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New Austin police contract worries some city council members

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Published  September 27, 2024 6:41pm CDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 7 Austin

Austin police contract negotiations latest

With a tentative contract agreement on the table for Austin police, some city council members are voicing concerns, particularly when it comes to transparency and money.

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin City Council members are expressing their concerns about the tentative police contract. The Austin Police Association and the city announced an agreement on Monday pending approval from police and council members.

The main concerns expressed by council members are transparency and money.

"It's been a tough few years of disputes and conflict between the police association and the city," Austin City Council member District 4 representative Chito Vela said.

"We've been going a year and a half with no contract," Austin Police Association president Michael Bullock said.

On October 10th, they could have a contract if the Austin City Council approves the tentative police contract.

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Formal negotiations for a long-term contract between the city and the Austin Police Association began today.

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"I'm looking forward to getting a contract and turning the page," Vela said.

The contract agreed upon by the City and Austin Police Association includes pay raises for officers across the board with a 28 percent increase over five years, additional field training officer pay, a stipend for officers working the night shift, and a one-time $2,000 bonus at the start of the new contract.

"We're trying to get people to stay as well as to incentivize new people to come here and that's the only way that we're going to get out of our staffing crisis," Bullock said.

Some council members are concerned about how this could affect the budget.

Council member Ryan Alter said in a memo, "We must have clarity as to what impact this has on our 5-year budget forecast, including what portion of the general fund will be untouchable by future councils because it is governed by a public safety contract."

The contract also touches on the G-file transparency controversy. The G-file is essentially a personnel file that includes complaints against officers that didn’t result in discipline. The Austin Police Oversight Act, or Proposition A, which voters passed in May 2023, calls for those records to no longer be sealed and for the public to have access to them.

City council members have brought up concerns about the language in the contract regarding the G-files.

"Definitely records within the contract period are going to be subject to public access, and it looks like those records outside of the contract period, we're going to default to state law. Which current state law, we have a judicial decision interpreting state law, says that the public has access to the police personnel records. But I do want to make sure that we have clarity on that language both from our law department and also from the police association," Vela said.

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Council member Zo Qadri said in a statement, "When reviewing the agreement, I have concerns about the vagueness in the sections pertaining to the G-file, and would like clarification before Council takes final action. We need public access to all G-file information, past and present, and to move forward with a transparent system that allows for public availability of police personnel records."

Council member Jose Velasquez said in a memo, "Ensuring the public has access to vital information, including past misconduct records, is critical for maintaining transparency."

Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax responded in a statement:

"In response to questions I have received regarding the Tentative Agreement reached by the City and the Austin Police Association, I want to clarify issues specifically related to the ‘G-file.' The City of Austin no longer maintains G-files. Prop A and the current court ruling confirm and further provide assurance that there are no G-files. Additionally, specific to the Tentative Agreement between the City of Austin and the Austin Police Association, there are no G-files during the entire time frame of the contract – five years. Further, based on the recent court decision as it relates to G-files, the City is – and will – release any information requested through a public information request in the same way all other such requests are processed. These measures comply with Prop A."

Austin police contract negotiations

Negotiations between the city and the Austin police union are set to resume this week. APD officers have been working for almost a year without one.

"You don’t anticipate a revision of this contract?" FOX 7 reporter Meredith Aldis asked Vela.

"I'm going to wait and see what the city attorney has to say and what the Austin Police Association has to say. If we're not on the same page, then we may have to look at the language again, because I don't want this to be a continuing issue," Vela responded.

The city manager and Austin Police Association president said the contract is in compliance with Proposition A.

"I think we could have potentially a unanimous vote on the contract if we have clarity on the G file question," Vela said.

Austin City Council members will vote on the proposed contract on October 10th.