NACA MONTHLY MEETING

Thursday, 21 October 2021
Download Minutes: Oct 2021 NACA Meeting Minutes

Virtual Meeting via Zoom

Introductions

Matt Myers called the meeting to order at 7:03 PM.

The following statement of Land Rights was read by President Matt Myers:

“Our Civic Association would like to acknowledge that the land boundaries of NACA are original territory of a number of Indigenous peoples–– specifically the Numunuu also known as Comanche Nation and the Tonkawa Tribe. We honor and thank the Indigenous peoples connected to this territory where we live and gather. NACA will work towards decolonizing our practices, and make our Civic Association an inclusive space for all.”

Treasurer’s Report

The General Fund contains $3,104.83 and there are currently 106 members. The Beautification Fund totals $13,126.65, with slightly more than $11,000 invested and more than $2,249.35 immediately available for spending on neighborhood beautification projects. Starting in November, we’ll be picking up renewals for membership for 2022.

Announcements

The Secretary position is still vacant, for anyone willing to take some simple bullet-point notes during our meetings.

Eventually, when the pandemic abates, we hope to be able to meet in a hybrid format, so we can meet face-to-face and still have the Zoom available for those who aren’t able to attend in person.

The next street clean-up will be on Saturday, November 13 at 8:30 am on Rundberg from Parkfield to Lamar. We will mask up and meet at the Taco More parking lot at Rundberg and Parkfield. This will be the last street clean-up in 2021. The details are on the NACA website.

We will probably delay the membership drive into Spring 2022. Need to figure out how to get the printing done economically for the membership flyers. We will move forward with it. While sector leaders have been recruited, they will need volunteers to help distribute the flyers.

Approval of September 2021 Meeting Minutes

The September meeting minute approval was postponed until the November meeting in favor of the primary topic—the upcoming vote of Proposition A.

Prop A—In Favor, Cleo Petricek, Co-Chair Save Austin Now

We are having a 300 officer deficit for police officers. Response times for priority 1 calls are increasing to more than 10–12 minutes instead of 7.5 minutes. We are not asking for more police. We are asking for a similar safety net as the firefighters have—4 firefighters per vehicle. This is a similar minimum standard that is a nationally accepted standard for safety. This level of support was budgeted 2 years ago by the City Council. This is modeled on the Obama 6 pillars of 21st-century police reform. There are other requirements such as 35% of the time spent on community policing. Prop A also requires 80 hours of police training instead of 40 hours.

I’ve met with the community, and the black and brown communities want more officers present. The majority of the murders were stranger-on-stranger violence and 72% of the murder victims were black and brown.

What was the officer-population ratio in 2018–2019, and what is the current ratio? Which other cities operate at the 2:1000 resident ratio, and what are their crime rates?

Eight of the eleven cities our size have the 2:1000 ratio. Two years ago, we budgeted 1800 officers, which would have been the 2:1000 resident ratio. Every single unit in the police department—like the gang supression unit and those investigation illegal guns—have been disbanded or are very understaffed. If you can investigate crime, you can deter it by putting criminals away.

Demographic data can cut both ways—there are cities that can be used to argue either point. But we are losing police officers because they are under so much stress by being understaffed.

How was the ratio determined and how does it prove that it will prevent crime?

We have the studies that show this is a 2:1000 ratio is a national standard. Studies show that more police is a deterrent of crime. We need adequately staffed police department to respond to crime. The academic research is available. 

What options are available to the City Council to reduce the numbers of officers if there are other needs that can be met by non-commissioned personnel?

The beauty of the proposition is that in two years, it can change, if the citizens feel differently about it then. We are asking for a 0.25% increase in police presence within a $4.2 billion city budget. We are one of the wealthiest cities in the country. We can afford to have a well-staffed and well-trained police department.

How many other positions would be cut to fund this? Some estimates show 1000–1400 positions cut.

The City Council needs to prioritize. There is no need for cuts in these departments based on this budget. Our estimate is only $30–$35 million in increase. But so far, Austin’s revenue has increased $45 million every year. So it can be paid for through the natural increases. We are asking for the same safety net for police officers to be able to have backup just as firefighters have 4 per vehicle.

Current EMS response time is longer at 9 minutes and 50 seconds. Why would EMS not be prioritized?

Staffing will have to be reimagined and their needs met. The police department is the one that’s hurting, with 98% of shifts understaffed. In one sector that should have 10 officers, there are only 4 available. More applications this year for the police cadet academy than ever before. We can fast-track prior licensed peace officers, and have more flexible cadet classes, possibly at night, possibly concurrently.

Closing Statement

Prop A mandates an adequate level of staffing—just 2.0 to 1000, not an overcorrection to 2.4 to 2.6 to 1000. Criminals know there’s a shortage of officers, and they’re taking advantage of that and that is why there’s an increase in crime.

Prop A—Against, Chas Moore, Austin Justice Coalition

We have major flaws and inequities in police funding. Some have characterized the City Council’s efforts as a knee-jerk reaction. But this is the result of decades of black and brown bodies being disproportionately impacted by police brutality. The term “defund” was only intended to reflect a need to shift spending. The police department has a hiring issue, not a funding issue. They can’t get enough police officers to fill those 300 positions. There were problems with the cadet training with people leaving the cadet class because they were disappointed in how the training was instituted. Let’s take a pause to re-think how we train these officers we have on the streets. This proposition, if passed, will require money to hire the positions that they already can’t fill. If the estimates in the proposition language says it will cost $50–$100 million a year. That has to come from somewhere, and it’s a concern that it will involve cuts from elsewhere—fire, EMS, parks, and library.

Austin’s murder rate is up, but this is not an Austin problem—this is a national problem. Dallas and Houston have the staffing ratios in Proposition A, but their crime increases are even worse than those in Austin.

People are dying from most other causes more than crime and violence. More cops will not prevent this—we need to get more to the root cause of why this is happening.

What was the officer-population ratio in 2018–2019, and what is the current ratio? Which other cities operate at the 2:1000 resident ratio, and what are their crime rates?

The cities that do have that ratio like Milwaukee have 3:1000 but their murder rate has gone up 96%. El Paso has 1.7 police officers per 1000 resident and has a decrease in crime. So it’s not a guarantee that more police will result in less crime. Austin is a lot safer on average than the rest of the state and country, despite that.

How was the ratio determined and how does it prove that it will prevent crime?

Their are studies on both sides of this issue and many things on the internet. The 2:1000 ratio comes from a national police group. It is their job to advocate for that, but of course they are going to say they need more. Austin police department has a bad track record for solving sexual assault and other crimes. There’s no proof that less police that will solve crime. But we need to try funding other approaches to strengthening to the community.

Call response time has gone down because the police have declined to do better. They took it personally when City Council decided to try something new, and they stopped showing up.

What options are available to the City Council to reduce the numbers of officers if there are other needs that can be met by non-commissioned personnel?

House Bill 1900 makes this a problem. We cannot make any cuts to the police department, even of small amounts. So we must work within the police department to have them work more cooperatively to share public safety responsibility with other entities like Fire, EMS, Social Service Workers, etc. If Prop A passes, we will not be even further hampered.

The $4.2 billion city budget includes Austin Water and Utilties—that cannot be used for anything else. There can be a proposition of repealing this in two years, but we cannot undo that increase because of House Bill 1900.

How many other positions would be cut to fund this? Some estimates show 1000–1400 positions cut.

Our estimate is that it would be about $90 million/year and requiring 1000 positions cut. Those in favor of this proposition fail to say where else this money would come from. Cities are not able to increase taxes because of laws. If we really care about public safety, we must care about all of it—fire, parks, and pools.

Current EMS response time is longer at 9 minutes and 50 seconds. Why would EMS not be prioritized?

EMS has a little over $100 million, the fire department has about $200 million, but the police department has more than $400 million for their budget. The police budget is 38% of the city budget now. It will be 48% of the budget if this proposition passes. 

Closing Statement

Crime happens where resources are lacking. Instead of investing in something that is not a solution. Police are not a solution to domestic violence or mental health crises. When police show up in Austin for a mental health issue, people die. Community led solutions in Eugene, Oregon and Brooklyn, New York have been successful in increasing public safety, health and wellness without increasing police presence.

The combination of Prop A and HB 1900 will bind our dollars to wherever Prop A increases this police budget.

Next Meeting

The November meeting will be virtual social meeting with a round-table discussion for anybody to say what’s on their mind.

Meeting adjourned at 8:04 pm by President Matt Myers.