City council approves pursing one-year agreement with Austin Police Association

The Austin City Council today approved on a 9-2 vote pursuing a one-year contract with the Austin Police Association (APA) to begin when the current contract expires on March 31, 2023.

AUSTIN, Texas - Last week, Austin city manager Spencer Cronk approved a 4-year contract with the Austin Police Department, which incorporates a sustainable environment for police officers.

During Wednesday's meeting, community members took the stand before council members made a vote.

"I think we can all agree we want transparency and accountability for officers. No one wants bad cops. Everyone is here for accountability," says Austin resident.

"The four-year contract does not have accountability. It has oversight theater while leaving that all the consequences and actual enforcement up to the police itself. The people of Austin deserve to have their voices heard," says another Austin resident.

Austin City Council fires Spencer Cronk as city manager

City council members decided that Spencer Cronk had to go following the handling of the recent storm that left nearly 200,000 people without power.

Council member Jose Chito Vela made a substitution to the 4-year agreement which allowed members to vote on extending the current contract, instead of implementing the Cronk deal.

The vote was 9 to 2. Allison Alter and Mackenzie Kelly voted no on this motion.

"What is unclear to me is whether we can achieve more oversight a year from now than what we already have on the table under a four-year deal," says council member Allison Alter.

"Negotiating a 4-year contract is an incredibly complex process that requires careful consideration of the interest of the city and the police union which the city and APA have done for over a year," says council member Mackenzie Kelly.

Police reform advocates petitioned for a police oversight ballot measure to be voted on in May.

In a statement that Jose 'Chito' Vela shared earlier this week he says in part they chose one year extension plan to provide enough time to hold the May election, understand the implications of the results, and adjust policy accordingly.