CITY & COUNTY
News from Austin & Travis County
Thousands of 911 calls diverted to mental health specialists
Commission pushes for higher EMS pay
3,766 calls to 911 diverted from law enforcement in 2021 request mental health help beyond the standard police, fire or EMS services. CALLING FOR CHANGE Austin 911 callers can 80%-85% of those calls are not returned to law enforcement When police are aware of mental health issues
BY BEN THOMPSON
BY BEN THOMPSON
AUSTIN As contract negotiations between the city of Austin and its three public safety labor associations continue, the public safety commission is advising officials to grant a request for increased pay from the Austin EMS Association. ATCEMS opened budget negotiations with a request for $27 an hour minimum wage. Last month, the city offered Austin-Travis County EMS medics a $0.14 raise last month. During a May 2 safety commission dis- cussion of the labor contract process, EMS Association President Selena Xie said EMS pay is falling behind the cost of living in Austin, which the city’s initial offer would not address. The EMS vacancy rate had risen past 18% as of February, and Xie said the department is short around 25% of its budgeted positions—a situation she labeled as a “crisis.” After hearing from Xie, commissioners largely sided with the EMS association and called on Austin to up its initial offer. Negotia- tions will continue through this spring.
in our community the assistance and help they most need. The second thing is, is that this kind of response that’s more tailored to the actual need is going to make us all safer,” Mayor Steve Adler said. Most calls that are directed away from an initial police response do not require law enforcement intervention, Murphy said. The city has seen between an 80%-85% “true diversion rate,” or share of calls that are never transferred back to police or EMS after the mental health option is selected. In addition to freeing up resources in the call center, Murphy said recent trends also show the practice has improved outcomes for those involved. APD data shows when officers are aware they are being dispatched
AUSTIN In town, those calling 911 are met with the standard police, fire and EMS options in addition to a fourth choice for mental health emergencies. Calls requesting help with a mental health issue are then forwarded to a specialist at the 911 call center and could result in clinicians and case managers, rather than police, responding to an incident. At an April 19 City Council meeting, Austin Police Depart- ment Lt. Ken Murphy said 3,766 calls to 911 were diverted away from law enforcement in 2021. Murphy said that figure could reach as high as 7,800 diverted calls this year. “This is what change looks like. That does two things. One is that it better gets for the people
56.3% reduction in use of force
45.5% reduction in arrests
SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
to a call with a mental health component, arrests fell 45.5%, and uses of force declined 56.3%, comparatively.
PROP A PASSES Austin voters approved decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana and ending “no-knock” warrants. For: 58,119 Against: 9,857
Voters end low-level marijuana enforcement, ‘no-knock’ warrants
BY BEN THOMPSON
and are official. “This is an extremely strong
Proposition A’s passage codified current Austin Police Department policy on marijuana enforcement, effectively ending ticketing and arrests for Class A and B misdemean- ors related to marijuana possession. APD officers are also now prohib- ited from requesting or participating in “no-knock” search warrants, or warrants carried out without advance warning.
AUSTIN Voters passed Proposition A by over a 5-1 margin May 7, formally ending low-level marijuana enforce- ment and the practice of “no-knock” warrants in the city. Travis, Williamson and Hays counties reported a total of 58,119 votes—83.04%—tallied in favor of Proposition A with 9,857 against as of May 7. Results have been canvassed
mandate from Austin voters that they want these reforms, and they want them now,” said Mike Siegel, political director for the voter engagement group Ground Game Texas, in an election night interview. “We’re hopeful that other cities across Texas will take this as inspiration, that this is what the voters want.”
SOURCE: TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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