway Building on South MoPac, where it currently leases office space to a private tenant, Maslow Wealth Advisors. This item tweaks that lease so it wraps up sooner — by August 31, 2026 — with the option to keep the tenant month-to-month for up to four more months, all part of the City's plan to turn the buildings into a new Public Safety Headquarters for Austin Fire, Police, and EMS. Because the City is shortening the lease, it expects to bring in less rent: a projected $20,433 less in FY 2025-2026 and $81,731 less in FY 2026-2027.
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Item 26 Thursday, April 23, 2026 Passed 10-0
The city wants to amend its lease with Open Lending LLC, which rents about 25,368 square feet at the One Barton Skyway Building off South MoPac — a property the city is eyeing as a future Public Safety Headquarters for Austin Fire, Police, and Austin-Travis County EMS. The amendment would move up the lease's end date to December 31, 2026, and waive Open Lending's base rent and other charges from April through December 2026, clearing the space sooner. That waiver totals $958,480, which means less revenue for Austin Facilities Management — about $634,759 less in FY2025-2026 and $323,721 less in FY2026-2027.
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Item 29 Thursday, April 23, 2026 Passed 10-0
This ordinance would add a brand-new chapter to the City Code laying out rules for how any Austin city department adopts, buys, deploys, uses, and reviews surveillance technology. It matters because it sets citywide ground rules for the kinds of tools departments can use to watch and gather information, rather than leaving those decisions scattered. The item is listed as having no fiscal impact.
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Item 37 Thursday, April 23, 2026 Passed 10-0
The Council is looking to launch a "Safe to Call" stakeholder process, directing the City Manager to explore strategies that would reassure victims, witnesses, and vulnerable community members that it's safe to dial up the City for emergency services. The idea is that folks shouldn't have to fear consequences when they reach out for help in a crisis. If approved, the City Manager would gather stakeholders, develop potential policies, and report back to Council.
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Item 46 Thursday, April 23, 2026 Passed 10-0
This resolution lets the city use eminent domain to acquire roughly 0.282 acres off Mount Larson Road in West Austin so it can build a communications tower for the Greater Austin-Travis County Regional Radio System. The tower is meant to boost radio coverage across central Austin and Travis County for city and county public safety and public service agencies. The land, owned by NW Communications of Austin (formerly Austin Argyle Television), is appraised at $61,505, with funding available in the Austin Technology Services capital budget — though the final price could rise through updated appraisals, a settlement, or a court judgment.
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Item 66 Thursday, April 23, 2026 No final action
Council is set to meet privately with its legal counsel to talk through legal issues tied to SB 4, a state law passed during the 85th Texas Legislative Session that deals with how local governments enforce state and federal immigration laws. Because this is a closed-door consultation under Section 551.071 of the Government Code, the public won't be in the room for the discussion itself. It matters because it touches on how Austin navigates its legal obligations around immigration enforcement.
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Item 67 Thursday, April 23, 2026 No final action
Council is heading into closed session to talk through the legal and real estate side of acquiring about 0.282 acres (roughly 12,301 square feet) at 00 Mount Larson Road by eminent domain. The land would host a communications tower meant to boost radio coverage for City and County public safety and public service departments. Eminent domain means the City could take the property even without a willing seller, so this matters to the affected landowner and to first responders who rely on solid radio coverage.
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