City, Austin Police Association to re-enter APD contract negotiations
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2024 BY BRIANNA HOLLIS
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin and the Austin Police Association (APA) have set a date to come back to the table to discuss a long-term police contract, according to APA President Michael Bullock.
This comes more than a year after the two entities agreed on a previous contract that city council ultimately voted down to await the results of a police oversight ballot item that went to voters in May 2023.
“We think we have found a path that accomplishes the goals on both sides and that we have a way to get to a contract, and now we’re just excited to have the opportunity to sit down and talk about it,” Bullock said.
In the absence of a long-term deal, city council has now voted twice for one-year deals that would create stability around police pay.
“I believe firmly that it’s in the best interest of our police, and therefore in the best interest of the residents of Austin, is to have a longer-term contract,” Mayor Kirk Watson said when he drafted the resolution for the latest one-year deal.
In the City’s announcement about this topic on Wednesday, Watson added that he has “been saying for some time now that it was critical for the City to get back to the bargaining table with the Austin Police Association. I’m pleased we’ve agreed to a date to begin those negotiations. Our police officers need to know that they’re supported, we need to fill vacancies, and the best way to show support and fill positions is by getting a long-term contract.”
When KXAN spoke to Watson at City Hall Wednesday afternoon, he credited a lot of this movement to Bullock’s efforts in communicating with the city, while still noting there’s a long road ahead before a formal agreement is reached.
“It needs to be said – we’re not going to agree on everything, and this is not going to be something that happens overnight,” Watson said. “But you can’t get to a contract without negotiations.”
Why does the police contract matter to you?
Solidified contracts indicate stability for officers, and former police Chief Joseph Chacon said the absence of a long-term deal can exacerbate the already crisis-level staffing issue, which has an impact on response times and the department’s ability to proactively police.
In Austin, the police contract also has specific measures outlined for police oversight and details provisions on external police accountability. For example, the last long-term deal reached in 2018 created the Office of Police Oversight.
“We’ve seen a lot of examples lately about how staffing and a lot of crime issues, homicide rates, all of these are concerning things, and the contract is a key component of getting out of the current situation that we’re in,” Bullock said.
Oversight measure at root of contract stalemate
In May 2023, voters passed the Austin Police Oversight Act, which established enhanced police oversight measures. Ever since the measure floated around as an initial petition from advocacy group Equity Action, the APA said components of the ordinance violated state law related to officer privacy.
“It’s a really big victory. There’s a strong mandate for improving police oversight and transparency in the city,” said Equity Action Board President Chris Harris when the voting results came in last year.
Since the ordinance’s passage, the City moved to seek clarity on how much of the ordinance could legally be enacted. As this sat in limbo, Equity Action filed a lawsuit against the City, essentially demanding the enforcement of the ordinance in its entirety.
The lawsuit includes arguments over something called a g-file. A g-file is an internal, confidential file that contains complaints against officers that have not been substantiated and did not result in any form of punishment. The ordinance states that the type of claims currently in the g-file should be made public.
Previous APA officials explained eliminating the presence of a g-file would violate state law. City officials are still working on obtaining more clarity on that front.
“We’ve found a way where we can address the lawsuit. We can address oversight, we can address our concerns, everyone’s concerns who have been brought into account,” Bullock said. “And we can find a way to push forward and hopefully find our way out of this public safety crisis that we’ve found ourselves in.”
The union and city negotiators will have their first official meeting on March 13.