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I'M VANESSA FUENTES, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND I WILL BE PRESIDING OVER TODAY'S WORK SESSION AS MAYOR WATSON IS UNABLE TO JOIN US TODAY.
IT IS 9:00 AM AND WE ARE HERE AT CITY HALL CHAMBERS.
COLLEAGUES, FOR TODAY'S AGENDA, WE ARE GONNA BEGIN WITH PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SPEAKERS WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES PER ITEM.
SPEAKERS MAY DONATE TIME, BUT MUST COORDINATE WITH THE CITY CLERK BEFOREHAND.
ALL PARTIES, INCLUDING THE SPEAKERS AND THE TIME DONORS MUST BE PRESENT IN IN PERSON TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR TIME DONATIONS AFTER SPEAKERS, WE'LL THEN TAKE A COUNCIL PULLED ITEM 67, WHICH IS THE AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM.
STAFF WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION ON THIS ITEM.
AFTER THE STAFF PRESENTATION, I WILL THEN RECOGNIZE COUNCILLOR SIEGEL, WHO PULLED THIS ITEM FOR, UH, DISCUSSION.
AND OUR DIOCESE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AFTER THE AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM ITEM.
WE WILL THEN HAVE AN UPDATE FROM STAFF ON THE UPDATE TO THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON TODAY'S WORK SESSION AGENDA? NOPE.
WELL, WITH THAT, WE WILL THEN I WILL LOOK TO THE CITY CLERK TO START CALLING
[Additional Item]
THE SPEAKERS.WE HAVE SOME SPEAKERS THAT ARE IN NEED OF TRANSLATION SERVICES, SO I'LL START CALLING THEM.
SALVADOR ROBLES MINORU ANTONS.
CAN YOU CALL THE NAMES ONE MORE TIME JUST TO MAKE SURE? YES.
I AM GONNA KEEP GOING TO REMOTE SPEAKERS NOW.
I'M A RESIDENT OF D FOUR TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF WORKERS DEFENSE ACTION FUND AND OUR MEMBERSHIP OF OVER 6,200 IMMIGRANT WORKERS.
IMMIGRANT AUSTINITES ARE IN DANGER AND FACE ESCALATING ATTACKS REGARDLESS OF THEIR STATUS AND THIS POLITICAL LANDSCAPE FIGHTING BACK REQUIRES US TO THINK IN TERMS OF SYSTEMS. HOW CAN WE PASS POLICIES THAT KEEP IMMIGRANTS SAFE? BY MAKING THE WORK OF TARGETING THEM HARDER TO DO THIS VOTE IS A CRITICAL BATTLE IN THAT FIGHT.
UNSCRUPULOUS PROFIT MOTIVATED DATA BROKERS LIKE FLOCK, COLLECTS TROVES OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLACES A PERSON REGULARLY VISITS THE SCHOOL THEIR CHILDREN ATTEND, THEIR WORKPLACE, THEIR PLACE OF WORSHIP, THEIR HOME FOR IMMIGRANTS.
THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON DEMAND TO ICE BECAUSE OF THE CITY'S INTERPRETATION OF SB FOUR.
EVEN IF A PD DELETED THE DATA AFTER THREE MINUTES BLOCK WOULD RETAIN THE DATA AND THE ABILITY TO SELL IT OR OTHERWISE PROVIDE IT TO ICE.
RIGHT NOW, TECH BILLIONAIRES ARE HARD AT WORK CRAFTING SYSTEMS THAT NOTIFY ICE WHENEVER UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS APPEAR IN A LPR SYSTEMS, SO ICE CAN ACCESS REAL TIME LOCATION DATA FOR THE PEOPLE THEY'RE SEEKING TO PORT.
FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES ARE USING SURVEILLANCE TECH TO TARGET IMMIGRANTS IN WAYS WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.
AND IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY UNKNOWABLE HOW SEVERE THIS LANDSCAPE WILL BECOME FOR OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS.
I SEE MY COUNCIL MEMBER HARD AT WORK TRYING TO CRAFT A CONTRACT WITH GUARDRAILS, BUT NO GUARDRAILS WILL EVER BE ENOUGH TO FULLY PREVENT ICE FROM ACCESSING THIS DATA.
ONCE IT IS COLLECTED, WE WILL PAY FOR THE PRECIOUS FEW STOLEN CARS RECOVERED IN SEPARATED FAMILIES
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AND MOTHERS AND FATHERS WHO MAY NEVER SEE THEIR CHILDREN AGAIN.IN WORKERS ON WHOSE LABOR WE RELY TO MAKE AUSTIN WHAT IT IS IN BELOVED NEIGHBORS AND COWORKERS AND FRIENDS, I BELIEVE COUNSEL AIMS TO STAND WITH IMMIGRANTS IN THIS MOMENT.
WE NEED YOUR FORESIGHT AND WE NEED YOU TO PUT HUMAN LIFE OVER PROPERTY.
UM, I'M A NATIVE AUSTINITE AND, UH, I ALSO LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE.
I WORK IN THE TECH SECTOR, AND I WANTED TO JUST, UM, SAY A FEW THINGS WHEN YOU APPROVE THIS PILOT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION WHO IGNORES THE RULE OF LAW, THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS AND DUE PROCESS WHEN YOU APPROVE THIS PILOT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO IS VINDICTIVE AND HAS GONE AFTER HIS OPPONENTS WITH EVERY WEAPON HE CAN MUSTER WHEN YOU APPROVE THIS PILOT.
WE DIDN'T SEE PEOPLE BEING SENT OFF TO PRISONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES WITHOUT DUE PROCESS.
WHEN YOU APPROVE THIS PILOT, THERE WASN'T A CONTRACT WITH PALANTIR, WHICH JUST WAS ANNOUNCED A WEEK AGO TO BUILD A MASTER GOVERNMENT DATABASE TO TRACK ALL AMERICANS.
I WANT YOU TO PLEASE TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU'RE VOTING ON THURSDAY, AND YOU MAY THINK, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE CAN VOTE, VOTE THEM OUT.
BUT EVEN IF WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS, THERE'S REASONS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT MASS SURVEILLANCE AND RELYING ON FOR-PROFIT COMPANIES.
THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN THE HEALTH OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
AS A CONTENT MANAGER IN THE TECH INDUSTRY, I'VE SEEN PROMISES FROM SOFTWARE VENDORS FOR FEATURES AND CUSTOMIZATION THAT NEVER MATERIALIZES.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN OR MAY HAVE BEEN PROMISED MANY THINGS BY THESE COMPANIES WHEN IT COMES TO DATA SECURITY, BUT ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTS, THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES AND THERE ARE NO GUARDRAILS THAT WILL PROTECT EVERYONE.
FINALLY, JUST AS A TAXPAYER, THANK YOU.
I'M RACHEL SHANNON, A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE, AND I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON ITEM 67.
I SPOKE UP ABOUT A LPRS WHEN THIS WAS VOTED ON IN SEPTEMBER 22, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK OUT AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S EVER MORE CLEAR THAT WHEN IT COMES TO DIGITAL DATA, PRIVACY IS A MOMENTARY EXPERIENCE AT BEST.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT NO ONE CAN GUARANTEE, ESPECIALLY A PRIVATE COMPANY.
THE ONLY DATA THAT CAN NEVER BE LEAKED OR MISUSED IS THE DATA THAT WAS NEVER CAPTURED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
THE WARNINGS BACK IN 2022 ABOUT A LR PS BEING WEAPONIZED AGAINST PEOPLE SEEKING ABORTIONS.
AND JUST THIS PAST WEEK, WE LEARNED OF HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT IN TEXAS USED FLOCK COULD PERFORM A NATIONWIDE SEARCH OF 83,000 A LPR CAMERAS WHILE LOOKING FOR A WOMAN WHO HAD AN ABORTION.
JOHNSON COUNTY REPORTS HAVE THE NIX ABOUT WHY THEY WERE LOOKING FOR THIS WOMAN, BUT THE EVIDENCE STANDS AS IT HAS BEFORE THAT THE ONLY SAFE DATA IS THAT THAT IS NOT COLLECTED.
THE REALITY IS, ONCE THAT COLLECTED, IT CAN BE ACCESS, EXTENDED SHARED HACK, SUBPOENA OR ABUSE, AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL BE THE RISK FOR THOSE ALREADY.
ALREADY POLITICALLY TARGETED ARE NOT THEORETICAL, THEY'RE HAPPENING.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN ABUSE HAPPENS, THERE'S NO MEANINGFUL RECOURSE.
AND THE LIMITED AND PURPORTED GOOD HERE DOES NOT OUTWEIGH THE RISK TO OUR HUMAN AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
NO DELETION POLICY CAN UNDO A LEAK.
NO AUDIT CAN UN TRACK A PERSON WHO NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN SURVEILLED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
A HARD TRUTH IS THAT SURVEILLANCE IN 2025 TOO OFTEN ISN'T ACTUALLY ABOUT BENEFITING SOCIETY OR PROTECTING PEOPLE, BUT ENFORCING THE POLITICAL GOALS OF THOSE IN POWER AT ONE TIME, AUSTIN BOASTED ITSELF AS A SANCTUARY CITY FOR IMMIGRANTS, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS AND TRANSGENDER RESIDENTS, ALL OF WHICH ARE OBVIOUSLY UNDER EGREGIOUS SCRUTINY IN OUR STATE.
AUSTIN'S CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR SURVEILLANCE THAT STANDS TO CRIMINALIZE ALL THESE PEOPLE.
YOUR TIME HAS TO SPENT IS AT ODDS WITH THIS CLAIM.
THANK WELL RETURN TO IN PERSON.
I BELIEVE THAT SWMA FRANCO IS HERE.
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KEN REYES AND MEU EZ? YES.MY NAME IS SULMA FRANCO AND I RESIDE IN DISTRICT TWO.
I'M HERE WITH ALL MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO LET YOU KNOW, LIKE ALL THE FEAR THAT WE FEEL EVERY DAY BECAUSE OUR COMM COLOR COMMUNITY AND IMMIGRANTS HAVE BEEN ATTACKED DRASTICALLY.
WITH ALL THE LAWS AND THE REGULATION OF THIS CURRENT, UH, GOVERNMENT, WE ARE ALWAYS FEARFUL OF GOING TO WORK OR TAKING OUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WE'RE GONNA COME BACK HOME.
WE KNOW THAT A PD IS LEGALLY BIND TO CON SHARING DATA WITH ICE AND OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES THROUGH THE CENTER, FUSION A R.
WHEN THEY SHARE THIS DATA, WE KNOW THAT OUR FAMILY ARE GONNA BE SEPARATED AND WE'RE NOT GONNA KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM.
AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PROGRESSIVE CITY, AND IT THAT'S GONNA BE A, IT IS GONNA BE, IS ALSO A SANCTUARY CITY.
AND EVERYTHING THAT IS A PROGRESS IN THIS CITY WILL HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROGRESS.
AUSTIN HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SANCTUARY CITY, AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A WHY WE WISH THAT IT CONTINUES TO BE.
AND YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DECIDE THAT THIS CONTINUES CIA.
THAT'S WHY WE ASK YOU TO VOTE NO TO THE READING DATA FROM THE LICENSE PLATES.
VOTE NO TO ALL HYPER VIGILANCE WITH IN OUR COMMUNITY.
PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR OF OUR COMMUNITY AND VOTE NO IN AGAINST READING THE LICENSE PLATES.
I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO CREATE FUNDS TO DEFEND MIGRATION CASES, INVESTING HOUSES FOR EVERYBODY THAT HAS NO HOME, INVEST IN MENTAL HEALTH, INVEST IN SCHOOLS AND IN PROGRAMS THAT CAN DEFEND THE YOUTH AND THE TEENS BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FUTURE OF OUR TOMORROW VOTE.
AND VOTE YES IN FAVOR OF THE COMMUNITY SO WE CAN LIVE WITH JUSTICE AND DIGNITY.
[00:15:03]
OKAY.I'M HERE WITH MY MOM'S PERMISSION TO SPEAK TO YOU.
I CAME TO RAISE MY VOICE IN, IN FAVOR OF THE TEENS AND CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES.
I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO FOR ITEM 67 AT MY SHORT AGE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WILL IMPACT MY FAMILY, MY COMMUNITY, IN A VERY NEGATIVE WAY.
IT WILL PROMOTE RACISM, IT WILL PROMOTE DISCRIMINATION.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY FAMILY, EVERY TIME WHEN THEY GO OUT, WHEN THEY SEE THE COPS, INSTEAD OF FEELING SAFE, THEY FEEL FEAR.
THIS MASSIVE HYPER VI VIGILANCE IS NOT ONLY INEFFICIENT, BUT IS DANGEROUS.
THE DATA IS GONNA BE ALSO SHARED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ICE.
AND THIS IS NOT GOING, THIS IS GONNA INCREASE ALL THE ARREST FOR PEOPLE THAT ONLY COME HERE TO LOOK FOR A BETTER LIFE OPPORTUNITY.
THIS IS ONLY ONE OF THE MANY REASONS THAT I ASK YOU TO VOTE NO FOR I 9 67.
AND THE RESOURCES YOU HAVE, YOU SHOULD INVEST THEM IN OTHER THINGS LIKE HELPING PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS, MENTAL HEALTH IN RECREATION AREAS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS, AND TAKING IN CONSIDERATION THEIR FUTURE.
HELP BUILD A BETTER SCHOOLS, BETTER PROGRAMS IN THE ONES THAT WE CAN DEVELOP BETTER.
WE CREATE, UH, WE USUALLY INVEST IN CREATE ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE SAFE.
I'M SPEAKING HERE FOR MY, FOR ME, BUT ALSO FOR OTHER TEAMS THAT CANNOT COME HERE TO DO IT.
I TRUST IN GOD THAT MY VOICE IS LISTEN AND THE VOICES OF MANY OTHERS.
WE ARE FEAR OF THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THESE CRUEL TACTICS THAT THEY'RE, THAT ARE PROMOTED FOR THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.
PLEASE, I I ASK YOU THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT THE, THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THE TEENS, THAT ALL YOUR RESOURCES ARE INVESTED IN OUR, IN US, AND WE ARE THE FUTURE.
MY NAME IS MINOR AND I'M LEAVING DISTRICT SIX.
I AM HERE TO INVITE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THE CO THE COMMUNITY OF COLOR AND THE IMMIGRANTS.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY, AND YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY BETTER.
THE SECURITY IS NOT ONLY TO BE IN CAMERAS.
HOSPITAL SECURITY SHOULD BE INVESTING IN YOUNG PEOPLE, INVESTING IN, IN WORKSHOPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN PARKS, INVESTING IN SCHOOLS, INVESTING IN HOS, INVESTING IN HOSPITALS.
USE THE MONEY TO MAKE, TO MAKE, GROW OUR COMMUNITY, OUR WORKERS.
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PLEASE HELP OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY TO FEEL SAFE AND TO LIVE IN A BEAUTIFUL CITY LIKE IT IS.AUSTIN, PLEASE, I ASK YOU TO VOTE NO TO READING THE LICENSE PLATE FOR ITEM 67, AND PLEASE VOTE YES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WHILE WE HAVE OUR TRANSLATOR HERE, UM, CAN THE, THE YOUNG MAN WHO JUST SPOKE, I'D LIKE HIM TO CONNECT WITH OUR OFFICE.
UH, I'M THE COUNCIL MEMBER FOR D SIX WHERE HE'S A CONSTITUENT AND I'M GONNA HAVE ONE OF MY STAFF COME OUT.
WOULD YOU MIND JUST LETTING HIM KNOW? YES, OF COURSE.
CONTINUE WITH IN-PERSON COMMENT.
IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME ON DOWN AND JUST STATE YOUR NAME INTO THE RECORD AT THE PODIUM.
OH, JUST GO AHEAD AND COME ON DOWN.
SO I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST A LPR, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, I KNOW WE'RE GONNA GET SOME TESTIMONY TODAY FROM SOME FEDS OR SOME COPS OR WHATEVER, AND THEY'RE GONNA COME HERE WITH SOME EMOTIONAL STORIES OF HOW LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE WAS RAPED AND WE HAVE TO CATCH THEM.
I JUST WANNA, I JUST WANNA MENTION HERE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED HOW THEY LIVE IN FEAR OF ICE IN THE POLICE.
AND THE REASON THEY SAY THAT IS BECAUSE WE ALL INTRINSICALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THE POLICE DO NOT EXIST TO PROTECT AND SERVE THE PEOPLE.
ANECDOTALLY, WE ALL KNOW THAT WHEN WE CALL THE POLICE, AND I CAN GIVE YOU AN ANECDOTE EXAMPLE, MYSELF, I CALL 9 1 1 'CAUSE SOMEONE HIT HIM RAN WHEN THEY HIT MY CAR, THEY DIDN'T EVEN SHOW UP.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT WHEN WE'RE HARMED.
A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE CAN ATTEST THE SAME THING.
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES CANNOT EVEN CALL THE POLICE.
90% OF RAPE CASES ARE UNSOLVED.
AND IF YOU'RE ROBBED, POLICE DON'T DO ANYTHING.
SWAT RAID INTENSIVE EFFORTS THAT YOU THINK THEY DO IN HOLLYWOOD MOVIES TO PROTECT YOU.
IF YOU READ A HISTORY BOOK AND LOOK AT PRECEDENT, POLICE AND THE STATE EXIST TO PROTECT THE STATE AND THEIR CORPORATE CRONIES, THEY WILL PUT THE LAW SO HEAVILY ON PEOPLE WHO SLIGHTLY VIOLATE THE GOVERNMENT OR CORPORATE'S PROPERTY.
'CAUSE THEY EXIST FOR THEIR OWN CONTROL.
THEY ARE STORM TROOPERS FOR THE STATE.
EVERYONE HERE IN ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA TESTIFY AGAINST THIS, THEY INTRINSICALLY KNOW THE POLICE DID NOT EXIST TO KEEP US SAFE.
THEIR RESOURCES ARE MUCH MORE ALLOCATED IN ARRESTING POLITICAL PRISONERS LIKE MAHMUD.
KHALIL, YOU SPEAK OUT AGAINST PALESTINE, THE POLICE WILL THROW CHARGES AT YOU.
I WENT TO A HEARING OF A DUDE WHO WAS ARRESTED FOR RESISTING ARREST THAT WAS HIS OWN HEART CHARGE, AND THEY WERE TRYING TO GIVE HIM ONE YEAR OF HOUSE ARREST FOR THAT.
THEY PUT THE LAW DOWN SO HARD ON PEOPLE, ANYONE WHO'S A THREAT TO THE STATE, BUT THEY DON'T DO JACK WHEN PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY HARMED, BECAUSE WE ALL INTRINSICALLY KNOW THE HOLLYWOOD FANTASY OF THEM ARRESTING MURDERS AND THIEVES ON OUR BEHALF IS A LIE.
THEY EXIST TO PROTECT THE GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE'S CONTROL AND POWER.
WE ARE HERE TO TESTIFY AGAINST A LPR BECAUSE WE KNOW INTRINSICALLY IT'S USED FOR SURVEILLANCE.
IT'S USED TO FINE US EXCESSIVELY.
THEY'RE GONNA PUT RIDICULOUS FINES ON US AND KEEP, MAKE US LIVE IN FEAR, AND THEY'RE GONNA ARREST ANYONE WHO'S A THREAT TO THE STATE.
EVEN IF WE HAVE FREE SPEECH, THEY'LL FIND ANY TECHNICALITY TO PUT US IN JAIL.
IT'S A THREAT TO OUR COMMITTEE AND THEY DO NOT PROTECT AND SERVE US.
I'M, UH, MO CORTEZ, UM, I'M AN INTERSEX AND TRENDS POLICY ORGANIZER FROM GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP, TEXAS ADVOCATES FOR JUSTICE.
I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON NUMBER 67.
AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READERS ARE A NATIONAL SECURITY RISK.
UH, HACKS HAVE BECOME SO COMMONPLACE IN OUR SOCIETY.
THEY'VE EVEN, THEY'VE EVEN STOLE OUR, OUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS.
AND ONE THING I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER IS THAT, UM, THAT THESE A APRS, UM, COLLECT DATA, THEY'RE, THEY'RE COLLECTING, UH, CUSTOMS PATTERNS AND PRACTICES OF HOW PEOPLE DRIVE.
AND THAT DATA IS, UH, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE BY, UH, FROM DATA MINERS, RIGHT? SO THAT THAT MEANS THEY CAN LOOK INTO ANYBODY, NOT, NOT JUST IMMIGRANTS FAMILIES AND OURSELVES AND TRANS PEOPLE AND IEX PEOPLE WHO NEED, UH, CARE, BUT ALSO EVEN Y'ALL, YOU KNOW WHAT IF THIS WEAPONIZED AGAINST Y'ALL OR ANY OF YOUR FAMILY, YOU KNOW, THIS A LP APRS ARE A LIABILITY.
IF COUNCIL DECIDES TO CONTINUE WITH APRS, THEY'RE DECIDING, THEY'RE CHOOSING TO VIOLATE ALL OF OUR FOURTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS.
I ASK YOU TO, TO VOTE NO ON 67.
I AM HERE TO REPRESENT MYSELF IN DISTRICT ONE AND ALSO GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP.
I WANT Y'ALL TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THIS PICTURE.
DO YOU ALL SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE? I AM HERE TO VOTE NO AGAINST 67.
AND FOR THIS VERY REASON, I'M IN DISTRICT ONE,
[00:25:01]
AND THIS IS TO YOU HARPER MADISON.PLEASE STOP CONTINUING TO WILLINGLY GIVE MY INFORMATION OUT ON THIS DATA COLLECTION.
I AM SURE MY CAR HAS BEEN SCANNED IN THIS TIMEFRAME THAT YOU ALL, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WATCHING AND ANALYZING THIS PROGRAM.
I'M SURE MY DATA IS NOW OUT THERE CONTINUING TO ALLOW THIS TO MOVE FORWARD WILL NOT PROTECT ME.
IT WILL NOT PROTECT THIS BABY IN THIS STREET.
I'M ASKING Y'ALL TO VOTE NO FOR THIS.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SAFEGUARDS PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT MY IDENTITY AND MY INFORMATION BREACHES HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.
YOU CAN ONLY PROTECT ME BY NOT ALLOWING THIS TO CONTINUE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
DARNELL CASSIA PRI, REESE ARMSTRONG, BOB LIBEL.
IF YOUR NAME'S BEEN CALLED, GO AHEAD AND COME DOWN AND THEN JUST STATE YOUR NAME INTO THE MICROPHONE AT THE PODIUM.
I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK AGAINST THE RENEWAL OF THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM REPRESENTS AN IMMINENT SECURITY THREAT TO AUSTINITES AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS BY ENABLING GESTAPO LIKE ICE KIDNAPPINGS.
WE KNOW THIS BECAUSE IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CONTRACT OF THIS PROGRAM FLOCK HAS AN ACTIVE CONTRACT WITH ICE FOR INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, THE MASS SURVEILLANCE OF ALL VEHICLES TRAVELING WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IS DYSTOPIAN AND CONCERNING.
PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND THAT INCLUDES THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL WITHOUT BEING TRACKED.
THE POSSIBILITY OF SOLVING A FEW MORE CRIMES IS NOT WORTH PUTTING YOUR CONSTITUENTS IN IMMINENT DANGER OF BEING KIDNAPPED AND ENABLING MASS SURVEILLANCE.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS BOB LEBEL.
I'M A DISTRICT SEVEN RESIDENT.
I'M HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF, BUT I'VE WORKED ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND IMMIGRATION ISSUES FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
UM, I WANNA MAKE TWO POINTS IN RELATION TO THE A LPR CONTRACT.
UM, I THINK THE MOST URGENT IS ABOUT THE GUARDRAILS CONVERSATION.
UM, I THINK PERHAPS IN A DIFFERENT POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IT'S A REASONABLE CONVERSATION TO HAVE.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT IN THIS ADMINISTRATION, THE IDEA THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE EFFECTIVE GUARDRAILS, UM, HAS BEEN DISPROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN ALREADY IN THE FIRST FOUR MONTHS OF, UH, THIS TRUMP TERM AS SOME EXAMPLES, ICE IS DEPLOYED, MASKED, UNIDENTIFIED MEN TO SCHOOLS, COURTHOUSES AND HOSPITALS, SOMETHING THAT WAS AGAINST ICE POLICY.
PREVIOUSLY IN HARRIS COUNTY, ICE REQUESTED DATA OF EVERY PERSON CITED FOR DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE, INCLUDING THEIR ADDRESS AND CAR MAKE AND MODEL ICE'S, COMMANDEERED POSTAL SERVICE DATA, AND, UH, COMMANDEERED POSTAL SERVICE POLICE, UH, FOR THEIR MASS DEPORTATION EFFORT.
ICE IS POSED AS MUNICIPAL UTILITY WORKERS IN CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY IN ORDER TO HAVE CLOSER ACCESS TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES FOR MASS DEPORTATION.
UM, ICE IS NOW USING IRS DATA, UM, TO TRACK DOWN IMMIGRANTS FOR THE MASS DEPORTATION PROGRAM.
SOMETHING THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE WE HAVE ALL RECOMMENDED THAT PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES REGARDLESS OF THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS IN THE PAST, AND NOW THAT'S BEING WEAPONIZED AGAINST PEOPLE.
UM, AND THIS IS ALL BEFORE SB EIGHT, UH, GOES INTO EFFECT, WHICH MANDATES CLOSER, UH, ICE COLLABORATION IN EVERY COUNTY ACROSS TEXAS AND BEFORE THE RECONCILIATION BILL GOES INTO EFFECT.
AND THE RECONCILIATION BILL, WHICH HAS ALREADY PASSED THE HOUSE, UM, DOUBLES, DHS SPENDING AND QUADRUPLES ICE DETENTION BUDGETS.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MUCH MORE RESOURCES THAT ICE IS GONNA HAVE.
KEVIN WELCH, ANA CARRANZA, MIRIAM DURANTE, SOPHIA MITO.
IF YOUR NAME HAS BEEN CALLED, PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR SORRY.
DEAR AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MANY OF YOU KNOW ME AT THIS POINT.
MY NAME'S KEVIN WELCH, DISTRICT EIGHT RESIDENT CURRENT PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AT EFF AUSTIN, A DIGITAL CIVIL LIBERTIES ADVOCACY GROUP.
GIVEN THAT ITEM 67, DESPITE CONTINUING TO CALL THIS A PRIVATE PROGRAM, ULTIMATELY IS A FULL REAUTHORIZATION OF THE PROGRAM WITH NO SET END DATE.
I MUST URGE ALL OF YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS
[00:30:01]
AS GIVEN THE DATA THAT WE HAVE NOW.THERE'S NO DEFENSIBLE WAY TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM SCANNED 75 MILLION LICENSE PLATES, A STAGGERING NUMBER, AND YET THE SUCCESS RATE OF LOCATING PERSONS OF INTEREST WAS LESS THAN 0.02%.
WE ALSO HAVE LEARNED THAT DESPITE THE GUARDRAILS IN PLACE, OUR CONTRACT HAS NO LEGAL FORCE BEHIND IT.
AND THE DATA THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN SHARED HAS BEEN SHARED.
PUTTING OUR CITIZENS AT RISK, MULTIPLE DATA SHARING REQUESTS WERE MADE THAT OUR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT WASN'T EVEN AWARE OF.
AND NOW WE LEARN THAT 25% OF A LPR SEARCHES WERE DONE WITHOUT A LEGITIMATE DOCUMENTED PURPOSE AND COMPLIANCE WITH COUNCIL'S RESOLUTION.
AND BEYOND THE SPECIFICS OF THIS PROGRAM, I URGE YOU ALL TO REALLY DEEPLY AND TRULY THINK ABOUT THE WORLD WE ARE BUILDING WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY.
A WORLD POWERED BY A BELIEF THAT MORE DATA IS ALWAYS BETTER AND THAT ALL PROBLEMS CAN BE SOLVED WITH MORE DATA.
MUCH LIKE THE CONTINUED USE OF FOSSIL FUELS IS DRIVING OUR PLANET TO A CLIMATE CRISIS.
THE MASS COLLECTION OF PERSONAL DATA BY SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, APRS, FACIAL RECOGNITION TOOLS, SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES, AI COMPANIES, AND MANY OTHERS, HAS CREATED A WORLD WHERE DATA BROKERS LIKE FLOCK WILL SELL YOU EVERY DETAIL OF A PERSON'S LIFE FOR THE RIGHT PRICE, VOTERS ARE BEING TARGETED BY HIGHLY DETAILED PROPAGANDA, THE PLACE OF THEIR BIASES, POLITICIANS BLACKMAILED OVER WHERE THEY WERE.
TUESDAY NIGHT, DEMOCRACY CAN'T FUNCTION IN A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO DATA, AND THAT DATA HAS BEEN CENTRALIZED AND WEAPONIZED.
OUR A LPR DATA ONLY HAS TO BE LEAKED ONCE, AND IT FLOWS INTO THE DATA BROKER ECOSYSTEM, AN OIL SPILL THAT EVEN IF WE CLEAN IT UP, THE DAMAGE IS DONE.
LOOK AROUND US, YOU KNOW, OUR DEMOCRACY IS UNDER EXTREME THREAT AND YOU WANNA ADD FUEL TO THAT FIRE.
WHAT IS CUT OFF THE DATA COLLECTION IS SOURCE AND NOT TREAT PEOPLE AS A BUNCH OF NUMBERS TO BE RANKED, SORT OF JUDGED AND DISCARDED.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXERCISE THE DEMOCRATIC POWER WE ENTRUST YOU WITH AND VOTE NO FOR ALL OUR SAKES, INCLUDING YOURS.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE AND I'M AGAINST, UH, ITEM 67 AND I THANK YOU CONSUL, CADRE FOR OPPOSING THIS.
AND I'M ACTUALLY SHOCKED, REALLY SHOCKED AT ALL OF YOU WHO ARE STILL EVEN CONSIDERING THIS.
KNOWING THE CLIMATE THAT WE ARE IN, UH, NOW, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, OUR STATE GOVERNMENT, AND ALL THE CONCERNS ABOUT SBA AND REQUIRED, UH, AGREEMENTS WITH ICE, BUT ALSO AS I, UH, AGREE WITH ALL MY FELLOW TECH FOLKS, I WORK A CAREER WITH A INSTRUMENTATION AND DATA COLLECTION, AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH INFORMATION YOU CAN EXTRACT BY JUST COMBINING A FEW DATABASES.
EVEN IF THAT WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL INTENTION OF A PARTICULAR DATABASE.
YOU REALLY HAVE NO IDEA ONCE DATA IS OUT THERE, EVEN FOR A BRIEF SECOND, IF SOMEBODY GRABS IT, EVEN IF THEY WERE NOT AUTHORIZED, THE DATA IS THERE FOREVER.
IT'S LIKE THERE IS NO AMOUNT OF GUARDRAILS AND A PIECE OF PAPER THAT'S GOING TO STOP THAT.
AND DO YOU WANT TO RISK THAT KNOWING FOLKS LIKE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DOGE OR, YOU KNOW, OFFICIAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DOGE ARE OUT THERE POKING AT OUR SOCIAL SECURITY DATA.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHEN THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO LOOK AT WHERE WE GO? AND BESIDES ALL OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES, THERE IS ALSO THE RISK OF WOMEN, UH, SEEKING ABORTION.
THERE IS ALSO THE RISK OF PROTESTORS BEING TARGETED.
THERE IS ALSO THE RISK OF ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO DON'T AGREE WITH, UH, FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT BEING TARGETED.
THERE IS ALSO THE RISK FOR ANYBODY WHO DISAGREES OR SAYS ANYTHING PUBLICLY TO BE TARGETED.
AND IF YOU WANT TO KIND OF MAKE IT SO IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO TRACK WHY, PLEASE OPPOSE THIS.
UM, I GOT TWO MINUTES, SO I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF.
THIS IS A PRE-WAR DATA COLLECTION OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG WITH NO PROBABLE CAUSE.
SO JUST TO BE SUPER CLEAR, WE DO NOT HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE, UM, TO GO AFTER CITIZENS, RESIDENTS, IMMIGRANTS, WOMEN.
UM, IT'S NOT OKAY TO BE COLLECTING THIS DATA BECAUSE AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID VERY CORRECTLY, ANY DATA COLLECTION, YOU CANNOT PREVENT WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT DATA LATER.
YOU CAN PUT IN A PIECE OF PAPER AND GUARDRAILS.
THE PROUD BOYS DON'T CARE ABOUT A PIECE OF PAPER, THE KKK WHEN TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF THIS DATA.
THEY DON'T CARE WHAT Y'ALL ARE TRYING TO PREVENT.
THEY ONLY CARE IF THEY CAN ACCESS IT AND IF YOU COLLECT IT, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO ACCESS IT.
RIGHT? UM, ANOTHER THING CALIFORNIA KEEPS GETTING SUED BY THE ACL U, UM, AS THEY MAKE THE POINT OVER AND OVER AND OVER, YOU KNOW THAT THIS, BECAUSE IT'S PRE-WAR, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S NO
[00:35:01]
PROBABLE CAUSE.THIS IS UNNECESSARY DATA COLLECTION.
UM, AND YEAH, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MAKING THE POINT ABOUT THE STATE GOVERNMENT, AND I SAW AT THE LEDGE OVER THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, EVERY SINGLE WEEK THE STATE GOVERNMENT SET DOWN, UM, A BILL, THEY TRIED TO PASS A BILL THAT WOULD VIOLATE THE HOME MANDATE AND TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHT TO SELF-GOVERNANCE.
SO IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT A CITY LIKE AUSTIN THAT TRIES VERY HARD TO BE A SANCTUARY CITY IN A STATE WHERE THAT IS NOT LEGISLATIVELY POSSIBLE, THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY, UM, PUTTING OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND NOT CREATING UNNECESSARY RISK FOR OUR CITIZENS AND OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, IT'S ALSO A BAD INVESTMENT, RIGHT? WE ARE LOOKING DOWN A $33 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT, WHICH QUITE A FEW OF YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR AT ALL.
UM, BUT IF WE CONTINUE TO SPEND MONEY ON STUFF THAT HAS BASICALLY NO TANGIBLE RETURN, UM, I DON'T CARE HOW MANY CARS ARE RETURNED TO PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF THAT LIVE ON THE WEST SIDE, I CARE ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WE CAN PREVENT DETAINMENT, THAT WE CAN PREVENT FAMILIES BEING RIPPED APART.
AND WE CAN DO THAT HERE TODAY BY NOT CONTINUING THIS MARL FEELY.
I APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND, UM, HOW I, WELL, YOU'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS ISSUE ALREADY, BUT I REALLY WANNA SPEAK TO EVERYONE HERE AND URGE YOU STRONGLY TO VOTE NO.
IN TEXAS, WE ARE USED TO A STATE AUTHORITY THAT DOES NOT RESPECT OUR CIVIL LI LIBERTIES.
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE.
WE'RE USED TO A STATE THAT HAS AN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AUSTIN, AND THEY'VE PROVEN TIME AND AGAIN THAT THEY WANNA CONTINUE TO FIGHT WITH US.
AND NOW OUR ENTIRE NATION IS EXPERIENCING WHAT TEXAS HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING FOR QUITE A WHILE.
THIS ASSAULT ON OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES, OUR PRIVACY, AND OUR RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH.
THERE'S NO BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN WILLINGLY SURVEILLING AND GATHERING THE DATA.
ANY TINY BENEFIT OF RECOVERING PROPERTY, I THINK IS, IS A HORRIBLE TRADE OFF FOR WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING.
AND I THINK THAT EVEN IF THE CITY HAD THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, WHICH I I TRUST THAT YOU DO, UM, AND A PD HAD THE BEST OF INTENTIONS.
THERE'S MANY REASONS TO DOUBT FLOCK.
WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA ABOUT THAT, AND IT'S ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THE FEDERAL AND THE STATE, UH, ADMINISTRATIONS WOULD USURP THE DATA THAT YOU'RE GATHERING WHETHER YOU WANT THEM TO OR NOT, AND USE THAT TO PUNISH THE CITIZENS OF AUSTIN.
I NOT ONLY URGE YOU TO END THE A LPR CONTRACT WITH FLOCK, WHAT I URGE YOU IS TO ACTUALLY GO FURTHER AND VERIFY THAT ALL OF THE DATA THAT HAS BEEN COLLECTED ALREADY HAS BEEN DELETED, AND THAT WE ARE NOT CONTINUING TO BE LIVE IN FEAR OF WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU ALL TO FIGHT TO PROTECT MYSELF.
ALL THE PEOPLE YOU'VE HEARD FROM TODAY AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THE RESIDENTS REALLY ARE COUNTING ON YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT EIGHT IN THE NORTHWEST SECTION OF THAT.
UM, I'VE BEEN AN AUSTIN RESIDENT FOR 25 YEARS.
UH, I SPEAK TODAY AS MYSELF AND NOT OF, UH, AN ORGANIZATION OR EMPLOYER THAT I'M A PART OF.
UM, TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE ALL OF YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS.
I HAVE BEEN IN IT SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND YES, THERE ARE WAYS TO PUT, UM, GUARDRAILS ON DATA VERY DIFFICULT.
I WORKED WITH A CUSTOMER ONCE HAVING AN ISSUE.
THEY SENT ME DATA AND THEY HAD ACTUALLY PUT IN DEBUG MODE, PPII AND PHI DATA TOTALLY NOT INTENDED, BUT ALSO THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED.
I DID INFORM THE CUSTOMER, HEY, YOU NEED TO FIX THIS.
THEY'RE LIKE, OH, YEAH, WE SHOULD DO THAT.
AND I DUNNO IF THAT HAPPENS IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WITH THE, UM, A PL READERS, BUT JUST GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF LIKE, YOU CAN HAVE SAFEGUARDS AND THINGS, BUT THERE ARE RISKS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I, I HAVE A BOOK FOR MY TWO ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UM, UM, SO, SO THERE'S A BOOK, WEAPONS OF MATH DESTRUCTION.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ CHAPTERS FIVE AND 10 THAT'S MOST RELEVANT FOR THIS SECTION.
UM, ALSO, I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THE, UM, THE, UH, AUDIT REPORT THAT WAS GIVEN IN THIS LAST MONTH.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME OUT OF IT WAS THAT FOR ABOUT, I THINK IT WAS THREE QUARTERS, THE POLICE DID, WERE MANUALLY GETTING THE DATA DOWN.
AND I MEAN, OKAY, BUT TO ME, THAT SHOWS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WAS USING THIS ISN'T ACTUALLY READY FOR THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM AT ALL.
AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE F THE BUDGET FOR THAT, I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THIS PROGRAM COSTS, BUT IN OCTOBER,
[00:40:01]
NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, YOU ALL VOTED TO INCREASE THE POLICE BUDGET.AND THEY PROBABLY WANT THAT MONEY FOR THAT AND NOT THIS.
I'M A BOARD MEMBER AT EFF AUSTIN, A UT LAW GRADUATE WITH THE COMPUTER SCIENCE DEGREE.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW A OPR TECHNOLOGY IS BEING WEAPONIZED AGAINST THE VERY PEOPLE THAT IT CLAIMS TO PROTECT.
AUSTIN'S OWN A LPR AUDIT EXPLICITLY WARNS US, AND I QUOTE THAT A LPR DATA COULD BE USED FOR INVESTIGATIONS ON MATTERS THAT COULD INCLUDE FIRST AMENDMENT ACTIVITIES, REPRODUCTIVE CARE ACCESS, AND IMMIGRATION STATUS.
THE NUMEROUS CONCRETE EXAMPLES WE HAVE OF FLOCK BEING USED TO TARGET IMMIGRANTS AND WOMEN SEEKING ABORTION.
SHOW THAT THIS IS NOT A HYPOTHETICAL, IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNLESS WE REFUSE TO FEED DATA INTO A SYSTEM THAT GRANTS FLOCK.
AND I QUOTE AGAIN, NON-EXCLUSIVE WORLDWIDE PERPETUAL ROYALTY FREE RIGHT AND LICENSE TO USE AND DISTRIBUTE THIS DATA.
THE CONTRACT'S LANGUAGE IS INEXCUSABLE, BUT THAT ISN'T THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM.
FLOCK'S ENTIRE BUSINESS MODEL DEPENDS ON CREATING A NATIONWIDE SURVEILLANCE NETWORK ACCESSIBLE TO ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT'S WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.
NO CONTRACT REVISION CAN CHANGE.
THIS AUSTIN RESIDENTS DEMANDED A SEVEN DAY RETENTION PERIOD BECAUSE WE UNDERSTOOD THE DANGERS OF LONG-TERM SURVEILLANCE.
YET FLOCK'S CONTRACT MAKES A MOCKERY OF THAT DEMOCRATIC DECISION.
BY RETAINING THIS DATA INDEFINITELY, EFFECTIVELY RENDERING THE PRIVACY PROTECTIONS AUSTIN HAD ENACTED MEANINGLESS MASS SURVEILLANCE INFRASTRUCTURE IS INHERENTLY INCOMPATIBLE WITH AUSTIN'S DEMOCRATIC VALUES.
ONCE WE FEED DATA INTO THESE SYSTEMS, IT BECOMES ACCESSIBLE TO AGENCIES WHOSE MISSIONS DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS OUR CITY'S VALUES.
EVERY DAY THIS CONTRACT REMAINS AUSTIN REMAINS COMPLICIT IN BUILDING AN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT UNDERMINES OUR OWN DEMOCRATIC PROTECTIONS.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT US IS TO REFUSE TO FEED THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM ENTIRELY.
I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO AND SHOW THAT AUSTIN'S COMMITMENT TO CIVIL LIBERTIES MEANS MORE THAN EMPTY PRIVACY PROMISES UNDERMINED BY CORPORATE FINE PRINT.
I AM IN, UH, DISTRICT SEVEN, AND I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS.
AS ARE MANY OF MY COMPATRIOTS.
UNDER NORMAL TIMES I WOULD POSSIBLY SUPPORT THIS TOOL.
THIS SYSTEM WILL BE A GIFT TO ICE AND A THREAT TO US, OUR NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS, AND FELLOW AUSTINITES.
THE RECENT AUDIT REVEALED THAT THE CITY'S CONTRACT WITH, WITH FLOCK, THE SURVEILLANCE CORPORATION WITH TIES TO PETER THEO ALLOWS FLOCK TO COPY THE DATA AND USE IT FOR NEARLY ANY PURPOSE IT WISHES.
AS WE HAVE HEARD, AUSTIN HAS A POLICY MEANT TO PUT UP GUARDRAILS.
AS WE HAVE HEARD, THEY ARE NOT EFFECTIVE, NOT USEFUL, AND WELL, THEY JUST AREN'T GONNA WORK.
FLOCKS A L PRS DON'T JUST TRACK LICENSE PLATES.
THE COMPANY FEEDS AUSTINITES DATA INTO ADVANCED AI THAT ALLOWS ANY FLOCK CUSTOMER TO TRACK VEHICLES BY DENSE MARKS, EVEN BUMPER STICKERS.
THIS TOOL IS ALREADY BEING USED TO SURVEIL PROTESTORS AND MI AND, UH, MIGRANTS.
IF YOU CONTINUE THE A LPR PROGRAM, YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO PREVENT OUTSIDE AGENTS TO AGENCIES FROM WEAPONIZING OUR DATA TO TARGET PEOPLE TRAVELING FOR ABORTIONS OR GENDER AFFIRMING CARE.
THIS ISN'T A PROBLEM WITH A PD, IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DATA COLLECTION, THE DATA ITSELF ABLE TO BE ACCESSED BY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ANY FLOCK AND CUSTOMERS IN THE WORLD, CARS STOLEN AND RETURNED.
WHAT ABOUT STOLEN PEOPLE? COME ON GUYS.
IT IS OUR YOUR JOB TO PROTECT AND DEFEND OUR RESIDENTS FROM BEING HARASSED, THREATENED, HELD, POTENTIALLY JAILED WITHOUT DUE PROCESS AND DEPORTED VOTE DOWN THIS CONTRACT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
JAMES CLARK, JEN CAMPBELL, DANIELLA SILVA, CHRIS HARRIS.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT ONE.
UH, I LIVE NEAR 12TH AND SPRINGDALE.
UM, RIGHT NOW, UH, SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER FROM THE STORM LAST WEEK.
UH, SOME OF THEM HAVE HOLES IN THEIR ROOFS.
UH, SOME OF THEM HAVE THEIR TREES AND THEIR LIVES UPROOTED.
UM, INSTEAD OF DEBATING HOW WE CAN BEST HELP
[00:45:01]
OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR COMMUNITIES, WE'RE DEBATING HOW BEST TO SURVEIL AND OVER POLICE THEM.UH, I THINK THE A LPR PROGRAM REPRESENTS A PROFOUND LACK OF IMAGINATION, UH, IN TWO, TWO MAIN WAYS.
UH, FIRST, THE LACK OF IMAGINATION OF ALL THE NEFARIOUS AND AUTHORITARIAN WAYS THAT THE SURVEILLANCE AND THE RESULTING DATA, UH, CAN AND WILL BE USED.
UM, PEOPLE HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW IT'S ALREADY BEING USED BY ICE, UH, AND TARGETING PEOPLE SEEKING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE.
UH, I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THE WAYS THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN THOUGHT OF YET.
UH, THE, THE LESSONS OF AUTHORITARIANISM IN THE PAST SHOW THAT THIS LACK OF IMAGINATION LEADS US DOWN A LOT OF DIFFERENT DARK ROADS.
UH, SECOND, I THINK IT'S A LACK OF IMAGINATION OF HOW WE COULD BETTER USE THE TIME, THE RESOURCES AND THE, THE MONEY FOR PROGRAMS LIKE THIS TO ACTUALLY HELP, UH, AND SUPPORT PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, HELP LITERALLY KEEP ROOFS OVER THEIR HEADS IN TIMES OF CRISIS, UM, AND HELP THEM, UH, IN WAYS THAT THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT AND BENEFIT THEIR LIVES.
UH, SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO, UH, NOT CONTINUE THE CONTRACT TO VOTE NO ON ITEM 67.
UM, SO THE LAST I HEARD ALL D ONE RESIDENTS HAD BEEN RESTORED.
I HEARD EVERYTHING YOU HEARD, BUT AFTER THAT WHIRLWIND OF NONSTOP EMAILS FROM AMY EVER HEARD, THE LAST I HEARD WAS EVERYBODY WAS RESTORED YESTERDAY.
I, IF THAT'S NOT THE CASE, THEN I NEED TO GET BACK ON THE PHONE.
I, AND SO I'M GONNA SEND SOMEBODY FROM MY STAFF DOWN TO GET TO HAVE A CHAT WITH YOU REAL QUICK.
I, I JUST KNOW THAT ONE OF MY FRIENDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WAS STAYING AT OUR HOUSE LAST NIGHT.
IF THAT'S STILL HAPPENING, THEN I DON'T HAVE GOOD DATA.
AND SO MAYBE IT'S CHANGED IN THE LAST 12 HOURS OR SOMETHING.
I'LL HAVE SOMEBODY FROM D ONE COME TALK TO YOU REAL QUICK AND GET YOUR INFORMATION.
IF WE GET YOUR FRIEND'S INFORMATION, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT NINE, AND I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO URGE YOU TO END THE PILOT PROGRAM WITH FLOCK AND FOCUS ON OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED TOOLS TO KEEP AUSTINITES SAFE.
MY FIRST CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT DATA COLLECTED BY FLOCK HAS BEEN USED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WHO DO NOT HAVE LEGAL OR CONTRACTUAL ACCESS TO IT.
WE KNOW THAT ICE IS USING A LPR DATA TO TARGET IMMIGRANTS THAT HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED AND SPOKEN ABOUT THIS MORNING.
IN A CLIMATE WHERE IMMIGRANTS ARE AFRAID TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL, OR GO TO WORK, THE CITY OF AUSTIN CAN TAKE THE SMALL BUT MEANINGFUL MEASURE OF STOPPING THE UNREGULATED FLOW OF INFORMATION TO ICE.
FURTHERMORE, WHY WAS THE CITY'S LEGAL TEAM SATISFIED WITH THE SO-CALLED VERBAL AGREEMENT THAT FLOCK WOULD NOT SHARE THE DATA COLLECTED BY THEIR CAMERAS? FOLLOWING TRUMP'S SECOND ELECTION? REPORTS SHOW THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, WHEN PROMPTED TO LIST THE REASON THEY SHARED A LPR DATA WITH ICE ENFORCEMENT AND REMOVAL OPERATIONS HAVE STARTED MERELY LISTING IMMIGRATION IN THEIR QUERIES.
IMMIGRATION IS NOT PROBABLE CAUSE AND THIS UNRESTRICTED FLOW OF DATA TO A COMPANY THAT HAS REFUSED THIS SIMPLE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE CAN, HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED TO TERRORIZE PEOPLE, SEPARATE FAMILIES AND RACIALLY PROFILE OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.
THE SIMPLE SOLUTION IS TO END THIS PROGRAM AND INVEST IN COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY FUND EVICTION RELIEF, EMERGENCY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES AND IMMIGRANT LEGAL DEFENSE, GIVE IMMIGRANTS, TRANS PEOPLE AND OTHER TARGETED POPULATIONS, THE SMALL AMOUNT OF ENCOURAGEMENT THAT THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO THEM AND NOT TO UNACCOUNTABLE PRIVATE COMPANIES.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT THREE, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF WORKERS DEFENSE ACTION FUND, UH, ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS ITEM AND TO REJECT THE A LPR PROGRAM.
PERSONALLY, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT COUNSEL IS PAYING DEEP CARE TO THOSE WHO HAVE HAD THEIR CARS STOLEN AND THE DISTRESS THAT THAT GOING THROUGH THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE CAN.
I KNOW THAT IF MY CAR WAS STOLEN, I WOULD BE COMPLETELY DEVASTATED SINCE IT WOULD BE SUCH A FI MASSIVE FINANCIAL HIT FOR ME.
AND I DO LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE MY CAR IS MORE LIKELY TO BE STOLEN THAN OTHER PARTS OF TOWN.
DESPITE ALL OF THIS, I STILL DO NOT THINK THE RISK THAT THIS MASS SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY BRINGS BY PUTTING SO MANY PEOPLE IN DANGER IS WORTH THE POSSIBILITY THAT I MIGHT RETRIEVE MY CAR THAT ONE DAY COULD GET STOLEN, AND I CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A DESIRE TO KEEP AUSTINITES A LITTLE BIT SAFER AND MORE COMFORTABLE WOULD LEAD TO SOME OF YOU TO SEEK REASONABLE GUARDRAILS TO PROTECT OUR DATA.
HOWEVER, GUARDRAIL APPROACH MAY HAVE BEEN SENSIBLE IN THE PAST, UH, WITH STRICT ENFORCEABLE LIMITS AND CONSEQUENCES, BUT WE ARE SIMPLY IN A DIFFERENT PLACE NOW.
THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS ARE USING SURVEILLANCE TOOL TO TARGET IMMIGRANTS IN A WAY THAT THEY HAVEN'T BEFORE.
AND THAT CONTEXT MAKES CONTINUING THE CONTRACT, ESPECIALLY WITH FLOCK,
[00:50:01]
A COMPANY THAT MAKES ITS PROFITS FROM SELLING DATA DANGEROUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE JOURNALISTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE REVEALED ISIS CURRENTLY ACCESSING THIS DATA TO CARRY OUT MASS DEPORTATIONS.IN A RECENT ARTICLE REPORTED THAT, UH, ICE TAPPED INTO FLOCKS SAFETY DATA, UM, THROUGH FORMAL REQUEST OR BY GIVING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT SIDE DOOR ACCESS TO THE TOOL, THEY'RE ALREADY REQUESTING DATA FROM MUNICIPALITIES THAT TARGET THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE RECENT DATA REQUESTS FROM CITY OF HOUSTON ON PEOPLE CITED FOR DRIVING WITHOUT A LICENSE, WHICH TARGETS UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
DPS REQUESTED A LPR DATA, UM, TO TRACK PILOT PROGRAMS CITED TRAFFICKING AS THEIR REASON, UM, WHICH, UH, SB FOUR HAS EXPANDED THAT, UM, TO INCLUDE PEOPLE DRIVING WITH UNDOCUMENTED FOLKS.
UM, AND PLEASE VOTE NOW ON THIS ITEM.
UH, I'M IN, UM, FROM DISTRICT NINE AND I'M HERE, UH, IN OPPOSITION TO ITEM 67.
UM, I, AS, AS BECOMING THE OLD MAN OF THIS CREW, I'M, I'M JUST GONNA DO A LITTLE HISTORY
UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN 2020, UH, THE A LPR PROGRAM WAS CANCELED.
UH, IT WAS CANCELED AS PART OF A, OF A NATIONAL CONVERSATION, UH, THAT, THAT SAID THAT POLICE WERE OVERPOWERED AND OVERFUNDED.
UH, AND THEY USED THAT FUNDING AND THAT POWER TO OVER SURVEIL AND OVER POLICE UNDERSERVED BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
AND NOW IT WAS A JUST DECISION IN THE MIDST OF, UH, PANDEMIC FUELED, UH, SPIKE IN CERTAIN OFFENSES.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR DESIRE TO, TO, TO MEET THE FEAR THAT PERVADED MUCH OF THIS COMMUNITY DURING THAT TIME, UM, YOU ALL SOUGHT SOLUTIONS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT BROUGHT YOU A LPR IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THEY COULD, UH, BRING BACK TO HELP WITH THOSE ISSUES.
AND WE WERE IN A POST ROW WORLD AT THIS POINT.
UH, WE WERE IN A POST SB FOUR WORLD, AND SO YOU AT LEAST SOUGHT TO PUT SOME GUARDRAILS ON THIS.
YOU PUT A TIME LIMIT, UH, ON IT, UM, I THINK WISELY.
SO, UH, IN ORDER TO, TO, TO, TO VET AND SEE IF THIS COULD WORK, UH, I OBVIOUSLY DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT DECISION.
UH, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND IT, UH, AS A MEMBER OF THE NOW DEFUNCT ETHICS BOARD OF THE AXON CORPORATION BACK IN, IN 2021, I GOT A SNEAK PEEK AT AXON FLEET THREE, UH, WHEN THEY MADE THE DECISION TO DEPLOY APRS TO THEIR DASH CAM SUITE.
UM, AND WHILE OUR ETHICS BOARD HAD HAD RECOMMENDED THAT AXON NOT PUT FACIAL RECOGNITION ON THEIR BODY CAMERAS, WHICH THEY COMPLIED WITH, WE DID NOT RECOMMEND NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS.
NOW WE KNOW, UH, THAT WE'RE IN A NEW TIME, NEW ERA.
MY NAME IS KAYLA AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT FOUR.
I AM INVITED TO VOTE NO FOR ITEM 67 AND TO LET KNOW THAT THE ONLY DATA THAT CANNOT BE BREACHED OR CANNOT BE USED IN, UH, ABUSE OF POWER IS THE DATA THAT IS NEVER CAPTURED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IT HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ARE GUARDRAILS THAT THE DATA IS GONNA BE DELETED IN SEVEN DAYS, THAT IT IS ONLY GONNA BE USED FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.
[00:55:01]
THE REALITY IS THAT ONCE THE DATA IS COLLECTED, ANYBODY CAN ACCESS TO IT, AMPLIFY IT, SHARED IT CAN BE HACKED, IT CAN BE ABUSE OF POWER.AND AT THE END, THIS IS GOING TO BE WHAT HAPPENS IN 2020.
A HACKER ACCESS THE A LPR CAMERAS AND ACCESS TO TRANSMISSIONS ON CAMERAS THAT WERE LIVE AND LOCATION DATA THAT WERE STORED IN REAL TIME.
OKAY? IN 2019, CUSTOMS AND HOMELAND SECURITY, THEY HAVE A BREACH THAT FILTER THOUSANDS OF IMAGES OF LICENSE PLATES.
WE ARE TALKING HERE ABOUT FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT HAVE A HUMONGOUS BUDGET ON CYBERSECURITY, AND NOT EVEN THEM COULD PROTECT THE DATA.
FLOCK SAYS THAT THEY ARE BUILDING A, A SAFETY NETWORK, BUT IN REALITY, WHAT THEY ARE BUILDING IS A TRACKING INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE LOCAL, AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, AND AUSTIN IS HELPING TO FINANCE IT.
OKAY? THE LOCAL AGENCIES CAN SHARE THE DATA OF OUR CITY WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCIES AND FLOCK.
CAN CONS, CAN GIVE ACCESS TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE, WITHOUT OUR CONSENT.
THIS WAY THEY CAN BE AN ABUSE OF POWER AND THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY MAJOR RESOURCE THAT CAN FIX IT.
A POLICE OFFICER IN TEXAS USE THESE CAMERAS WITH THE SAME COMPANY THAT WE ARE GONNA RENEW, UH, THAT THEY WANT TO RENEW THIS CONTRACT TO TRACK A WOMAN THAT HAD AN ABORTION.
THANK YOU, DIANA WILLIAMS. GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME'S DIANA WILLIAMS AND I'M WITH GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP.
I WORK IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE CITY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON ITEM 67.
YOU SAY THERE WILL BE GUARD RAILS IN PLACE, DATA DELETED AFTER SEVEN DAYS.
HOW WILL ANYONE BE SURE THIS IS HAPPENING? AS YOU SAY, IT WILL, ONCE THE DATA IS COLLECTED, WHO KNOWS WHERE IT WOULD LIVE.
THAT SAME DATA ITSELF IS SUBJECT TO BEING SHARED HACK OR ACCESS.
DO NOT USE THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FUNDING TO SUPPORT A COMPANY FLOCK.
WHO SUPPORTS THE A L CONTRACT? WE KNOW WHO WILL BE SUBJECT TO THIS TYPE OF SURVEILLANCE AND HARM, AND WE KNOW WHO WILL NOT BE.
INSTEAD, USE THESE FUNDS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT ARE VERY MUCH NEEDED.
NOTHING GOOD WILL BECOME OF THIS UNNECESSARY STOPS ARRESTS, INTERACTIONS WITH POLICE THAT OFTENTIMES ARE DETRIMENTAL CHILD SAFETY.
WE HAVE SEEN HOW SOME OF THESE STOPS HAVE TURNED OUT.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE INVASION OF OUR PRIVACY BEING STOPPED FOR NO REASON AT ALL BY DPSI, STATE TROOPERS AND LOCAL POLICE, WE SHOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO BEING STOPPED JUST BECAUSE OF OUR SURNAME.
I URGE YOU TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES BY NOT COLLECTING DATA AT ALL AND VOTE NO ON ITEM 67.
UH, MY HUSBAND AND I ARE 19 YEAR RESIDENTS OF THE GALINDO NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT THREE.
UH, SO THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS MAYOR PRO, TIM
[01:00:01]
TC.CONGRATULATIONS MS. THOMAS FOR BEING HERE.
UH, CLEARLY I AM ON THE SIDE OF NOT SUPPORTING ANY APRS MOVING FORWARD IN THE CITY TODAY.
MY BACKGROUND AS A PUBLIC POLICY AND A POLITICAL CONSULTANT STARTED IN PUBLIC SAFETY, MY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'VE SERVED AS A CONSULTANT THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, UH, AND CANADA, AND I FEEL LIKE I'VE KIND OF DROPPED THE BALL HERE.
IT'S WHY I'M AT THE MIC THIS MORNING.
I COME FROM A FAMILY OF CITY MANAGERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS, AND I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE SEEN THE PRIVACY ASPECT OF THIS EARLY ON.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR L-G-B-T-Q-I-A FOLKS BEING TRACKED NOT IN TOWN BY SOMEBODY THAT CAN PULL UP THE FLOCK SOFTWARE IN POCATELLO, IDAHO AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN.
THE DATA THAT'S COLLECTED HERE IS EVERYWHERE, AND I THINK THAT'S A CONCERN FOR ALL OF US.
I THINK WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BUDGETED FOR A CHIEF PRIVACY OFFICER TO LOOK AT ALL THE DATA THAT WE HAVE FROM A MUNICIPAL LEVEL, INCLUDING THESE TYPES OF CONTRACTS.
BUT I WOULD URGE THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR, UH, OUR, OUR LEGAL TEAM AND TC LET'S, LET'S TRY AND FIND A WAY TO BRIDGE THE GAP OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND DATA AND PRIVACY, AND LET'S NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
ORIGINALLY, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO, YOU KNOW, THE, THE KIA BOYS.
WE, WE HAD A LOT OF CARS STOLEN.
EVEN MY NEIGHBOR HAD A COUPLE CARS STOLEN IN, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, YOU KNOW, BROKEN CARS THAT WERE BROKEN INTO AT PARKS.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES, THEIR FUTURE, UH, AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY HAS THE GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO SUCCEED, AND THEY'RE NOT HELD BACK BY A DATA CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE FROM SOMETHING LIKE LICENSE PLATE READERS.
HELLO, UH, STEVEN DELINE FROM DISTRICT NINE, UM, HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYBODY ON, UH, THE COUNCIL TO PLEASE VOTE AGAINST THIS, UM, FLOCK SAFETY.
ONE OF THEIR LARGEST, UM, INVESTORS IS ANDREESSEN HOROWITZ, UH, WHICH IS OWNED BY MARK ANDREESSEN.
HE'S ONE OF THE QUOTE UNQUOTE TECH BROS THAT'S INVOLVED WITH PETER THIEL, UH, ELON MUSK.
UM, HAVING ALL OF THIS DATA AVAILABLE TO FLOCK SAFETY WHEN THEY HAVE PUBLICLY STATED THAT THEY INTEND TO COUPLE THAT WITH AI PROGRAMS AND CCTV IN ORDER TO TRACK, UM, THE ENTIRE POPULATION.
COUPLED WITH PALANTIR GETTING THE MOST RECENT CONTRACT TO MAKE LISTS OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES.
IT'S A, IT'S A SERIOUS NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE TO WHERE IF YOU HAVE ANY CARE FOR THE POPULATION OF AUSTIN, YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST THIS BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO INCREASE RISK FOR EVERYBODY THAT LIVES IN THIS CITY.
UM, REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU ARE, UH, YOUR IDENTITY, IT COULD BE SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WHETHER OR NOT YOU EVEN ARE AROUND DEMOCRATS BECAUSE OF GEOFENCING AND THE A A I CAPABILITIES THAT WE HAVE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS JUST A TERRIBLE IDEA.
I WAS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT THIS WAS EXTENDED BY THE COUNCIL AND EVERYBODY THAT VOTED FOR EXTENDING THIS.
UM, SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIX THAT.
LAST TIME I WAS HERE WAS ABOUT CABIN STITCH WITH TRYING TO FUND THINGS LIKE, UM, REDUCING THE RISK OF WILDFIRES OR TRYING TO ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
I, FOR THE BRIEFING ITEM, AN ANGEL LUCERO, AND FOR MY COLLEAGUES.
I JUST WANNA FLAG THAT THESE NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE ALSO HAVE ZENOBIA JOSEPH MAY PROTO.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS FOR THE WORK SESSION.
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY THAT HAS BEEN CALLED, HAS NOT TESTIFIED? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU CLERK, AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS, COLLEAGUES.
WE WILL NOW MO MOVE ON TO THE PULLED
[A67. Approve a resolution to continue the Automated License Plate Reader program that implements safeguards, policies, and procedures related to the Austin Police Department’s use of the technology designed to read and collect data from a vehicle’s license plate. Funding: This item has no fiscal impact.]
ITEM, ITEM 67, THE AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM.AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, STAFF HAS A PRESENTATION, SO AS THEY SET UP THEIR, UH, PRESENTATION MATERIALS, I WILL, UH, TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY MANAGER AND MANAGER, BROAD NEXT FOR OPENING REMARKS.
THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING, MAYOR PRO TIM, AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
IN RESPONSE, UH, TO YOUR REQUEST TO DISCUSS ITEM 67 OR ON THURSDAY CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS PREPARED A PRESENTATION ON THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER PROGRAM.
THE PRESENTATION WILL GO OVER THE PURPOSE OF THE INITIATIVE, ITS IMPACT ON PUBLIC SAFETY, A PD SAFEGUARDS, UH, FOR THE SYSTEM, OUR EFFORTS
[01:05:01]
TO PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THE CONTRACT REVISIONS MADE IN RESPONSE TO AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS.I'LL NOW HAND OFF TO ASSISTANT CHIEF SHELDON ASKEW, AS WELL AS CHIEF LISA DAVIS TO GET STARTED ON THE PRESENTATION.
GOOD MORNING, MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL.
LOOK FORWARD TO THIS PRESENTATION AGAIN, I, UM, TO ALL THE SPEAKERS, I, UM, I UNDERSTAND, I, I I TRULY DO.
WE ARE LIVING IN, UH, DIFFERENT TIMES, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I ALSO WANT US TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND ON WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE HERE.
AND SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO SCOTT, ASK YOU TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
YES, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR, PRO TEM, UH, MEMBERS OF THE STAFF, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO GET BEFORE YOU TODAY.
UM, AS THE CITY MANAGER STATED, UH, THERE'S A, THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION REGARDING THE A LPR SYSTEM AND THE, AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS YET TO, UH, TO STEP IN FRONT OF YOU AND TALK ABOUT, UH, THE SUCCESS STORIES THAT WE'VE HAD.
I'VE PRESENTED A, OR I'M SORRY, I'VE PREPARED A POWERPOINT, UH, TO WALK YOU THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO BEFORE WE EVEN GET STARTED IS JUST TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS THAT I THINK ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, UH, FOR NOT ONLY YOURSELVES TO UNDERSTAND, BUT THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL.
FIRST OF ALL, THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT IS 300 OFFICERS SHORT.
CURRENTLY, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS TO AFFECT THE JOB THAT WE WOULD PREFER TO DO WITHOUT THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPLEMENT THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF THE COPS THAT ARE OUT ON THE STREET ON A DAILY BASIS.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GET JUSTICE FOR OUR VICTIMS. WE ABSOLUTELY ARE.
WE'RE JUST BETTER OR MORE SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS A LPR TO DO IT.
SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND WITH RESPECT TO OUR ABILITY TO, UH, RETAIN OR TO MAKE UP THAT SHORTFALL OF THOSE 300 COPS.
IF WE WANNA BE AN ACTIVE AGENCY WHO IS ABLE TO ATTRACT TALENT AND TO BRING PEOPLE TO THIS DEPARTMENT, TO THIS CITY, TO DO THIS VERY JOB, WE HAVE TO ARM THOSE PEOPLE WITH THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY EXECUTE AND SUCCEED.
WE WILL NOT ATTRACT TALENT WHEN WE ARE COMPARING OUR CITY TO OTHER CITIES ACROSS THIS GREAT NATION THAT HAVE THAT TECHNOLOGY, DEPLOY THAT TECHNOLOGY AND SET THEIR PEOPLE UP FOR SUCCESS.
AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS FILL THE RANKS OF THOSE 300 COPS THAT ARE MISSING RIGHT NOW.
WE REMOVING A LPR AS A STEP BACKWARDS IN THAT ENDEAVOR SIGNALING TO CRIMINALS.
WE WOULD ALL BE NAIVE TO BELIEVE THAT CRIMINALS, UH, ACROSS THIS GREAT NATION ARE ONLY, UH, COMMITTING CRIMINAL ACTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.
THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY COMING TO AUSTIN, TEXAS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO GREAT DETAIL, BUT AS OF LATE, THERE WAS A CASE WHERE SOME INDIVIDUALS BASED OUT OF, UH, BETWEEN HERE AND DALLAS, UH, TRAVELED TO AUSTIN TO PERPETRATE CRIME.
UH, THEY WERE ACTUALLY CAUGHT IN AUSTIN, UH, DUE TO THE GREAT WORK OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THE UTILIZATION OF A-L-P-R-A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT PARTICULAR CASE REVEALED THAT THESE FOLKS WERE ACTUALLY COMMITTING CRIMES ALL THE WAY NORTH TO CHICAGO.
SO, AGAIN, TO BELIEVE FOR A SECOND THAT THAT CRIMINALS AREN'T GOING TO BE PAYING ATTENTION AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A LPR IN OUR CITY, I, I THINK IS, IS, IS SHORTSIGHTED.
AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE TURN THIS OFF, IF WE DECIDE TO TURN THIS OFF, THERE WILL BE A NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR CITIZENS.
AND WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT STOLEN VEHICLES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VIOLENT CRIMINALS THAT ARE MAKING THEIR WAY INTO OUR CITIES TO COMMIT THESE HEINOUS ACTS.
THE COMMUNITY BEING VICTIMIZED.
I I WOULD LIKE TO START THIS BY ADDRESSING THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE GOTTEN UP HERE AND SPOKEN TO YOU.
AND I SAY THIS SINCERELY, I HAVE AN 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER.
I CAN'T IMAGINE A SCENARIO WHERE MY 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER LIVES IN FEAR OF BEING HER PARENTS, BEING PICKED UP, DEPORTED, OR ANYTHING OF THE SUCH.
I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THESE CHILDREN ARE GOING THROUGH.
AT THE SAME TIME, I CAN'T IMAGINE A SCENARIO WHERE, WHERE A CITY AND A POLICE DEPARTMENT LOSES TECHNOLOGY THAT POTENTIALLY GETS MY DAUGHTER JUSTICE.
IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO ME OR MY WIFE, I WANT TO TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE.
I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERNS.
I WANT TO BUILD A BRIDGE OF TRUST AND COLLABORATION WITH THOSE PEOPLE.
THEIR CONCERNS ARE VERY VALID.
I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERNS.
I COMPLETELY HEAR THEIR CONCERNS.
I WANT TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM.
WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS SIMULTANEOUSLY HURT ALL OF THE VICTIMS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET JUSTICE FOR.
THAT AGAIN, ARE, ARE VICTIMS OF MUCH MORE HEINOUS CRIMES THAN STOLEN VEHICLES.
[01:10:01]
I WILL TALK ABOUT A COUPLE THINGS THAT WERE SAID BY A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT, THAT QUITE FRANKLY, NEED TO BE EXPANDED UPON, UM, SHARING OF DATA.I CAN TELL YOU, AND I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO IT.
UH, LET'S TALK FIRST ABOUT THE SHARING OF DATA.
THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS SHARED ITS DATA DURING THE TRIAL PERIOD THREE, I'M SORRY, SIX TIMES IN TOTAL, THREE TIMES IN THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2024, AND THREE TIMES IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025.
THOSE HAPPENED, AND I'LL, I'LL BREAK THOSE DOWN.
THE AUSTIN POLICE, I'M SORRY, AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH, WE SHARED A DATA SET WITH RESPECT TO ARSON.
UH, THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE SHARED WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND IT WAS FOR THE SMUGGLING OF PERSONS.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION AT THE AUDIT FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND I'D REALLY LIKE TO BREAK DOWN JUST FOR A SECOND, WHAT SMUGGLING OF PERSONS IS WHEN SOMEONE IS SMUGGLING SOMEONE, THEY'RE DOING SO WITH THE INTENT TO HIDE THAT PERSON.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE DOING IT, PUTTING THAT PERSON AT RISK.
I THINK ALL OF US REMEMBER THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED IN HOUSTON, TEXAS WHEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WERE PILED IN THE BACK OF AN 18 WHEELER TAKEN TO A SIDE STREET, AND MANY OF THEM, ALL OF THEM DIED AS A RESULT OF STAYING STUCK INSIDE THAT 18 WHEELER THAT IS SMUGGLING OF PERSONS.
THAT IS THE TITLE CODE TO WHICH DPS ASKED US TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH, AGAIN, A VERY HEINOUS CRIME THAT LED TO THE DEATH OF PEOPLE THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PUT IN THAT SITUATION TO BEGIN WITH.
LEMME TALK ABOUT THE NEXT ONE.
IT'S JUST BASTROP COUNTY, AND IT'S AN AUTO THEFT CASE.
AGAIN, AUTO THEFT IS OFTENTIMES UNDER UNDERSCORED, UNDERPLAYED RATHER BECAUSE PEOPLE SEE IT AS JUST A STOLEN VEHICLE.
IN FACT, YES, IT IS JUST A STOLEN VEHICLE, AND MOST OF US HAVE INSURANCE, AND MOST OF OUR CARS WILL BE REPLACED.
THE ISSUE LIES IN THE FACT THAT HOW, HOW ARE THESE PARENTS SUPPOSED TO GET THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL? HOW, HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GET THEMSELVES TO THE DOCTOR? HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GET THEMSELVES TO, TO, TO CHURCH, TO THE THINGS THAT ALL OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED WHO DON'T HAVE OUR CARS STOLEN? THE REALITY IS, IS MANY OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE FALL VICTIM OF STOLEN CARS, THEY ONLY HAVE ONE VEHICLE.
SO IT'S CRIPPLING FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPACTFUL AND SHOULDN'T BE JUST BRUSHED AWAY AS, AS AN INCONVENIENCE THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS GOING TO REPLACE.
MOVING INTO THE, THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025, THERE WAS THREE SHARING EVENTS.
UH, THE FIRST ONE, IRONICALLY, WAS WITH AUSTIN FIRE OR POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENT, RATHER FOR ARSON AS WELL.
THERE WAS AN EVENT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL WALKED UP TO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, KNOCKED ON THE DOOR WHEN THE, WHEN THE RESIDENT OPENED, THEY TOOK A FLAMMABLE LIQUID, SPLASHED IT INSIDE THE DOOR, AND SET THE PLACE ON FIRE.
A VERY, VERY HEINOUS ACT THAT RESULTED IN SOMEONE'S SERIOUS INJURY.
THAT PERSON WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A VERY, VERY LONG TIME.
I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS THAT CASE IN, IN JANUARY OF 25, UH, THAT A FD REQUESTED THE INFORMATION ON, OR IF IT WAS THE OTHER ONE.
BUT IN EITHER CASE, IT WAS ONE OF THE ARSON CASES THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
HAYES COUNTY REQUESTED, UH, INFORMATION IN FEBRUARY OF 26 FOR A SEXUAL ASSAULT, SEXUAL ASSAULT, A VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND EVERY COMMUNITY FACES.
WE SEE OUR VICTIMS IN THESE CASES, UM, UNDERMINED.
WE SEE THEM CHALLENGED IN WAYS THAT WE CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE, AND WE'VE UTILIZED THIS A LPR SYSTEM TO GET THEM JUSTICE.
FEBRUARY 28TH, 2025 WAS THE FINAL, AND IT WAS A GEORGETOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, REQUEST FOR AUTO THEFT.
I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT AUTO THEFT, UM, BUT YOU AGAIN, UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT.
THERE WERE TWO ADDITIONAL THAT HAPPENED OUTSIDE OF THE TRIAL PERIOD AS WE CONTINUED BASED ON THE, THE EXTENSION THAT YOU ALL PROVIDED US.
UM, IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2025, THE FIRST OF WHICH, AGAIN, IRONICALLY, WAS A FD, UH, REQUESTING ARSON INVESTIGATION, AND THE LAST OF WHICH WAS TEXAS DPS FOR AN AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT.
AGAIN, SEXUAL ASSAULT, THE DIFFERENCE BEING IS IT'S AGGRAVATED.
IN THIS CASE, MOST TIMES, AND THIS ISN'T, THIS DOESN'T APPLY ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT IN MOST CASES, THE TEXAS PENAL CODE DEFINES AN AGGRAVATED OFFENSE WHEN SOMEONE USES A WEAPON.
SO, I, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE THE TRAUMA THAT PARTICULAR VICTIM, UH, EXPERIENCED, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE USE OF A LPR ALLOWED FOR POTENTIALLY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO IDENTIFY THE SUSPECT IN THAT CASE AND POTENTIALLY HOLD THAT PERSON ACCOUNTABLE.
IF WE COULD, CAN WE PRESENT THE POWERPOINT? THANK YOU.
HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I'D LIKE TO MOVE INTO THE POWERPOINT ITSELF, AND I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE TIMELINE.
UH, IN SEPTEMBER 22, OBVIOUSLY, THE COUNCIL GRANTED A PD AUTHORITY TO YOU AS A LPR UNDER THE RESOLUTION IN 2022.
MOVING INTO 2023, A PD COLLABORATED WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, AND STAKEHOLDERS TO CREATE A PEER USE POLICY.
AGAIN, THIS SHOWS OUR WILLINGNESS AND OUR COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY, TO BUILD BRIDGES, TO BUILD TRUST, AND TO BUILD A POLICY THAT
[01:15:01]
WE COLLECTIVELY AS A COMMUNITY WHO LIVE TOGETHER, WORK TOGETHER, PLAY TOGETHER, CAN LIVE WITH.AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE BELIEVED WE HAD BUILT.
IF THERE ARE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE LISTENING TO ME RIGHT NOW, PLEASE HEAR ME, CONTACT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, CONTACT ME.
LET'S HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS, BECAUSE WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS STRIKE A BALANCE WITH TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE SAFE.
MOVING INTO MIDDLE OF 2023, A PD IDENTIFIED A VENDOR AND FLOCK WAS THAT VENDOR WE IDENTIFIED.
UH, WE OBTAINED COUNCIL APPROVAL TO GET FUNDING, AND OF COURSE, WE SIGNED A CONTRACT MARCH 29TH, 2024.
UH, THE CAMERAS WENT LIVE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN IN OCTOBER OF 2024.
THE AXON FLEET THREE CONTRACT WAS APPROVED, AND THAT A LPR SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED IN MARCH, 2025.
COUNSEL APPROVED THE 90 DAY, UH, PILOT EXTENSION, WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, AND IT'LL EXPIRE OBVIOUSLY, JUNE OF 2025, MAY, 2025, UH, CITY OF OS CITY AUDITOR, RATHER FINALIZED AND PRESENTED AUDIT TO, UH, UH, FOR THE ONE YEAR TRIAL TO THE CITY, UH, AUDIT FINANCE COMMITTEE, CITY COUNCIL RATHER.
UM, IN MAY OF 2025, A PD ADOPTED IMPLEMENTED PROGRAM CHANGES RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY AUDITOR AND COUNCIL.
THE ONE YEAR RESULTS, THE ONE YEAR RESULTS ARE TELLING, AND YOU'VE SEEN THE AUDIT FINANCE REPORT.
UH, WE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 176 VEHICLES DURING THE PILOT PROGRAM PERIOD.
AGAIN, I, I WON'T GO DOWN THAT ROAD, BUT I CERTAINLY DON'T BELIEVE THAT STOLEN VEHICLES ARE A NON-ISSUE APPREHENDING INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN SERIOUS CRIMES.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS TOO, JUST VERY, VERY BRIEFLY.
I'M GONNA GO INTO A LOT MORE DETAIL HERE IN A FEW, FEW MINUTES.
UH, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAPITAL MURDERS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MURDERS, ROBBERIES, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, SEXUAL ASSAULTS, AND KIDNAPPINGS.
VERY, VERY SERIOUS CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SAID TOO, THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE CRIMINAL OFFENSES, PEOPLE HAVE HAVE, THEY DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE CORRELATION BETWEEN, UH, PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO COMMIT THESE PARTICULAR CRIMES.
I CAN'T UNDERSCORE ENOUGH THAT THERE'S A VERY, VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ACTUALLY WILLING TO PERPETRATE CRIME, BUT THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO PERPETRATE CRIME SUCH AS CAPITAL MURDERS, MURDERS, ROBBERIES, AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS, THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO ENGAGE IN OTHER ACTIVITY THAT DOESN'T RISE TO THAT LEVEL.
AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY VICTIMIZE A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND IN SOME CASES, THEY ARE NOT CAUGHT.
IN SOME CASES, THEY GET AWAY WITH IT, AND IN SOME CASES, THEY CONTINUE TO GO ON AND PERPETRATE MORE CRIMES AGAINST OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WHILE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TRIES DESPERATELY TO MAKE A CASE AGAINST THEM AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
AIDING IN INVESTIGATIONS, A LPR DATA, UH, HAS PROVIDED CRITICAL LEADS TO DETECTIVES.
WHAT I'LL SAY THERE IS THIS, THERE ARE CASES IN THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT I FIRMLY BELIEVE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLVED HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE USE OF THE A LPR SYSTEM.
I'LL EXPAND ON THAT AND SAY THAT THERE ARE CASES IN THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT I THINK WERE SOLVED IN A VERY, VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE OF THE A LPR USE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE WAS A MURDER THAT HAPPENED NOT TOO TERRIBLY LONG AGO.
I CAN'T GO INTO THE DETAILS OF, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT SUSPECT WAS IDENTIFIED AND CAPTURED WITHIN TWO HOURS OF THE MURDER ITSELF.
AGAIN, THINK BACK ON WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT WITH RESPECT TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO COMMIT MURDER IN OUR COMMUNITY.
ARE THEY WILLING TO GO OUT AND COMMIT OTHER CRIMES? THEY ABSOLUTELY ARE.
DID THE PERSON THAT PERPETRATED THAT CRIME HAVING BEEN CAUGHT IN TWO HOURS, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND DO ANYTHING ELSE? I, I WOULD OFFER YOU? HE, HE DID NOT.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE HELD THAT PERSON ACCOUNTABLE THANKS TO THE USE OF A LPR.
STRICT DATA RETENTION POLICIES, DATA COLLECTED BY THE A LPR SYSTEM IS NOT LINKED.
IT IS NOT LINKED TO A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IS RETAINED FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
YOU SAW THIS IN THE AUDIT FINANCE REPORT.
WE, WE MAINTAIN DATA FOR SEVEN DAYS.
IS IT, WE ARE THE LOWEST RETENTION PERIOD OF ANY OF OUR PEER GROUP ANYWHERE ELSE IN, IN OUR, IN OUR PEER GROUP.
THOSE CITIES AND, AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS MORE SPECIFICALLY THAT, UH, THAT THE AUDIT FINANCE COMMITTEE LOOKED AT.
MOST OF THOSE AGENCIES ARE 30 DAYS, AND THEY GO UP FROM THERE.
CONTROLLED ACCESS AND USE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT DEPLOYS, LEASED ACCESS POLICY.
WE DO NOT GIVE ACCESS TO ANY SYSTEMS THAT ANY MEMBER OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, REGARDLESS SWORN, CIVILIAN OR OTHERWISE, DOES NOT HAVE A NEED TO HAVE ACCESS TO.
IT MINIMIZES RISK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
IT MINIMIZES RISK ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO WE'VE MAINTAINED THAT PRACTICE.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A CITY PRACTICE, BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABSOLUTELY DEPLOYS IT IN A WAY TO, TO AGAIN, MINIMIZE RISK.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THE A OPR SYSTEM, THEY'VE ALL COMPLETED TRAINING ON THAT PARTICULAR SYSTEM.
THEY ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT THE SYSTEM CAN DO, WHAT ITS CAPABILITIES ARE.
[01:20:01]
THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE A, WE HAVE AN OFFICER OR AN EMPLOYEE RATHER, THAT VIOLATES OUR GENERAL ORDERS, WE HAVE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO CORRECT AND ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE, AND WE ABSOLUTELY WILL IN THE FUTURE, HAVE INDIVIDUALS AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT VIOLATE OUR POLICIES, AND WE WILL LOOK AT THOSE CASES AND WE WILL HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO TOUCH ON THE FACT THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS LAWS IN PLACE THAT HOLD PEOPLE CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE IN THE EVENT THAT THEY USE DATA SETS THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USING FOR PURPOSES OF THEIR OWN BENEFIT.
SO I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND UP TO AND INCLUDING CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR OFFICERS WHO ARE USING THIS INFORMATION IN A WAY THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USING IT FOR.
AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
I UNPACKAGED EXACTLY EVERY SITUATION AND CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE WE HAVE SHARED DATA.
WE HAVE A VERY, VERY STRICT DATA, UH, SHARING POLICY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, NO DEPARTMENT HAS ACCESS DIRECTLY TO OUR A LPR DATA.
THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET OUR A OUR DATA IS IF YOU SUBMIT A REQUEST AND WHEN YOU SUBMIT A REQUEST, THOSE REQUESTS GO TO ONE OF TWO PLACES.
IF IT'S DURING BUSINESS HOURS, THEY GO OVER TO THE AUSTIN REGIONAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER BECAUSE THAT, THAT DEPARTMENT IS STAFFED DURING THE DAY.
THOSE REQUESTS ARE LOOKED AT BY A LIEUTENANT.
A LIEUTENANT LOOKS AT THOSE REQUESTS AND HE COMPARES WHAT THE REQUEST IS AGAINST OUR POLICY AS WELL AS THE RESOLUTION.
AND HE MAKES A DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT COMPLIES WITH IT.
IF IT DOESN'T COMPLY WITH IT, THEN IT'S NOT HONORED.
ONCE THAT, ONCE THEY MAKE SURE, ONCE THE LIEUTENANT RATHER MAKES SURE THAT IT FALLS IN LINE WITH THE RESOLUTION, HE THEN REQUIRES THAT A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IS SIGNED BY THE REQUESTING AGENCY.
WHAT THAT DOES IS, IS THE AGENCY PROMISES THAT THEY WILL DESTROY THE DATA AND ONLY USE THE DATA FOR THE STATED PURPOSE AND BEYOND THOSE SAFEGUARDS.
IN THE EVENT THAT WE GET A REQUEST THAT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF, OR MORE BROADLY BEYOND THE SCOPE OF A SPECIFIC INCIDENT, THEN THERE ARE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO NOTIFY THE OFFICE OF POLICE OVERSIGHT, THE MAYOR AND THIS VERY COUNCIL THAT IT'S HAPPENED.
SO WE HAVE ROBUST SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WHAT'S GOING ON, THE REQUESTS THAT ARE COMING IN ARE MONITORED, THEY'RE REVIEWED, AND THERE'S A STANDARD APPROACH TAKEN SO THAT WE CAN AVOID THE ISSUES THAT SOME OF OUR, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BELIEVE ARE GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WHICH I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY'RE NOT TRANSPARENCY AND AUDITS.
WE ARE COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENCY REGARDING, UH, THIS PROGRAM.
WE'VE WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE.
WE'VE CONDUCTED INTERNAL QUARTERLY AUDITS ON OUR OWN, AND WE'VE HIGHLIGHTED ISSUES THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED TO THE VERY AUDITOR WHO WE KNEW WAS COMING TO, TO TALK TO YOU ALL.
WE ARE NOT HIDING FROM OUR MISSTEPS I'VE SAID BEFORE, AND I'LL SAY AGAIN, WE'VE ABSOLUTELY GOT ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, AND WE'VE ABSOLUTELY GOT SOME, SOME EMPLOYEES THAT DIDN'T EITHER UNDERSTAND OR MISINTERPRETED, UH, POLICY IN THEIR TRAINING.
AND WE ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES NOW.
SO I'M GONNA GO INTO THIS FOR A LITTLE BIT.
I, THERE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE.
UM, THESE ARE DIRECT QUOTES THAT WERE TAKEN FROM THE ACTUAL AUDIT REPORT.
UH, PROVIDE ACCURATE A LPR SYSTEM DATA, THAT'S THEIR WORDS.
INCORPORATE BEST PRACTICES OBSERVED IN PEER POLICE DEPARTMENTS, PROPERLY USE THE A LP OR SOFTWARE AND MULTIPLE HOT LISTS LEADING TO 13,122 MATCHES, ZERO INCORRECT OR UNJUSTIFIED STOPS.
AGAIN, AN EXAMPLE OF ME TELLING YOU THAT WE'VE MESSED UP THE BULLET POINT JUST BELOW THAT IS SOMETHING I ADDED TO THIS SLIDE.
A PD HAD FOUR STOPS ARREST FOR CLASS B MISDEMEANORS THAT ARE NOT AUTHORIZED PER THE RESOLUTION.
AND I WILL, I'M HAPPY TO GO INTO THOSE AND I WILL HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S ME TELLING YOU, SHOWING YOU THAT WE ARE, WE ARE HUMAN AND WE ARE GONNA MAKE MISSTEPS AND WE'RE GONNA OWN THOSE MISSTEPS WHEN WE DO ADHERE TO COUNCIL DATA SHARING LIMITATIONS, DATA SHARING ON THREE OCCASIONS.
NOW, KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE WERE EIGHT TOTAL SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THIS PARTICULAR AUDIT REPORT ONLY FOCUSED ON, ONLY INCLUDED, RATHER, Q4 OF 2024.
SO I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS THERE, AND I'M HAPPY TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT MAY COME AS A FOLLOW UP.
COMPLETED 27 REQUESTS FROM A PD OFFICERS FOR LICENSE PLATE NUMBERS TO BE ENTERED INTO THE A PD CUSTOMIZED HOT LIST FOLKS, THESE ARE CASES, AND THESE ARE MANY CASES WHERE AN A DETECTIVE, AN OFFICER IS INVESTIGATING, AGAIN, A VERY HEINOUS CRIME, A MURDER, A SEXUAL ASSAULT OF THINGS OF THOSE NATURE, THAT NATURE.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE WANNA GET THESE LICENSE PLATES DIRECTLY ENTERED INTO A HOT LIST SO THAT WHEN OUR OFFICERS ARE DRIVING AROUND, WE'RE, WE'RE ARMING THEM WITH
[01:25:01]
THE INFORMATION TO SUCCEED.WE'RE ARMING THEM WITH THE INFORMATION TO FIND AND APPREHEND THESE INDIVIDUALS BEFORE THEY GO OUT AND PERPETRATE ADDITIONAL CRIMES.
THE AUDITOR HAD FOUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS IS THE FIRST AUTOMATED DATA POOLS AND DATA REQUESTS, INCLUDING AUTOMATED, AUTOMATED, ANONYMIZED ANONYMIZATION OF THE DATA FOR AUDIT PURPOSES.
IF NO AUTOMATION IS AVAILABLE, A PD SHOULD ADHERE TO SPECIFIC WRITTEN SCHEDULES FOR MANUAL PULLING, REQUESTING REQUIRED DATA FOR AUDITS.
WE COMPLETELY AGREE, WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY SET THAT INTO MOTION.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE VENDORS TO GET AUTOMATED PUSH OF DATA TO US SO THAT THERE ARE NO ISSUES AND WE ARE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING THAT RECOMMENDATION.
NUMBER TWO, CLEARLY DESCRIBED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR STAFF INVOLVED WITH RISK MANAGEMENT AUDITS, INCLUDING DOCUMENTING AUDIT PROCEDURES SO THAT AUDIT PROCESSES CAN BE REPLICATED BY FUTURE ROTATIONS OF STAFF.
WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE GOING TO TRANSFER, AND WE HAVE ALREADY BUILT A GO BY, IF YOU WILL, A GUIDE TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE, IS ACCURACY OR CONSISTENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE WAY IN WHICH THESE AUDITS ARE BEING COMPLETED.
UM, AND, AND THE ESTIMATION ESTIMATED COMPLETION ON THAT IS JULY 31ST, 2025.
AGAIN, WE AGREE WITH NUMBER TWO.
NUMBER THREE, NUMBER THREE, REGULAR REVIEWS OF A LPR USE COMPLIANCE WITH POLICY REQUIREMENTS.
AGAIN, WE RECOGNIZE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN OUR ORGANIZATION WHO HAVE NOT FOLLOWED TO THE LETTER THE GUIDANCE GIVEN BY COUNSEL AND OUR POLICY.
WE AGREE WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION.
WE THINK THERE ARE LESSONS TO BE LEARNED HERE, AND WE THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO INCLUDE THOSE IN OUR TRAINING SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE OFFICERS DO NOT CONTINUE TO DO, TO ACT IN THIS WAY.
SO WE ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, AND WE ARE IMPLEMENTING MANY OF THESE CHANGES, ALL THESE CHANGES THAT SHOULD SAY.
NEXT, A DEFINED TIMELINE FOR REPORTING REGULAR RISK MANAGEMENT AUDITS, INCLUDING A LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS, REGULAR AND REGULAR SHARED, SHARED AUDIT RESULTS WITH.
NOW, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE A PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD NOW THAT INCLUDES DATA FROM FLOCK AS WELL AS THE AXON SIDE.
UH, IT GIVES QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION.
UH, IT LAYS OUT OUR POLICY WHEN AND WHEN IT CANNOT BE USED.
UH, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOGNIZES THERE ARE OTHER STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION TO.
AS A RESULT, WE ARE GEARING UP TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION WITHOUT A REQUEST TO THE OPO, TO, UH, THE COMMITTEE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS YOURSELVES TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION, UH, THAT, THAT WE HAVE WITH RESPECT TO THOSE QUARTERLY AUDITS.
SO THERE WAS A CONVERSATION THAT CAME UP IN THE AUDIT FINANCE COMMITTEE SPECIFIC TO THE, THE FLOCK A LPR CONTRACT.
AND IT WAS SPECIFIC TO SECTION 4.4.
AND SOME OF OUR CITIZEN MEMBERS HAVE COME UP AND THEY HAVE HAVE MENTIONED THIS AS, AS A CONCERN FOR THEM.
AND, AND, AND LOOK, WE AGREE, WE RECOGNIZE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S CONCERN.
AND, AND I'M HAPPY TO REPORT TO YOU THAT AS SOON AS I LEFT OUR AUDIT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, I WENT TO WORK ADDRESSING THIS VERY ISSUE.
I MET WITH THE VENDOR A COUPLE OF TIMES, UH, WORKED WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT WE COULD CHANGE THE LANGUAGE TO COMPLETELY GET US OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF AGGREGATED DATA.
AND THE HIGHLIGHTED PORTION AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE HERE IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ADDED, WHICH ALLOWED FOR US TO COMPLETELY OPT OUT OF THE SCRAPED, IF YOU WILL, AGGREGATED DATA.
NOW, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AGGREGATED DATA IS.
AGGREGATED DATA IS A CULMINATION OF ALL OF FLOCK'S CUSTOMERS, AND THAT INCLUDES ALL THOSE IN TEXAS, UH, OF ANONYMIZED DATA.
THE ANONYMIZED DATA INCLUDES IT, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PICTURE OF A LICENSE PLATE.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE LOCATION, THEY DON'T KNOW THE CITY.
THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHOSE DATA IT BELONGS TO.
SO ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, HOWEVER MANY FLOCK CUSTOMERS THERE ARE, HAVE THIS PARTICULAR DATA SET COMPILED.
AND IT'S USED SPECIFICALLY TO ALLOW FOR THE SYSTEMS TO LEARN THE DIFFERENCE AS IT VIEWS IT BETWEEN AN E AND AN F.
AND THAT'S JUST AN EXAMPLE, RIGHT? IT TEACHES THE SYSTEM THE DIFFERENCE IN CHARACTERS AND FLOCK BELIEVES THAT THIS ALLOWS FOR THEIR SYSTEMS TO BE MORE ACCURATE, WHICH I AGREE WITH.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THIS CONTRACT LANGUAGE EXISTS.
BUT REGARDLESS OF WHY IT EXISTS, I BELIEVE THAT I'VE, THAT WE OWE IT TO OUR COMMUNITY TO GET US OUT OF THE BUSINESS OF SHARING OR, OR THEM EVEN HAVING ACCESS TO THAT DATA.
AGAIN, THEY WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW
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WHO THAT DATA BELONGED TO.THEY CERTAINLY WOULDN'T KNOW IT WAS FROM AUSTIN.
THEY WOULD LOOK ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS AND GO, I WONDER WHERE THAT CAR'S AT.
ANOTHER ANOTHER POINT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A PICTURE OF A LICENSE PLATE, IT DOES NOT TIE BACK TO A REGISTERED OWNER.
NO ONE HAS THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT THAT LICENSE PLATE AND KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT WHO, WHO'S REGISTERED TO THAT VEHICLE, WHO OWNS THAT VEHICLE, WHO'S DRIVING THAT VEHICLE OR ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE.
IT'S A PICTURE OF A LICENSE PLATE.
SO I'M GONNA DIVE INTO THIS AND I'M GONNA START, UH, JUST BY SIMPLY SAYING, THIS PARTICULAR SUCCESS STORIES DATA SET GOES FROM MARCH, 2024 THROUGH MAY OF 2025, OBVIOUSLY THE ENTIRE TRIAL PERIOD, AS WELL AS A PORTION OF THE, UH, EXTENSION THAT YOU ALL GRANTED.
WE'VE SOLVED MANY, MANY VIOLENT CRIMES WITH THIS.
UH, AND I WANNA CAVEAT BEFORE I EVEN START RUNNING DOWN THIS LIST AND EXPLAINING SOME OF THESE CRIMES TO YOU ALL, UM, THAT THESE ZIP CODES LISTED ABOVE REPRESENT AT LEAST A SINGLE EVENT, AND IN SOME CASES, MULTIPLE EVENTS.
THESE AREN'T SINGULAR, IN SOME CASES, IS MY POINT.
SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THIS COUNT THE NUMBER OF ZIP CODES AND ASSUME THAT THEY ONLY INCLUDED ONE EVENT.
IN SOME INSTANCES, CAPITAL MURDER.
CAPITAL MURDER IS AN OFFENSE WHERE SOMEONE HAS LOST THEIR LIFE WHILE SOMEONE IS COMMITTING A FELONY OFFENSE AGAINST THEM.
SO WHILE SOMEONE IS BEING ROBBED, WHILE SOMEONE IS BEING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED, WHILE SOMEONE IS BEING ROBBED, THEY'RE KILLED IN THE PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT CONSTITUTES A CAPITAL MURDER.
IT'S A MUCH, MUCH MORE SERIOUS CRIME.
AND THERE WERE FOUR ZIP CODES WHERE THAT PARTICULAR CRIME OCCURRED IN THIS CITY.
AND A OPR WAS UTILIZED TO AT LEAST HELP OR AID IN THE SOLVING, IDENTIFYING OF THOSE PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS THAT DID THAT, COMMITTED THOSE CRIMES.
MURDER IS THE OFFENSE OF SOMEONE BEING KILLED BY ANOTHER.
THERE WAS A DOZEN ZIP CODES IN OUR CITY, MINIMUM, LIKE I SAID, SOME HAD MULTIPLE, AND OUR CITY, A DOZEN PLUS PEOPLE WERE MURDERED.
AND THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT LEVERAGED THE A LPR DATA SYSTEM TO EITHER CATCH OR AID IN CATCHING THE PEOPLE THAT THAT COMMITTED THOSE PARTICULAR OFFENSES.
AGGRAVATED ROBBERY IS THE COMMISSION OF OF ROBBERY, WHICH IS TAKING OF SOMEONE'S PROPERTY, A THEFT BY FORCE IN AN AGGRAVATED SITUATION.
IT'S WHERE SOMEONE HAD A WEAPON.
AND WHAT, WHAT I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT LATER IN ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS WHEN A SUSPECT SHOT OR HAS SHOT AT VICTIMS WHEN THEY WERE THE VICTIM OF AN AGGRAVATED ROBBERY.
AND THERE'S ABOUT TWO DOZEN OF THOSE CASES LISTED BY ZIP CODE AGAINST, SOME OF THOSE ARE LISTED MULTIPLE TIMES, AGGRAVATED, I'M SORRY, ROBBERY BY ASSAULT.
ROBBERY BY ASSAULT IS ROBBERY WHERE SOMEONE ASSAULTS THE OTHER PERSON TYPICALLY WITH THEIR HANDS, THEIR FEET, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, NOT WITH A WEAPON BURGLARY RESIDENCE.
THERE WAS ONE ZIP CODE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.
THERE WERE TWO FAILED TO STOP RENDER AID.
THERE WAS AN INCIDENT IN DOWNTOWN ARSON.
THERE WAS ONE DIRECTLY TIED BACK TO THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THEN AUTO THEFT.
THERE WAS 176 IN VARIOUS ZIP CODES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO NOW I WANNA BREAK DOWN, UH, FOUR INSTANCES, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS THE MURDER, UH, NUMBER 23 OF 2024, THE CASE NUMBER'S AT THE TOP AND THE ZIP CODE.
AND WHERE IT HAPPENED IS THERE ON MAY 22ND, 2024, SUSPECT SHOT AND KILLED THE VICTIM AT 2159 HOURS.
BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY WITNESSES, A SUSPECT WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE DEPARTED IN A GRAY PICKUP, WHICH WERE PARKED OUTSIDE.
THE COMPLEX VIDEO WAS LOCATED, WHICH SUPPORTED THIS NARRATIVE, SHOWING SUSPECTS ARRIVED COMPLEX AT 2145.
WITNESSES REPORTED HEARING GUNSHOTS A SHORT TIME LATER, AND AFTER WHICH THE WITNESSES WITNESSED THE SUSPECT WALKING AWAY FROM THE VICTIM'S APARTMENT SEARCH, THE AREA LOCATED ADDITIONAL VIDEO OF THE SUSPECT VEHICLE AFTER THE MURDER, USING A LPR AND OTHER INVESTIGATIVE TECHNIQUES, THE SUSPECT VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY IDENTIFIED AS A GRAY TOYOTA TUNDRA PICKUP, AND TWO SUSPECTS WERE ULTIMATELY ARRESTED AND CHARGED IN THAT MURDER.
THE SUSPECTS LOCATED THE VICTIM AND SHOT HER AT APPROXIMATELY 2216 HOURS, POLICE HAD A DESCRIPTION OF THE
[01:35:01]
SUSPECT VEHICLE, WHICH WAS A RED CHEVY PICKUP, UTILIZING FLOCK, WHICH CAPTURED THE PHOTO OF THE SUSPECT VEHICLE JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE MURDER.A PD CONFIRMED THE SUSPECT VEHICLE AND SENT A BOLO OR BEYOND THE LOOKOUT AT APPROXIMATELY 0 4 45 HOURS, SIX HOURS ROUGHLY AFTER THE MURDER, KERR COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE LOCATED THE SUSPECTS AND TOOK THEM INTO CUSTODY.
UM, AT A, AT THE TIME OF THE ARREST, A GLOCK PISTOL WAS LOCATED AND ONE OF THE SUSPECTS IN THE AMMUNITION FROM THE GUN MATCHED THE CARTRIDGES LOCATED AT THE MURDER SCENE.
ONE SUSPECT ADMITTED TAKING PART IN THE MURDER AFTER THE ARREST.
THIS IS AGGRAVATED ROBBERY SERIES.
UH, I TALKED EARLIER ABOUT HOW PEOPLE WHO WERE WILLING TO COMMIT THESE HEINOUS ACTS LIKELY COMMIT ADDITIONAL, UH, HEINOUS ACTS.
AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF EXACTLY WHAT I WAS JUST REFERRING TO, STARTING IN APRIL, 2020.
APRIL 25TH, 2025, AND CONTINUING THROUGH MAY 5TH, 2025, SUSPECTS COMMITTED FIVE AGGRAVATED ROBBERIES.
AGAIN, AGGRAVATED ROBBERY IS A ROBBERY INVOLVING A WEAPON.
THERE ARE THE CASE NUMBERS AND THERE ARE THE ZIP CODES IN WHICH THEY TOOK PLACE, ONE OF WHICH BEING IN TRAVIS COUNTY IN THIS SERIES, SUSPECTS DEMONSTRATED A WILLINGNESS TO FIRE WEAPONS NEAR OR AT THE VICTIMS WHO, WHO KNEW, WHO WERE KNOWN TO THEM, RATHER UTILIZING A LPR AND OTHER INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS, TECHNIQUES, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO BUILD CASES AGAINST THESE SUSPECTS AND ARREST THEM BEFORE THEY KILLED ANYONE.
ONE OF THESE CASES INVOLVED THE, THE ACTUAL DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM INTO A VEHICLE, AND IT ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH THE HOOD HOODED SWEATSHIRT OF OUR VICTIM.
SO THERE WAS VERY MUCH SO INTENT TO, TO CAUSE OR INFLICT HARM ON THAT VICTIM.
CAN YOU MOVE THE SCREEN AT THE, I'M SORRY, THE LITTLE WINDOW AT THE TOP.
THIS IS THE NEXT AGGRAVATED ROBBERY SERIES.
I'LL, I'LL DISCUSS STARTING APRIL THE NINTH, 2025.
AND CONTINUING THROUGH APRIL 12TH, 2025, SUSPECTS COMMITTED SIX AGGRAVATED ROBBERIES.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS PRETTY COMMON WHEN YOU FIND A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO COMMIT AN AGGRAVATED ROBBERY.
UH, OFTENTIMES IF YOU DON'T CATCH THEM, THEY CONTINUE TO COMMIT ROBBERIES BACK TO BACK TO BACK.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE SEE HERE.
UM, IN CASE 25 0 9 9 0 1 9 4, UH, THE SUSPECTS FIRED AT THE VICTIM.
DETECTIVE SUBSEQUENTLY LOCATED A BULLET HOLE IN THE VEHICLE OF THE HEADREST.
SO AGAIN, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW SOMEONE IS FIRING A GUN DIRECTLY AT A VICTIM.
IN CASE 25, UH, 1001 57, THE VICTIM WAS SHOT AS BY THE SUS BY THE SUSPECTS AS HE REFUSED TO EXIT HIS VEHICLE AND DRIVE AWAY AND DROVE AWAY RATHER UTILIZING A LPR AND OTHER INVESTIGATIVE, UH, TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS, A PD WAS ABLE TO BUILD A CASE AGAINST THE SUSPECTS AND ARREST THEM BEFORE AGAIN THEY KILLED SOMEBODY.
SO, A LOT OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW DETECTIVE TARA DICKEN.
TARA DICKENS BEEN WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR A REALLY LONG TIME.
UM, AND CURRENTLY SHE'S ASSIGNED TO OUR TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT.
AND OUR TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT IS LITERALLY TASKED WITH INVESTIGATING, ASSISTING TO INVESTIGATE OUR, OUR HOMICIDE UNIT, OUR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT UNIT, OUR ROBBERY UNIT, OUR SEXUAL ASSAULT UNIT, AND NUMBER OF OTHER UNITS THAT INVESTIGATE VERY HEINOUS SERIOUS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
TARA IS THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO WILL SPEND HER WEEKENDS AND HER TIME OFF DIGGING INTO THE DATA SETS TO TRY AND BRING VICTIMS OF CRIME JUSTICE.
AND SHE'S VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL DOING SO.
AND WHEN WE STOOD UP A LPR ABOUT A YEAR AGO, SHE WAS, SHE WAS EXTREMELY EXCITED AND SHE USED A LPR TO THEN SOLVE A LOT OF THE CRIMES THAT I I DISPLAYED ON THAT SUCCESS STORY SLIDE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF, IF TARA'S LOOKING AT THIS RIGHT NOW AND TARA'S ASKING THE QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA SOLVE SOME OF THESE CASES WITHOUT A LPR, THEN I THINK WE AS A POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE TO FIGHT TO TRY TO KEEP SOMETHING THAT IS SO BENEFICIAL WHILE STRIKING A BALANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE HEARD, RECOGNIZED, AND WE PUT SAFEGUARDS IN PLACE TO PROTECT THEIR CONCERNS.
SCOTT, SCOTT, CAN I ADD TOO, I JUST WANNA SAY, WHEN, WHEN YOU GUYS LOOK AT YOUR AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO JUST STOOD AND TALKED ABOUT A 100% CLEARANCE RATE AND 2023 FOR OUR HOMICIDES, DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW INCREDIBLY RARE THAT IS? A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WHERE WE KNOW WHO THE SUSPECT IS, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE HOMICIDES.
IN 2023, THERE WAS AN ARREST MADE THAT IS INCREDIBLY RARE IN THIS COUNTRY, AND THEY STAND AT ABOUT A 90, 95% OTHERWISE.
SO THE WORK THEY DO, AND, AND TARA IS PART OF THAT GROUP, DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE TECHNOLOGY AT OUR HANDS.
WE HAD A VIOLENT RAPE OF A 4-YEAR-OLD CHILD, AND I CAN'T GET INTO THE SPECIFICS OF IT, BUT WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY, WE WOULD NOT HAVE MADE AN ARREST WITHIN 12 HOURS OF THAT OCCURRING.
[01:40:01]
THAT'S THE REALITY AND WHAT THIS CAN DO.I'M HAPPY TO, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MAY HAVE.
UM, COLLEAGUES, BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM THE DIOCESE, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A SPEAKER WHO'S HERE WHO DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE TO TESTIFY EARLIER.
I WANNA MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR TESTIMONY.
SO, NOIA JOSEPH FOR THE BRIEFING ITEM.
IS SHE SIGNED UP ON THE BRIEF, ON THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
LET'S HOLD THAT THEN AND KEEP THIS, UH, COMMENTARY FOCUSED ON THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER.
OKAY, MS. JOSEPH, WE'LL CALL YOU AGAIN IN A, IN A MOMENT.
I'LL FIRST RECOGNIZE COUNCIL SIEGEL, WHO PULLED THIS ITEM? THANK YOU, MAYOR PROM.
DO YOU WANNA DO Q AND A ON THE STAFF REPORT BEFORE I PRESENT? UM, UP TO YOU, WHICH, UM, I JUST, WHILE THE, THE SPEAKERS ARE HERE, I WANTED TO ALLOW THAT CHANCE, BUT THEN I COULD PRESENT.
DO YOU WANT, SO QUESTIONS ON STAFF PRESENTATION FIRST.
UH, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANTED TO GET, BEFORE I GOT GOT INTO MY QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO GET, UH, A I HAD A CLARIFYING QUESTION.
UH, THE, THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR REPORTED LAST WEDNESDAY, THERE WERE NINE DATA SHARING INSTANCES, NOT EIGHT, I THINK EIGHT IS A NUMBER THAT POPPED UP SEVERAL TIMES DURING THIS PRESENTATION.
THE MOST RECENT ONE WAS ON MAY 28TH, 2025.
UM, IT, IT READS MAY IT, IT READS MAY, 2020 5, 20 20 25, HAYES COUNTY SHERIFF 13 A AND IT SAYS, NO OFFENSE LISTED.
DO WE KNOW WHAT THE OFFENSE WAS FOR, SIR? TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THAT'S NOT ON MY LIST.
I, I'D HAVE TO CHECK WITH, UH, THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE WHAT WHAT THEY'RE REFERRING TO.
UH, YEAH, IT WAS ON, LIKE I SAID, IT, IT CAME THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR JUST A FEW SHORT DAYS AGO.
UM, STAYING ON THAT, UM, ACCORDING TO THE CITY AUDITOR'S REPORT, AS OF APRIL, 2025, A PD HAS DEPLOYED NEARLY 500 VEHICLE MOUNTED CAMERAS PROVIDED BY AXON ENTERPRISE ON TOP OF THE 40 FIXED CAMERAS CURRENTLY IN PLACE.
UM, I'D LIKE TO REVISIT A POINT THAT WAS MADE, UH, ON THE APRIL 20TH, UH, Q AND A REPORT, UH, FROM STAFF, WHICH NOTED THAT THE AXON FLEET THREE DASH CAMS INCLUDED AN OPTIONAL FEATURE ALLOWING THEM TO FUNCTION AS LICENSE PLATE READERS.
SO LPRS WITH THE ABILITY TO INTEGRATE THAT DATA INTO A CENTRAL STORAGE LOCATION WITH THIRD PARTY VENDORS.
SO I GUESS FOR, JUST FOR ME TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION, CAN WE CONFIRM FOR THE PUBLIC WHETHER DATA FROM BOTH THE 40 FIXED LPR CAMERAS AND THE 500 PLUS AXON VEHICLE MOUNTED CAMERAS ARE CURRENTLY INTEGRATED EXCLUSIVELY INTO THE FLOCK SYSTEM? SO, SIR, I CAN'T TELL YOU EXACTLY WHERE THE, THE AXON DATA IS STORED.
UM, I, I CAN TELL YOU DEFINITIVELY THAT MOST VENDORS WILL USE, UM, LIKE AMAZON WEB SERVICES AS AN EXAMPLE, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT FLOCK DOES.
UH, THEY STORE THE DATA THERE TO, UH, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THOSE, THOSE PARTICULAR COMPANIES OFFER VERY, VERY ROBUST SECURITY PLATFORMS. UM, WHEN, WHEN DATA IS TRANSFERRED, UH, IN THESE PARTICULAR CASES, WHEN PICTURES ARE TAKEN TO LICENSE PLATES AND THEY'RE TRANSFERRED FROM, SAY, THE CAMERAS TO, OF COURSE, THE, THE, THE CLOUD, UM, THEY'RE ENCRYPTED AT TRANSIT, THEY'RE ENCRYPTED ONCE THEY REST ON THE SERVER.
UM, AND THEY'RE STORED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THAT ALLOWS FOR, UM, AGAIN, SECURITY.
UM, I, I, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE ACRONYM, SOC TWO, SOC THREE COMPLIANT, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY SECURITY STANDARDS.
UM, TESTING IS MET IN THOSE CASES, AND IN MANY CASES, UH, IN BOTH THE VIRUS FLOCK IT AS WELL AS AXON.
UH, THEY'RE FEDRAMP COMPLIANT, MEANING THEY, THEY CARRY WITH THEM, UH, THE HIGHEST STANDARDS TO ENSURE THAT OF COURSE, THE DATA IS SECURED IN SUCH A WAY THAT, UH, THERE IS NO ISSUE, UM, WITH RESPECT TO TRANSFERRING THE DATA.
SO THE CHAIN OF CUSTODY ISSUES YOU MENTIONED, UH, AND ALL OF THAT ARE, ARE, UH, ARE OBSOLETE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SOUND, UH, DID I CAPTURE YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY? YEAH, YOU DID.
UM, AND THEN I JUST ALSO WANTED TO GET CLARIFICATION.
BESIDES FLOCK, UH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THERE ARE ANY OTHER THIRD PARTY VENDORS THAT RECEIVE STORE OR PROCESS, UH, LPR DATA, WHEN YOU SAY THIRD PARTY VENDORS, LL LET ME, LEMME TAKE A STAB AT THIS AND YOU TELL ME WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED MORE.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO FLOCK, WHEN FLOCK COLLECTS OUR DATA, IT SETS WITHIN THEIR SYSTEMS. THEY DON'T SHARE OUR DATA.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE AUTHOR AUTHORITY TO SHARE OUR DATA.
WE HAVE THAT AUTHORITY, IT RESTS SOLELY WITH US, AND WE DON'T SHARE IT OUTSIDE.
UH, THERE ARE SOME AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHO WILL SHARE THAT DATA, UM, WITH THEIR PARTNER AGENCIES OR WITH, WITH AGENCIES ACROSS THE NATION.
[01:45:01]
WE HAVE THE POLICY AND THE PROCEDURE IN PLACE THAT I DISCUSSED EARLIER, WHICH IS, UH, A SINGULAR, UH, I'M SORRY, IT'S A DUAL INGESTION POINT.THE AIC AS WELL AS THE RTCC, WHICH I DID NOT MENTION, THE REALTIME CRIME CENTER IS OUR AFTER HOURS INGESTION POINT FOR DATA, UH, OUT FROM, FOR DATA OUTSIDE SHARING REQUEST.
UM, AND IT'S THE SAME POLICY OR PROCEDURE RATHER THAT, UH, WE, THAT I DISCUSSED EARLIER WITH RESPECT TO THE AIC.
UM, AND THEN JUST CONTINUING ON, UH, THE SAME TOPIC.
IS THERE ANY, IS THERE A SEPARATE CONTRACT OR LEGAL AGREEMENT WITH AXON THAT GOVERN, THAT GOVERNS HOW LPR DATA IS COLLECTED VIA FLEET THREE, UH, DASH CAMS? UH, HOW THEY CAN BE USED, STORED, OR SHARED? SO THERE IS A CONTRACT WITH THE AXON CORPORATION.
UM, THE EXXON CORPORATION CONTRACT IS ACTUALLY THE FLEET THREE CONTRACT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY HELD BY THE RADIO SHOP, UH, PART OF, UH, CTM PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT, AGAIN, IS WITH THEM.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY CARVED OUT, I GUESS, SUPPORTED, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN, UM, I JUST WANTED TO FLAG SOME SERIOUS CIVIL LIBERTY CONCERNS THAT CAME UP.
UH, THE CITY AUTO REPORT CITY AUDITOR REPORT FROM MAY, 2025, UH, TITLED A PD LICENSE PLATE READER.
UH, THERE'S A SECTION IN IT ON PAGE 12 WHERE IT READS, UH, HOWEVER, THE LANGUAGE OF THE CITY'S CONTRACT WITH FLOCK SAFETY FLOCK COULD POTENTIALLY ALLOW THE COMPANY TO RETAIN DATA THAT COULD BE LATER USED BY OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES, CONTRARY TO AUSTIN'S INTENDED PURPOSE.
UH, LEGALLY, IF FLOCK POSSESSES INFORMATION RELEVANT TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATION, EVEN ONE INITIATED OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO SHARE THAT DATA, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO USES TIED TO FIRST AMENDMENT ACTIVITIES, REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE OR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
SO MY QUESTION RELATED TO THAT, UM, HAS, UH, SORRY, LET, LET, LET ME, LEMME GO ON ON A LITTLE BIT MORE.
UH, THERE WAS A SEPARATE, UH, UH, PIECE THAT CAME OUT, UH, THROUGH REPORTING BY 4 0 4 MEDIA.
THERE WAS A, A LEAK, UM, AMONG FOLKS WHO WORKED AT FLOCK.
THE, THE REPORT CAME OUT ON MAY 14TH, 2025, AND, AND IT READ LICENSE PLATE READER COMPANY FLOCK IS BUILDING A MASSIVE PEOPLE LOOKUP TOOL LEAK SHOWS.
UM, THE, ON THE FIRST PAGE OF THE, UH, THE REPORT IT SAID FLOCK, THE AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER COMPANY WHOSE CAMERAS ARE INSTALLED IN MORE THAN 5,000 COMMUNITIES IN THE US IS BUILDING A PRODUCT THAT WILL USE PEOPLE LOOKUP TOOLS, DATA BROKERS, AND DATA BREACHERS TO JUMP FROM LPR, LICENSE PLATE READER TO PERSON, ALLOWING PEOPLE, UH, ALLOWING POLICE TO MUCH MORE EASILY IDENTIFY AND TRACK THE MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE, UH, OF SPECIFIC PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY WITHOUT A WARRANT OR COURT ORDER ACCORDING TO INTERNAL FLOCK PRESENTATION SLIDES, SLACK CHATS, AND, AND AUDIO OBTAINED.
UH, THE NEW PRODUCT IN QUESTION IS CALLED NOVA, UH, AND NOVA WILL SUPPLEMENT LICENSE PLATE DATA WITH A WEALTH OF PERSONAL INFORMATION SOURCED FROM OTHER COMPANIES IN THE WIDER WEB, UH, ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION, UH, THAT THAT WAS GATHERED.
SO MY QUESTION RELATED TO THAT, HAS FLOCK COMMUNICATED ANY PLANS TO INTEGRATE NOVA LIKE FUTURES INTO EXISTING SYSTEMS THAT ARE DEPLOYED HERE IN AUSTIN? THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO, SIR.
UH, WE'VE NOT HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH FLOCK REGARDING NOVA OR ANY OTHER, UM, I GUESS SYSTEMS THAT WOULD, WOULD EXPAND THE USE OF OF A LPR AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.
UM, AND, AND SIR, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THESE ARTICLES ARE BEING WRITTEN, UH, AS A RESULT OF CITIES THROUGHOUT THE NATION WHO HAVE TAKEN A, A, A DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN WHAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ITS COMMUNITY HAS TAKEN.
UM, I THINK SOME, MANY OF THESE CITIES ARE ALLOWING THEIR POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO USE THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT UNDERMINES THOSE OF US WHO ARE TRYING TO RESPONSIBLY USE IT, UH, AND USE IT IN, IN, IN, I GUESS, ALIGNMENT WITH, UH, OUR COMMUNITY, WITH COUNCIL, UH, AND ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS INPUT.
SO I, I HOPE THE COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS THAT THOSE PARTICULAR ARTICLES ARE, ARE BEING WRITTEN, UM, IN EXTREME CASES AND, AND CERTAINLY DON'T APPLY IN AUSTIN BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING USED OR THE, THE SYSTEM, RATHER THE TECHNOLOGY IS NOT BEING USED IN THAT MANNER HERE.
WELL, AND, AND THEN JUST TO GET ONCE AGAIN, JUST, UH, FULL CLARITY, I I I JUST WANT TO GET, UH, I GUESS AN ANSWER FROM Y'ALL THAT, THAT WE, SO WE ARE MONITORING THIRD PARTY SURVEILLANCE VENDORS AND, AND HOW, YOU KNOW, THE VENDORS MAY EVOLVE THEIR PRODUCTS, UH, IN WAYS THAT EXCEED WHAT COUNSEL ORIGINALLY APPROVED OR INTENDED.
AND, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I CAN'T IMAGINE A, A SCENARIO WHERE A VENDOR WOULD, WOULD GIVE US AN ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY OR FEATURE AT A $0 COST.
UH, SO UNLIKELY THAT WE WOULD, UM, WE WOULD GET ANY SORT OF FEATURE FUNCTIONALITY SUCH AS THE ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITHOUT US KNOWING ABOUT IT.
AND THEN SECONDLY, IF WE GOT IT, WE WOULD QUICKLY KNOW WE GOT IT BECAUSE THE FEATURE FUNCTIONALITY WOULD
[01:50:01]
APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD, UH, AND LOOK DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT.SO AGAIN, WITH THE, WITH THE SHEER NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE USING OUR SYSTEMS, UM, I, I FIRMLY BELIEVE WE WOULD, UH, WE WOULD UNDERSTAND AND KNOW OUR CHIEF DATA, UH, DATA OFFICER WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THAT, UM, A LPR PROGRAM WOULD, WOULD CERTAINLY BE ABLE TO TELL VERY QUICKLY.
AND, AND IF I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, I APOLOGIZE, BUT JUST TO GET CLARIFICATION, THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH A PD AS IT RELATES TO FLOCK AND NOVA, RIGHT? EITHER'S? NO, SIR.
COUNCIL BUR, COLLEAGUES, OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE DIOCESE? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
UM, NOT A QUESTION SO MUCH AS I JUST REALLY WANTED TO FLAG WHERE I'M AT ON THE ITEM.
I KNOW, UH, FOLKS ARE CURIOUS AND I'M JUST GONNA STAY THE COURSE.
UM, AND THEN I ACTUALLY, I, I SAW SOMETHING THIS WEEK THAT REMINDED ME WHERE MY HEAD WAS AT ON THE ISSUE.
UM, AND FOLLOW ME, IT'LL MAKE SENSE EVENTUALLY.
SO MY EX AND I GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT ONE TIME ABOUT DOG BITES, AND HE WAS LIKE, YEAH, BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT A CHIHUAHUA CAN DO AND A PIT BULL COULD DO.
AND THAT REALLY STUCK WITH ME, LIKE, WHAT'S THE NATURE OF THE TRUE HARM SHOULD IT OCCUR? AND THAT KEEPS POPPING INTO MY HEAD.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK I'VE, UH, SPOKEN ABOUT, I HATE TO SAY MISALIGNMENT, BUT THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
MY CONSTITUENTS ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT SURVEILLANCE THAN I PERSONALLY AS A HUMAN BEING AM.
SO I ALWAYS GO WITH WHAT IT IS THAT MY CONSTITUENTS PREFER ALONG THESE LINES.
UM, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, AS A PERSON WHO DOESN'T HAVE AS MUCH SORT OF INHERENT FEAR AROUND SURVEILLANCE, I JUST DON'T.
UM, THAT SAID THOUGH, IN THIS INSTANCE, I'M ALSO THINKING ABOUT A NEWS ARTICLE THAT I WAS LISTENING TO THE OTHER DAY, AND IT WAS A CATTLE RANCHER IN WYOMING, AND SHE SAID, 80% OF THE PEOPLE I KNOW WHOSE RANCHES ARE ABOUT TO GO BANKRUPT VOTED FOR THE ADMINISTRATION THAT'S ABOUT TO BANKRUPT US BY WAY OF DEPORTING ALL OF OUR WORKERS.
AND I KEPT THINKING ABOUT THAT.
SHE SAID, WE SIGNED OUR OWN DEATH WARRANTS.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M LEANING IN THIS INSTANCE.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU ALL I CAN APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION, IT LEFT SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED AND THAT IT FELT MORE LIKE A JUSTIFICATION AS OPPOSED TO
OF COURSE, WE UNDERSTAND COUNTER INTELLIGENCE.
I MEAN, SCIENTISTS, SCIENTIFIC DATA THAT GETS PRODUCED BY, YOU KNOW, BIG PHARMA, FOR EXAMPLE.
THAT SAID, THOUGH, I THINK WHAT I WAS HOPING TO HEAR TODAY WAS SOMETHING THAT ADDRESSED THE CONCERNS OF THE FOLKS THAT IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO VOTE IN THEIR BEST INTEREST.
AND FOR THEM, THEY DON'T WANNA FIND THEMSELVES.
AND I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA FIND MYSELF ON THE, IT WON'T AGE WELL SIDE OF VOTING HISTORY IF THINGS GO REALLY POORLY.
AND IT TURNS OUT IT WASN'T A CHIHUAHUA BITING US, BUT A PIT BULL.
UM, AND I JUST, I DON'T WANNA BE A PART OF THE SYSTEM THAT INADVERTENTLY HARMS. SO I, I CAN GO AHEAD AND SIGNAL THAT I'M STILL REALLY STRUGGLING AND, AND I THINK THE BEST WAY TO, TO SAY I TOOK AWAY FROM WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS WERE SAYING FROM THE PODIUM, I, THE BEST TAKEAWAY FROM ME IS THAT FOLKS ARE SAYING, BUT WHAT IF? AND IT'S, IT'S THE HARM, IT'S THE WHAT IF.
AND WATCHING THE HARM, THE POTENTIAL HARM JUST REALLY GIVES ME SUCH GREAT PAUSE.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO JUSTIFY THE HARM, THE, THE REDUCTION OF THE POTENTIAL HARM.
AND I, I JUST DON'T FEEL CONFIDENT THAT I'M GONNA FEEL LIKE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON THURSDAY WITH WHAT IT IS THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M AT TODAY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS, BEFORE I MOVE ON TO COUNCIL MEMBER LANE HAS A COUPLE QUESTIONS, AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER CADRY FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.
UM, I JUST WANNA ADD A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE ON MY END, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF LICENSE PLATE READER CAMERAS IN THE STATE.
UM, AND I'M JUST TRYING TO, WELL, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE RATIONALE AND HOW QUICKLY THE DEPARTMENT SCALED THE USAGE OF LPRS? AND WE WENT FROM 40 STATIONARY CAMERAS TO HUNDREDS OF, UM, CAMERAS WITHIN VEHICLES.
JUST TALK US THROUGH THAT DECISION, THAT
[01:55:01]
RATIONALE TO SCALE SO WIDELY DURING A PILOT YEAR.SO WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS THERE ARE 40, UH, STATIONARY CAMERAS IN THE CITY, AND THOSE ARE, UH, OPERATED THROUGH OUR, OUR VENDOR FLOCK.
UM, AND THEN WE TRANSITIONED TO THE FLEET THREE SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE, UH, LATEST ITERATION OF THE AXON IN-CAR CAMERA SYSTEM.
UH, AND INSIDE THAT CAMERA IS THE TECHNOLOGY FOR A LPR.
SO AS YOU'LL RECALL, I WAS BEFORE COUNSEL BACK WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE FLEET THREE CONTRACT PASSED ON RADIO SHOP'S BEHALF.
UH, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE AGING, UM, WHAT'S CALLED A DMA SYSTEM, UH, THAT WAS IN OUR POLICE CARS, UH, DIGITAL RECORDING SYSTEM.
NOW, THAT SYSTEM, UH, WAS GETTING TO END OF LIFE, UM, SOME STORAGE ISSUES, COST ISSUES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS THE, IT WAS THE WISE MOVE FOR US TO MOVE TO THE AXON FLEET THREE SYSTEM.
AGAIN, A MUCH BETTER SYSTEM, UH, PROVIDES CLARITY, PROVIDES FUNCTIONALITY THAT IN FACT WE, UH, HAVE GROWN TO, TO ACCUSTOM, BE ACCUSTOMED TO WITH, WITH THE DMAF SYSTEM.
UH, AND IT ALSO GIVES US THE ABILITY TO, UH, ALLOW SUPERVISORS TO LOG INTO THOSE CAMERAS IN THE EVENT THAT A CRITICAL INCIDENT IS HAPPENING, UH, AND THE OFFICER NEEDS THEIR ASSISTANCE.
SO THINK OF LIKE, UH, VEHICLE PURSUITS OR CRITICAL INCIDENTS AND THAT, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, SO AGAIN, IT OFFERED FUNCTIONALITY THAT THE DMAV DIDN'T HAVE.
PLUS AGAIN, THE DMA WAS END OF LIFE.
SO AS WE STOOD THOSE SYSTEMS UP AND WE STARTED TO, UH, INSTALL THOSE THROUGH ATTRITION, UH, WE GOT TO A POINT WHERE WE HAD QUITE A FEW OF THE A LPR CAMERAS, RIGHT, UH, EXXON FLEET THREE CAMERAS SPECIFICALLY INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLES.
NOW, A LOT OF THAT HAPPENED THROUGH ATTRITION.
SOME OF IT HAPPENED BECAUSE WE KNEW, SAY THESE CARS WERE ONLY A YEAR OLD AND, AND WE WANTED TO PUT THAT NEWER, UH, CAMERA SYSTEM IN IT TO AVOID A FAILURE OR SOME OF THOSE OTHER ISSUES I JUST MENTIONED.
SO THAT ADDED TO, OF COURSE, THAT NUMBER, UM, IT'S THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE FLEET NOW.
THERE'S PROBABLY A HUNDRED ISH CARS OUT THERE WITHOUT AN AXON FLEET THREE SYSTEM IN THEM.
UH, AND THEY'RE OF COURSE SLATED TO HAVE THEON FLEET THREE SYSTEM INCLUDED IN THEM.
UM, IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU NEED MORE, JUST LET ME KNOW, MA'AM.
AND YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT A LIEUTENANT IN ARICK, OR THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER DOES THE AUTHORIZATION FOR ANY TIME THERE IS A DATA REQUEST.
IS THAT AN A PD LIEUTENANT OR IS THAT A LIEUTENANT FOR, UH, A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY? NO, MA'AM.
COUNCILOR MELIN, IF IT'S OKAY, I WILL TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SHARE MY PERSPECTIVE ON THESE ISSUES AND THEN ASK A COUPLE QUESTIONS, UM, AS HAS BECOME MY HABIT A LITTLE BIT, AND HOPEFULLY I'LL BE DONE WITH THIS SOON.
SINCE I'M NEW ON THE DAAS, I JUST WANTED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
I GREW UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, THAT INCLUDED MANY FAMILIES THAT WERE A MIX OF CITIZENS AND NOT CITIZENS.
MANY OF MY FRIENDS BECAME DACA RECIPIENTS.
UM, MY LIFE IS VERY DIFFERENT NOW FROM HOW IT WAS THEN.
I'VE BEEN ELECTED TO REPRESENT DISTRICT SIX, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM MUCH OF THE REST OF THE CITY.
MY CHILDREN WENT TO AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, A PUBLIC NEIGHBORHOOD, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, NOT IN A ISD, SO PROBABLY NOT PART OF THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU ALL IN THIS ROOM TYPICALLY HEAR ABOUT, BUT MY KIDS' ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS 54% ASIAN, ALMOST ENTIRE, UH, IMMIGRANTS WHO HAD COME TO THE UNITED STATES AS CITIZENS.
CURRENTLY, MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS FULL OF ASIAN IMMIGRANTS OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF STATUS, DETERMINED MOSTLY BY WHICH COUNTRY THEY CAME FROM.
SOME OF MY FRIENDS WHO'VE COME FROM CHINA HAVE HAD A MUCH SHORTER PATH TO CITIZENSHIP VERSUS MY FRIENDS WHO HAVE COME FROM INDIA AND SOUTH ASIA, WHO HAVE SPENT DECADES WORKING IN ON H ONE B ONE VISAS WITH GREEN CARDS AT HIGH PAYING JOBS, PAYING TAXES, CONTRIBUTING SO MUCH TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AS I AM HERE TO ATTEST FROM HOW I GREW UP, THAT ALL THE IMMIGRANTS IN OUR AUSTIN COMMUNITY ARE CONTRIBUTING IN VERY IMPORTANT WAYS, SOMETIMES THAT RELATES TO WORK, SOMETIMES THAT RELATES TO THE FABRIC OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OUR SCHOOLS, WHO OUR CHILDREN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND GROW UP WITH.
I VALUE THE FULL RANGE OF THAT.
AND AS SOMEONE REPRESENTING DISTRICT SIX AND BRINGING A DIFFERENT VOICE FROM DISTRICT SIX TO THIS DAAS, I ALSO WANNA SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT I SAW IN THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN ACTIVE WITH THE SCHOOLS, THAT'S ALL I KNEW, MY NEIGHBORS, UM, IN THE FIRST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS, EVERY TIME THEY DECIDED TO TAKE A FLIGHT, WERE PULLED ASIDE FOR EXTRA SCREENING.
UM, MY NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE STREET WHO THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD BOUGHT THEIR FOREVER HOME WHEN THEY CAME
[02:00:01]
INTO THE UNITED STATES ON AN INVESTOR VISA TO SET UP AN OFFICE FOR THEIR COMPANY, WHICH IS BASED IN MEXICO, DECIDED NOT TO RENEW THAT VISA AFTER THEY MISSED EVERY FLIGHT OF THEIR FAMILY VACATION.A FEW MONTHS AFTER TRUMP TOOK OFFICE, MY FRIENDS WHO ARE ASIAN, MANY OF THEM DURING THE FIRST TRUMP EXPER UH, ADMINISTRATION, EXPERIENCED A RISE IN ISLAMOPHOBIA.
BUT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN'T TELL, UH, WHOSE MUSLIM JUST BY LOOKING AT THEM.
AND SO MANY, MANY OF MY ASIAN FRIENDS EXPERIENCED THE FALLOUT OF THAT, AS DID SOME OF MY MEXICAN FRIENDS, BECAUSE WE'RE FROM THAT PART OF TOWN, UM, WHERE THOSE TYPES OF COMMENTS AND HARASSMENT CAN OCCUR.
UM, SO I COME TO CITY HALL WITH THOSE PERSPECTIVES.
I RAN FOR THIS OFFICE SAYING VERY CLEARLY, AND I, THIS HAS NOT CHANGED.
I WILL NOT DO NOT BEND ON HUMAN RIGHTS, AND I HAVE FOUND MUCH OF THIS PUBLIC COMMENT TO BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I HAVE ACCESS TO IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS.
ALTHOUGH SO HAPPY TO HAVE MADE CONTACT WITH A CONSTITUENT AND ALSO VERY RESONANT WITH THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE HAVE IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF WHAT IFS, UM, THAT WE HEAR ABOUT, BUT I ALSO AFFIRM THAT WE ALS WE HAVE SEEN VERY CLEARLY WHAT IS ALREADY HAPPENING.
AND WHILE MANY OF OUR TECH WORKERS WHO WORK ON H ONE B VISAS, I HOPE I GOT THAT ACRONYM RIGHT, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM FLOATING THROUGH MY HEADS RIGHT NOW, MY HEAD RIGHT NOW.
BUT A LOT MAY FEEL SAFER FROM SOME OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
BUT THE NEWS TELLS US VERY CLEARLY THAT WE HAVE HAD ASSISTANT PROFESSORS AT IVY LEAGUE COLLEGES, WE HAVE HAD DOCTORS, LOTS OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN DEPORTED.
UM, WE ARE NOT SAFE NO MATTER HOW WE FEEL.
AND IN THAT I'M TALKING FIRST ABOUT THE IMMIGRANTS THAT I REPRESENT, UM, IN MY NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT ALSO I DO BELIEVE ALL OF US AND US ON AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL, A COUNCIL THAT CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
UM, WE, WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BALANCE, UM, HOW WE GO ABOUT CREATING SAFETY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INSIDE OUR BOUNDARIES.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO BALANCE, UM, THE REQUESTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO CARRY OUT THE WORK THAT THE COUNCIL ASKS TO HAVE CARRIED OUT AND TO USE TECHNOLOGY EFFECTIVELY.
SO I'M MUCH SHORTER ON THAT LAST PART BECAUSE ALL OF THE BEGINNING IS MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND, UM, AND AN ASPECT OF DISTRICT SIX THAT I DON'T THINK REALLY WE'VE HEARD FROM THAT OFTEN.
SO I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT I VERY WELL SEE THE SLIPPERY SLOPE AND HOW THIS COULD VERY RAPIDLY, UH, SHIFT THE THINKING OF CONSTITUENTS IN MY DISTRICT.
I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT ANOTHER REASON THAT I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL IS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN WATCHING IN A VERY FAMILY ORIENTED, UH, DISTRICT, AS MANY OF US REPRESENT IN DIFFERENT OUTLYING PARTS OF THE CITY,
UM, I ALSO HAVE WATCHED AS FAMILY AFTER FAMILY HAS LEFT THE AREA HAS LEFT THE STATE HAS LEFT THE COUNTRY, AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS BEEN AROUND IMMIGRATION.
IT'S BEEN AROUND FREQUENTLY, UH, ATTACKS ON THE LGBT COMMUNITY.
I HAVE WATCHED HOW THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS CONSTRUCTED ITS LAWS SO THAT THEY ARE BUILT IN ON AN EXTREMELY SLIPPERY SLOPE.
AND I HAVE ALSO WATCHED DOCTORS BE DRIVEN OUT OF THIS STATE AS IT RELATES TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, AS IT RELATES TO ADOLESCENT MEDICINE.
AND IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO STEM IS THE, THE FLIGHT OF OUR DOCTORS.
UM, SO ALL THESE THINGS ARE IN MY MIND AS I LISTEN TO THIS DISCUSSION AND THINK ABOUT HOW TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE AS I, AS I AM UP HERE.
UM, I THINK THAT THE QUESTION I HAVE IS HAVING ONE, YOU, YOU, UH, CHIEF DAVIS AND CHIEF, I'M SORRY,
[02:05:02]
UM, SCHEDULE THAT COULD COME TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR US TO CONTINUE TO REVIEW DATA, ASK QUESTIONS IN A PUBLIC WAY FOR CITY COUNCIL TO KEEP ITS HANDS ON WHAT'S GOING ON AS, AS THINGS SHIFT AMONG OUR CONSTITUENTS.SO THINGS THAT I'M INTERESTED IN SPECIFICALLY ARE, UM, I WOULD CERTAINLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO HAVE A QUARTERLY UPDATE TO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
UM, IF WE CAN FORMULATE OR AMEND THINGS SUCH THAT THERE IS A BUILT-IN END DATE TO WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE PASS, IF WE PASS ANYTHING, UM, AT THE COUNCIL MEETING AND, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE COULD STRUCTURE INTO, UM, HOW WE'RE PASSING THIS, UM, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT, IF I CAN HAVE THAT.
UM, ANY COMMENTS NOW, WELCOME FOLLOW UP IF THAT'S EASIER OR BETTER.
UM, ALSO WELCOME, WHATEVER I MIGHT LEARN IN THE MEETING ITSELF.
I WOULD LIKE TO START BY, UH, BY REITERATING SOME OF THE POINTS THAT I MADE EARLIER.
UM, LOOK, I THINK OUR, OUR COMMUNITY, UM, HAS SPOKEN THIS MORNING AND I THINK THEY'VE EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, NEEDS TO, UH, WORK WITH THEM TO ADDRESS.
SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE RE-SAID.
UH, I ALSO BELIEVE, UH, ONE OF THE AUDITOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY.
AND I TALKED ABOUT THE PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARDS.
I TALKED ABOUT, UH, QUARTERLY REPORTS SENT, UH, TO THE OFFICE, POLICE OVERSIGHT OBVIOUSLY TO, UH, TO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS THE COUNCIL ITSELF, UH, AGAIN, TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, UH, SHOULD YOU ALL ALLOW FOR US TO, TO CONTINUE TO USE A LPR, UM, I THINK WE, WE NEED TO INCORPORATE, UH, SOME OF THOSE CHANGES.
IF, IF THERE ARE SOME CHANGES WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO THAT DATA SET SO THAT WE CAN GIVE YOU ALL, UH, AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE BEST, MOST INFORMED DECISIONS, UH, FOR, FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD OFFER NOW.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT'S, IT'S INCUMBENT UP ON US TO HAVE A MORE ROBUST CONVERSATION, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH THOSE FOLKS AGAIN, THAT, THAT CAME UP HERE AND SPOKE THIS MORNING.
I THINK IT'S, UM, IT IS POSSIBLE.
LOOK, I, I WANNA BE, AND I WILL BE A GOOD STEWARD OF THIS DATA AND OF WHAT WE DO WITH THIS.
AND IF THERE EVER COMES A POINT WHEN THERE ARE QUESTIONS, WHEN THERE IS AN ISSUE, IT WILL BE PULLED, IT WILL BE DONE.
UM, I LOOK AT THIS AND, UH, FROM COMING FROM, AS YOUR CHIEF OF POLICE HERE ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO REDUCE CRIME, WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA, WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THIS SAFE FOR FAMILIES TO BE HERE.
I'M COMING FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO WHEN YOU ADD IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LOOK COMING FROM A, UH, TALKING ABOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION AND, AND WHAT CAN COME AND, AND ALL OF THE WHAT IFS, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I DO THINK, AGAIN, THAT AS YOUR AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE CAN BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS AND DO GOOD WITH IT, AND MAKE SOME EXCEPTIONAL, EXCEPTIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, DENTS IN OUR VIOLENT CRIME AND IN WHAT IT TAKES TO TRULY MAKE THIS AUSTIN THE SAFEST CITY IN AMERICA.
UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN SHARED, UH, WITH ME SINCE I TOOK OFFICE BY CHIEF DAVIS, BY, UM, I'LL HAVE YOUR NAME DOWN BY THURSDAY.
I'M SORRY,
UM, AND BY A CM GARCIA, UM, I, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S THE PIECE OF IT THAT OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE LONG NEEDED SOME CHANGES AROUND IN RELATION TO OUR POLICING.
AND I, AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR YOUR RESPONSIVENESS, UM, TO SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS.
SPEAKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCES IN, IN MY DISTRICT, UM, IN NORTHWEST AND THE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF AUSTIN, UM, AND HOW THAT RELATES TO THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE AROUND POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, I THINK THAT AS WE MOVE THROUGH ALL OF OUR DECISIONS, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE THINK ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT IMPACT HOW MUCH OUR COMMUNITY, UH, TRUSTS THE PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE IN OUR AREAS.
AND SO, EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT SEEM FARTHER AFIELD, I FIND IT TO BE VERY CENTRAL TO THE PROJECT OF RESTORING TRUST IN RESPONSIVENESS AND APPROPRIATE RESPONSE, UH, OUT IN MY DISTRICT.
SO ON THE MATTER OF DASHBOARDS, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS A DISTRICT THAT IS 60% IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS RELATES TO YOUR DASHBOARD, SO THIS MIGHT BE MORE OF A THOUGHT FOR A CM OR A CM OVER HERE.
UM, I KNOW FOR EXAMPLE, THE ACTIVE INCIDENT FIRE DASHBOARD IS ONLY FOR TRAVIS COUNTY.
AND SO ANYONE WHO WANTS THAT TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS TO INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO FIRE RESPONSE, 60% OF MY DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
[02:10:02]
THE OTHER DAY I SHARED WITH OUR A CM THAT, UH, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE I'VE LIVED IN MY HOME, MY CURRENT HOME, WHICH HAS BEEN OVER A DECADE, I SAW WILCO SHERIFFS, UH, PATROLLING AND MAKING STOPS, UM, AT THE ONE INTERSECTION OF 180 3 THAT IS CLOSEST TO WHERE I LIVE.UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE UP TO.
THEY'RE NOT A PD, UM, MY ENTIRE DISTRICT IS FULL.
UH, IF THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, UM, HAS THESE KINDS OF, UH, I DON'T KNOW THESE CHARACTERISTICS THAT MAKE IT, THAT WE MAYBE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH DIRECT CON CON CONTACT WITH POLICE IN GENERAL, BUT WHEN THEY DO SHOW UP, WE ALSO REALLY STRUGGLE TO GET ACCESS TO INFORMATION TO GET TO THE POINT THAT, UH, SOME OF OUR CONCERNS CAN REALLY BE ADDRESSED.
AND I GIVE THE EXAMPLE OF WILCO SHERIFF BEING ACTIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER A DECADE IN THAT AREA THAT I'VE SEEN, AND I GET AROUND A LOT, UM, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS FOR FEAR TO BE STOKED.
AND, UM, WE, AS A PD AND AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE INCLUDE IN OUR EFFORTS AT DASHBOARDS AND TRANSPARENCY AND EFFECTIVE COLLABORATION, THESE AREAS WHERE OTHERS JURISDICTIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AMONG OTHERS ARE ACTIVE.
AND SO THAT'S A CONCERN THAT'S WAY MORE BROAD THAN THESE LICENSE PLATE READERS.
BUT IT IS ALSO INTRICATELY INTERTWINED.
AND I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT I'M SURE THERE ARE PLENTY MORE OF MY D SIX CONSTITUENTS WHO WOULD HAVE NEEDED A TRANSLATOR TO SPEAK EFFECTIVELY TODAY.
UM, AND I SPEAK FOR THEM AS WELL AS I BEGIN TO CONNECT MORE WITH THAT PART OF MY COMMUNITY.
I WOULD LIKE, IF I CAN ANSWER THAT, I DO THI ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, PART OF AUSTIN'S IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY AND HAYES, THAT WHOLE DATABASE IS, I MEAN, I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT? THAT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN AUSTIN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT COUNTY IT TOUCHES, IT SHOULD BE ON THAT DASHBOARD.
UM, I JUST HAVE A FEW MORE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS.
UM, AND, AND I, I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THIS.
I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY I WAS, I WAS HOPEFUL WE MIGHT GET DONE A LITTLE BIT EARLY TODAY, BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING ON THE DIOCESE.
BUT I DO WANNA WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY PRIDE MONTH.
THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A PRIDE MONTH, UH, FLAG RAISING CEREMONY AT THE, AS A COUNTY BUILDING TODAY.
UH, BUT WE ARE GONNA BE HERE, UH, TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES.
SO, BUT I JUST WANTED TO WISH EVERYONE A, A HAPPY PRIDE MONTH.
UH, I, I, I JUST HAD SOME, UH, AND, AND, AND IF THIS WAS IN THE, THE SLIDE DECK, I, I APOLOGIZE FOR MISSING IT, BUT DO WE HAVE NUMBERS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, RECOVERED STOLEN VEHICLES BEFORE AND AFTER A-A-L-P-R DATA? DO WE HAVE, UH, CLEARANCE RATES, YOU KNOW, BEFORE AND AFTER A-A-L-P-R DATA? DO WE, DO WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AVAILABLE? GIMME ONE SECOND, SIR.
I'M JUST TRYING TO PULL SOMETHING UP.
MY COMPUTER'S APPARENTLY WAITING TO, UH, OPEN.
I, I, I CAN, I CAN COME BACK TO THAT SINCE YOU, YOU, YES, SIR.
UM, MORE OUTTA CURIOSITY, DID THE DEPARTMENT CONDUCT ANY ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE SUCCESSES THAT WE'VE SEEN, IF THEY CAN BE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO A LPR, ARE WE KIND OF ASSUMING CORRELATION EQUALS CAUSATION WITH, WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN? WELL, FIRST I WANNA SAY THAT THIS IS A TOOL, THIS IS NOT THE, THE A LPR AND ANY TYPE OF, UM, YOU KNOW, INTELLIGENCE LIKE THIS IS NOT, WE HAVE TO DO OTHER INVESTIGATIONS.
WE USE THIS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER TOOLS.
AND THAT'S, I, I'LL EXPAND ON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE, THERE ARE SEVERAL ATTORNEYS ON, ON THE DAIS, AND, AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT PROBABLE CAUSE IS NOT A SINGULAR PIECE OF EVIDENCE, RATHER, IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A SERIES OF, OF PIECES OF EVIDENCE THAT ARE, UH, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER, IF YOU WILL, TO, TO BUILD A CASE, UH, BELIEVING THAT, THAT IN FACT, THERE'S THE EVIDENCE SUGGESTS SOMEONE HAS COMMITTED A CRIME.
SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, I GUESS THE IMPACT TO A LPR BEING A HUNDRED PERCENT THE, THE SINGULAR TOOL THAT THAT MADE THE CASE.
I, I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY GONNA BE CASES WHERE A LPR PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT, UM, PIECE, IF YOU WILL, IN, IN, IN ESTABLISHING PROBABLE CAUSE AND, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IDENTIFYING A SUSPECT.
UH, AND THEN IN THE CASE I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, IDENTIFYING WHERE THE SUSPECT MAY BE.
[02:15:01]
SO I THINK THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTION, ALL OF WHICH, UM, AGAIN, RUN, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT I JUST KIND OF MENTIONED, AND I HAVE THAT DATA PULLED UP ON THE FIRST QUESTION WHEN YOU'RE READY.SO BEFORE I GIVE YOU THIS ANSWER, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, THE INFORMATION WILL INCLUDE VEHICLES, UH, THAT WERE STOLEN IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS, BUT WERE COVERED IN AUSTIN, RIGHT? SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, THE COMMENTS MADE EARLIER REGARDING CRIMINALS HAVE, HAVE, UM, NO IDEA OF BOUNDARIES.
THEY DON'T RESPECT BOUNDARIES.
THEY DON'T, THEY GO FROM CITY TO CITY TO PERPETRATE CRIME.
KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION.
UH, NUMBERS OF VEHICLES ARE COVERED BY USING A LPR PROGRAM.
UH, IN COMPARISON TO THE NUMBER, UH, OF REPORTED STOLEN VEHICLES, THERE WERE 4,664 AUTO THEFTS REPORTED THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT DURING THE PILOT PERIOD AND 245 VEHICLES RECOVERED USING A LPR SYSTEM.
NOW, THAT IS GOING TO BE INCLUSIVE OF THE ENTIRE PERIOD, SO THE TRIAL PERIOD AND THEN ONGOING.
SO YOU CAN ROUGHLY, UH, THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT, 5% ISH.
UH, AND DID YOU, WERE YOU ABLE TO FIND NUMBERS AROUND THE HOMICIDE CLEARANCE RATES BEFORE AND AFTER? SO,
THE HOMICIDE RATES THEMSELF ARE GONNA VARY.
UH, CLEARANCE RATES ARE GONNA VARY.
UH, TO CHIEF'S POINT FROM EARLIER, THERE'S A HUNDRED PERCENT CLEARANCE RATE FROM 2023.
I CAN'T TELL YOU WHETHER OR NOT, UM, A LPR WAS USED IN THE INVESTIGATION OR THE CONCLUSION, SHOULD I SAY, UH, OF THOSE CASES, BECAUSE KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE COULD BE A HOMICIDE THAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO THE TRIAL PERIOD, RIGHT? THE INVESTIGATION, HOWEVER, REVEALED A LICENSE PLATE OR SOME CHARACTERISTIC, UM, YOU KNOW, COLOR MAKE MODEL OF A VEHICLE THAT THE A LPR SYSTEM WAS THEREAFTER UTILIZED IN.
SO NOW, FAST FORWARD TO, OF COURSE, THE CASE.
SO IN INVESTIGATION, FAST FORWARD NOW TO THE, TO THE TIME PERIOD WHERE THE TRIAL PERIOD'S GOING ON.
SO THERE COULD BE SITUATIONS WHERE, UH, THE DETECTIVES HAD USED A LPR TO SOLVE THOSE CASES.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY TELL YOU THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A VERY, VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF SOLVABILITY WITH RESPECT TO MURDERS.
UM, I CAN'T, CAN'T SAY THE SAME IS TRUE FOR OTHER TYPES OF CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
UH, WE STILL HAVE A VERY HIGH CRIME OR CLEARANCE RATE COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES.
IT'S JUST CERTAINLY NOT AS HIGH AS IT IS FOR THE HOMICIDES.
AND THEN, UH, SECOND TO LAST QUESTION, UH, AND, AND I THINK THERE'S, THERE WAS A THEME THAT'S BEEN KIND OF SAID ON THE DA AND, AND ACCOUNTS FROM LANE HAD MENTIONED IT, UH, RIGHT BEFORE TURNING IT OVER ABOUT TRUST AND TRUST WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK A LOT OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE KIND OF HIGHLIGHTED A LACK OF TRUST.
UM, BUT AS IT RE RELATES TO LPR DATA, THERE WAS A, UH, THERE WAS A SECURITY BREACH, UM, AROUND THE DATABASE IN, IN THE UK, UH, AROUND ALPS.
UM, THE, THE DATA WAS LEAKED AND STILL IN OUT THE DARK WEB.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHAT DO WE HAVE IN PLACE? WHAT SAFEGUARDS DOES A PD HAVE IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T SEE A SIMILAR BREACH HERE IN AUSTIN? SO, SIR, I CAN TELL YOU THAT DATA SECURITY IS, IS OF EXTREME IMPORTANCE TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
AND, AND, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN PARTICULAR.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE STATE LAWS THAT REQUIRE THAT WE SAFEGUARD DATA IN A WAY THAT ENSURES, UH, THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW.
LET'S JUST TAKE CRIMINAL JUSTICE INFORMATION COMMONLY REFERRED TO CGIS AS AN EXAMPLE.
UM, WE TAKE EVERY REASONABLE PRECAUTION WE CAN, UM, ABIDING BY THE STANDARDS SET FORTH BY, UH, NIST NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STANDARDS TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT WITH, UH, UH, SUBDIVISION WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
UH, WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH CHIEF SECURITY OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT, THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH DATA, UH, IS AGAIN, OF, OF SOUND PRACTICE.
UM, WHEN THE DATA IS STORED WITH DIFFERENT VENDORS, THEY TOO, UH, TO SOME EXTENT, RIGHT? WHEN I TALKED ABOUT FEDRAMP COMPLIANCE, SOC TWO, SOC THREE COMPLIANCE, ALL THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE.
AND THAT GIVES US, AS THE END USER, THE PEACE OF MIND THAT, THAT WE NEED, UH, TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY TOO ARE TAKING DATA, UH, SECURITY SERIOUSLY.
AND SO WE RELY UPON, UM, AGAIN, THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS, SO TO SPEAK, TO ENSURE, UH, THAT, THAT WE HAVE A LEVEL OF COMFORT, UM, THAT, THAT CAN ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD.
AND KEEP IN MIND THE, THESE AREN'T DECISIONS BEING MADE, UH, UNILATERALLY BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH PUBLIC SAFETY CTM, WE WORK DIRECTLY WITH, UH, THE CHIEF SECURITY OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT THEY TOO FEEL COMFORTABLE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, ONE OF THE VERY FIRST STEPS STANDING UP NEW TECHNOLOGY IS A SECURITY, UH, REVIEW.
[02:20:01]
THAT REQUIRES THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN THROUGH MANY OF THESE, RIGHT? POLICE DEPARTMENT FILLS OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO WITH THIS DATA? WHAT'S IT GONNA CAPTURE? WHAT'S IT GONNA, WHAT'S IT GONNA CONTAIN? SO ON, SO FORTH.AND FROM THAT, UM, THEY APPLY IT TO, UH, THESE NIST STANDARDS.
I REFERRED TO NIST EARLIER, UH, NIST STANDARDS.
UM, AND THERE'S A, THERE'S A, A PRETTY LENGTHY MANUAL THAT YOU TAKE THESE, UH, REQUIREMENTS AND YOU LAY THEM AGAINST, AND YOU DO THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU'RE TRYING TO UTILIZE THE MOST, UH, SECURE, UH, UP-TO-DATE STANDARDS TO, TO ENSURE THAT THAT DATA IS, IS BEING SECURED IN A WAY THAT, UH, GIVES, GIVES US COMFORT AND HOLDS VENDORS ACCOUNTABLE.
SO, SORRY FOR THE LENGTHY ANSWER, BUT, BUT THAT'S IT.
YOU KNOW, I, I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR EVERYONE ON THE DAIS, BUT I, I THINK THE GENERAL FEEL THAT I HAVE IS THAT A LOT OF THE CONCERNS AREN'T NECESSARILY WHAT'S GONNA, AND HOW IT'S GONNA BE USED LOCALLY, BUT EXTERNAL, UH, YOU KNOW, FORCES THAT MIGHT COME.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW I, I HAD ASKED EARLIER ON ABOUT NOVA, AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT A FEATURE THAT WE'VE HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH A PD HAS HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD USE, BUT I, I, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO GET A ALMOST A CONFIRMATION THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT NOT USE THE FUTURE, BUT IS THERE ANY LIKE, BUT THERE, BUT THERE, THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO IF WE'RE SUBPOENAED BY ICE AND, AND THEY'RE USING THE SYSTEM.
YOU, YOU'RE ASKING YOUR QUESTION IS ABOUT SUBPOENAS? YEAH.
IF WE'RE, I'M SORRY IF WE'RE SUBPOENAED BY ICE.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING WE, I MEAN, WE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP, SIR, IF THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES LEGAL PROCESS MM-HMM
IN GENERAL, WE ARE GOING TO CONSULT WITH CITY LEGAL, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, WHAT THE ORDER FROM WHATEVER COURT MAY HAVE ISSUED THAT LEGAL PROCESS IS, IS TELLING US, UM, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN PUSH BACK IN, IN THE EVENT THAT WE CAN, WE WILL, UM, WE UNDERSTAND, AGAIN, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS WITH RESPECT TO OUR COMMUNITY, UM, OUR CONCERNS, YOUR CONCERNS, THE, THE COUNCIL'S CONCERNS IN GENERAL.
AND SO, AGAIN, TO THE EXTENT WE CAN PUSH BACK, WE WILL, UH, BUT IF LEGAL PROCESS COMES THERE, THERE, THERE IS A SITUATION OR SCENARIO WHERE YES, IN FACT, A JUDGE IS TELLING US TO DO SOMETHING, WE, WE ARE, WE MAY HAVE TO DO IT.
UH, OUTTA CURIOSITY, I, I DOUBT YOU HAVE THIS DATA ON YOU JUST BECAUSE I, I JUST THOUGHT OF IT, BUT, AND HOW MANY INSTANCES HAVE WE SEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BE SUBPOENAED BY ICE AND BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY PUSHED BACK? SIR, I'M UNAWARE, UH, OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, RECEIVING ANYTHING? WELL, YEAH, I'M NOT ASKING, I'M JUST SAYING IN GENERAL.
WE'LL NOW HAVE COUNCILOR UCHIN, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL TO CLOSE.
UH, THANK YOU CHIEFS FOR, UH, THE PRESENTATION.
UH, LIKE THE OTHERS, I MIGHT START WITH A VERY SMALL STORY AND OR PREAMBLE.
UH, I THINK THIS WAS REALLY PART OF THE PRESENTATION REGARDING YOUR STORIES CHIEF, ASK YOU OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THAT, THAT IF YOU'VE ALREADY, IT SOUNDS LIKE, IDENTIFIED WITH A LPR THAT WENT ON TO COMMIT, OR MAYBE WE PREVENTED FROM COMMITTING MULTIPLE, UH, FELONIES OR CLASS A MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF I'M THE ONLY IMMIGRANT HERE ON THE DIOCESE.
AND SO THERE'S A PART OF ME THAT'S INCREDIBLY SENSITIVE TO A LOT OF THE, THE FEEDBACK AND CONCERNS THAT WE'VE HEARD TODAY FROM CONSTITUENTS.
UH, BUT THERE'S A SPECIFIC STORY IN, IN MY JOURNEY, MY FAMILY'S JOURNEY FROM COMING TO A, THE STATES IN THE 1980S, UH, WE CAME ON AN H ONE P VISA, AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT WE EXPERIENCED WAS THE PERSON THAT WAS SPONSORING THE VISA, USING THAT TO NOT, UH, NOT PAY MY DAD.
AND SO, OR THREATEN, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN INFER WHAT THOSE THREATS MEANT.
AND THEN WE DISCOVERED YEARS LATER, THE SAME PERSON THAT I WOULD CHARACTERIZE AS A BAD ACTOR, UH, WAS ARRESTED.
WE READ IN THE PAPER FOR DRUGGING WOMEN ACROSS STATE LINES.
AND IT JUST MAKES ME THINK NOW, IT REINFORCES THAT I DO THINK THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR US NOT SOLVING CRIMES.
THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO PEOPLE NOT BEING SERVED JUSTICE.
AND IF WE HAD FIGURED OUT SOME WAY, AND I KNOW IF A LPR WOULD'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THAT CASE OR NOT, BUT IF WE HAD FIGURED OUT A WAY DECADES AGO TO FIND A WAY TO, UM, BRING THAT PERSON TO JUSTICE, THEN I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO, UH, WHAT HE LATER DID.
UH, THE OTHER THING I JUST WANNA TOUCH ON IS I'VE ALSO WORKED IN THE TECHNOLOGY WORLD FOR OVER A DECADE, SPECIFICALLY ACTUALLY IN THE DATA SPACE.
I'VE, AS I'VE BEEN DESCRIBED TODAY BY OTHERS,
[02:25:01]
I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH VENDORS.UM, AND THE KEY THING I REALLY WANT TO TAKE AWAY IS, UH, EVEN THOUGH IT SOUNDS LIKE PERHAPS A LOT OF OUR ISSUES MAYBE WITH FLOCK, UH, I DO WANT TO BE CAREFUL OF, UH, DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THIS A LPR PILOT AND, UH, THE SPECIFIC VENDOR THAT WE'RE USING.
AND THERE ARE, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, A DOZEN VENDORS IN THIS SPACE.
UH, AND CERTAINLY ONE OPTION THAT WOULD BE, I WOULD THINK NOT THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATH WATER WOULD BE TO FIND A DIFFERENT VENDOR THAT MIGHT BE MORE RESPONSIBLE OR MIGHT ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS WE'VE HEARD FROM THE COUNCIL AND CONSTITUENTS.
UM, AND, AND SO FINALLY, KINDA ON THAT POINT, I REALLY AM HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THIS RESOLUTION, WHICH CALLS FOR EXTENDING THIS PILOT, UH, AND ALSO INVESTING IN SAFEGUARDS FROM THIS SORT OF COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS WHERE WE CAN FOCUS ON WHO IS IT ALREADY HELPED US BRING TO JUSTICE VERSUS THESE SORT OF RISKS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED AND, AND HYPOTHETICALS, UH, THAT IS TO SAY WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GAINED OR STAND TO GAIN BY HOPEFULLY ADDING SAFEGUARDS AND, AND CONTINUING THIS PROGRAM VERSUS WHAT WE MAY BE AT RISK OF LOSING, UM, BASED ON SOME OF OUR CONCERNS ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SPECIFIC VENDORS, WE'RE USING THIS TO IDENTIFY A CERTAIN KIND OF SERIOUS CRIME AND BRING PEOPLE TO JUSTICE.
AND OUR OWN AUDIT DEPARTMENT, FROM WHAT I READ IN THE AUDIT CONCLUDES THAT WE'VE GENERALLY COMPLIED WITH THE USE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT THEY'VE IDENTIFIED SOME SHORTCOMINGS AND THEY'VE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE ALREADY TAKEN SOME STEPS TO TRY AND ADDRESS THOSE DEFICIENCIES.
UH, AND THOUGH I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIMELINE OF SOME OF THOSE THAT WEREN'T SPECIFIC, UM, I THINK THE THING I'M REALLY THINKING ABOUT IS IF WE ABANDON THIS, UH, IT FEELS TO ME LIKE WE'RE REALLY SAYING AS A, AS WHAT I THINK OF A SOPHISTICATED CITY THAT'S ASPIRING TO BE TECHNOLOGICALLY RESPONSIBLE, ASPIRING TO BE, UH, TECHNOLOGICALLY EFFECTIVE, THAT SOMEHOW WE ARE INCAPABLE OF MAKING THIS WORK, EVEN THOUGH I THINK WE'VE DONE THIS WITH SEVERAL OTHER SURVEILLANCE TOOLS THAT WE'VE DEPLOYED IN DOWNTOWN AND IN PARKS AND HAVE PRODUCED RESULTS.
SO MY QUESTIONS ARE, ARE KIND OF ALONG THOSE LINES.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, IN YOUR VIEW, HAS A PD EXPERIENCED MORE SUCCESS USING THE A LPR TECHNOLOGY THROUGH PATROL OFFICERS OR INVESTIGATORS OF VIOLENT CRIMES OR OTHER TOOLS VERSUS USING THIS TOOL? MAYBE YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO ME, UM, WHERE THIS STACKS UP REGARDING EFFICACY OF HOW HELPING US SOLVE CRIMES.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE MOBILE, UH, A LPR SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR PATROL VEHICLES, IT'S A KNOWN THAT OUR PATROL OFFICERS ARE UTILIZING A LPR SYSTEMS A LOT MORE FOR FREQUENTLY.
SO AS OUR PATROL OFFICERS ARE DRIVING AROUND TOWN, UH, THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER SYSTEM IS OBVIOUSLY SCANNING LICENSE PLATES PRETTY REGULARLY, AND IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO, IDENTIFYING LICENSE PLATES THAT HAVE WARRANTS ATTACHED TO THEM.
SO THAT'S THE WAY IN, IN FACT, THAT THE PATROL'S USING THEM.
UM, SHIFTING NOW TO THE WAY INVESTIGATORS ARE USING THEM, UH, IS, IS QUITE DIFFERENT.
UH, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE UNIT THAT THE INVESTIGATORS ASSIGNED TO IT, WHETHER IT'S HOMICIDE OR ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, UH, SEX CRIMES CASE, UM, THOSE INVESTIGATORS ARE ACTUALLY INVESTIGATING CRIMINAL ACTS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED, OBVIOUSLY, AGAINST CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEY ARE USING THE A LPR SYSTEM TO, TO DO RESEARCH TO DETERMINE IF THEY CAN, UH, IDENTIFY A SUSPECT VEHICLE.
UM, AND IN SOME CASES, THEY USE THE LPR SYSTEM TO, UH, ADD A LICENSE PLATE TO WHAT'S CALLED A HOT LIST.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY'VE IDENTIFIED THE SUSPECT.
NOW, THE REASON I BROKE THOSE DOWN THE WAY I DID IS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH UNITS, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT, PATROL OFFICERS VERSUS INVESTIGATORS, ARE DRASTICALLY SUCCESSFUL WITH THE, WITH THE A LPR SYSTEM.
UM, BUT TO COMPARE THOSE TWO ON THEIR FACE AS BEING EQUAL, I THINK IS WHERE, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE I CERTAINLY DISAGREE WITH THE, THE IDEA AND THE CONCEPT THAT A STOLEN VEHICLE AS IS IMPACTFUL AS THE KILLING OF A PERSON, UH, AS YOU KNOW, BY COMPARISON.
SO I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
THEY'RE BOTH VERY SUCCESSFUL, BUT, BUT AGAIN, I WOULD, I WOULD QUALIFY IT BY SAYING THAT, UH, WELL, MAYBE I CAN BE MORE SPECIFIC.
YOU KNOW, YOU TOUCHED ON A COUPLE EXAMPLES WHERE YOU HAD
[02:30:01]
ARRESTED PEOPLE IN TWO HOURS OR SIX HOURS.IS IS THAT BASICALLY MUCH MORE DIFFICULT WITHOUT THIS TOOL? WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE WITHOUT THIS TOOL? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT'S THE VALUE ADD FOR BRINGING THIS TOOL INTO THOSE CASES? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, AND, AND SIR, THAT WAS ONE CASE THAT I TALKED ABOUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE TWO HOUR CASE, THERE'S THE OTHER CASE I TALKED ABOUT IN THE PRESENTATION WHERE THE INDIVIDUALS WERE CAUGHT BY KIRK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THAT WAS ABOUT A SIX HOUR TURNAROUND.
SO, I MEAN, THE EXAMPLES JUST CONTINUED TO PILE UP WHERE WE'VE UTILIZED A LPR TO, TO DRASTICALLY DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF, OF TIME THAT IT TAKES, UH, FOR OFFICERS TO, TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE THE SYSTEM AND AFFECT AN ARREST AND STOP THEM.
AND, AND I'D BE REMISS BY, BY NOT MENTIONING THE, UH, THE FINANCIAL IMPACT THAT, UH, IS, IS BOUGHT, BROUGHT TO BEAR FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THIS CITY, UM, WHEN WE DON'T ALLOW FOR OUR COPS TO OPERATE WITH TECHNOLOGY THAT MAKES THEM MORE EFFICIENT, MORE EFFECTIVE, UH, WHEN A MURDER HAPPENS, WE TYPICALLY THROW A LOT OF RESOURCES AT THAT.
AND, AND THE REASON WE DO IS BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THE GRAVITY OF THAT CRIME.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE OFFICERS, UH, PATROL OFFICERS THAT RESPOND THAT THAT WILL STAY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION THAT COULD LAST HOURS.
UH, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE MULTIPLE DETECTIVES THAT WILL RESPOND.
WE'LL HAVE A SUPERVISOR THAT RESPONDS.
UM, IN MANY CASES, WE HAVE TACTICAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT OFFICERS THAT WILL RESPOND.
UH, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT RESPOND TO DO VIDEO CANVASES, AND WE'RE TALKING 10 IN SOME CASES, 15 PEOPLE COULD RESPOND TO THESE PARTICULAR EVENTS.
AND WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT HOW LONG THEY'RE INVESTIGATING, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A MOVING TARGET, RIGHT? BUT LET'S JUST USE AN EXAMPLE OF LET'S SAY 10 OFFICERS.
UM, LET'S SAY THAT THOSE 10 OFFICERS INVESTIGATED FOR 10 HOURS PER DAY FOR A TOTAL OF TWO DAYS, RIGHT? 20 HOURS.
UM, IF THEIR AVERAGE RATE OF PAY IS 50 BUCKS AN HOUR, WELL THAT'S, THAT'S A $10,000 COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE INITIAL RESPONSE AND INVESTIGATION TO THAT PARTICULAR MURDER.
NOW, BY WAY OF COMPARISON, LET'S LOOK BACK AT THE EXAMPLE OF THE TWO, THE TWO HOUR, UH, SOLVABILITY, RIGHT? UNDER THAT SAME EXAMPLE, IF WE HAD 10 OFFICERS RESPOND, AND THEY ONLY INVESTIGATED FOR TWO HOURS BY WHICH TIME WE FOUND THE SUSPECT AND APPREHENDED AND PUT THEM IN JAIL, WELL, BY MY MATH, THAT'S ABOUT A $9,000 SAVINGS.
UM, SO I, THERE, THERE IS CERTAINLY, UM, THERE'S CERTAINLY BENEFITS WITH RESPECT TO PREVENTING THESE FOLKS FROM GOING OUT AND COMMITTING MORE CRIMES, RIGHT? WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT THERE'S ALSO A FINANCIAL IMPACT, UM, TO, TO THE OVERALL POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE OVERALL CITY, WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE DEPLOYMENT AND USE OF, OF A LPR TECHNOLOGY.
I ALSO, I KNOW WE HEARD SOME SIMILAR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILOR QUADRY AND OTHERS, BUT I WANT TO JUST CLARIFY, UH, AT, AT THIS MOMENT ANYWAY, AFTER A YEAR LONG PILOT, HAS A PD SHARED ANY DATA WITH ICE OR ANY IMMIGRATION RELATED ENTITY THAT'S SEEKING THAT DATA? SIR? THE, THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY NOT.
UM, WE HAVE NOT SHARED ANY DATA WITH ICE OR, OR ANY OTHER IMMIGRATION ENTITY.
UM, AS I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS VERY ROBUST PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH THE RESOLUTION.
AND THAT'S OUR FOCUS, SIR, I'LL BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU, THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T CARE WHAT THE IMMIGRATION STATUS IS.
WHAT WE CARE ABOUT IS GETTING JUSTICE FOR OUR VICTIMS, THE VICTIMS OF CRIME IN THIS CITY.
IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN, AND IT ALWAYS WILL BE.
CAN YOU, I, I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON THE PRESENTATION, BUT CAN YOU EXPAND ON WHAT, UH, I THINK THE TERM YOU USED WAS PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION AS OPPOSED TO SAY THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE ANONYMIZED DATA THAT SOME SYSTEMS MAY BE COLLECTING? YES, SIR.
AND SO, PERSONAL IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OF THE DEFINITION THAT I, I USE IS THE ONE THAT'S PROVIDED, UH, BY NIST AND I MENTIONED NIST EARLIER.
AGAIN, IT'S THE, IT'S A DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.
UM, THAT, THAT, AGAIN, THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN AS A WHOLE, COMMONLY USES, UM, THEIR GUIDELINES WHEN WE'RE SCREENING TECHNOLOGY.
AND, AND I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU THIS BROADLY, UM, PERSONAL IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION IS INFORMATION THAT COULD BE USED TO IDENTIFY A PERSON, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT, UH, PII, AS IT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO, IF, IF YOU HAD SOMEONE'S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR IF YOU HAD SOMEONE'S DATE OF BIRTH OR A MAIDEN NAME OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON HIS FACE, THAT'S, THAT'S CLEARLY GONNA BE PII.
[02:35:01]
DIVE DEEPER INTO THE DISCUSSION AS IT PERTAINS TO A OPR, UM, THERE'S A STRETCH.THERE'S A STRETCH THERE BECAUSE PII INDICATES THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SOMEBODY, WELL, A LICENSE PLATE'S A SERIES OF NUMBERS AND LETTERS.
IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T IDENTIFY ANYBODY.
AND WITHOUT T LS THE SYSTEM BY WHICH LICENSE PLATES ARE RUN, YOU CAN'T GET THE NAME OF THE, UH, THE PERSON THAT'S REGISTERED TO THAT VEHICLE TO EXPAND ON THAT.
EVEN IF YOU HAD THE NAME OF THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THAT PARTICULAR VEHICLE, YOU WOULDN'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHO WAS DRIVING THAT VEHICLE.
AND YOU CERTAINLY WOULDN'T KNOW IMMIGRATION STATUS OR ANYTHING OF THE SUCH, EVEN IF YOU HAD ACCESS TO, WHICH IN THIS CASE, OBVIOUSLY FLOCK DOES NOT HAVE, THEY DON'T HAVE T LET'S ACCESS.
UM, SO IT, AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PII, IT, A LICENSE PLATE IS NOT PII, UM, IN MY OPINION, THERE WAS A 2018 CASE THAT CAME OUT OF, UH, VIRGINIA WHERE THIS, THIS, UM, THIS VERY TOPIC WAS BROUGHT.
AND I, AND ACTUALLY IN, IN KNOWING WHAT THE CONVERSATION DEVOLVED INTO AT THE AUDIT FINANCE COMMITTEE, I, UH, I JOTTED SOME NOTES DOWN HERE, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO JUST READ THAT.
IN 2018, THERE WAS A CASE IN VIRGINIA, THE COURT STATED THAT A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER IS NOT CONSIDERED PERSONAL INFORMATION BECAUSE IT DOES NOT INHERENTLY DESCRIBE LOCATION OR INDEX ANYTHING ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL WITHOUT A CONNECTION LINKING THE LICENSE PLATE TO A PERSON.
IT IS SIMPLY A COMBINATION OF LETTERS AND NUMBERS, WHICH I MENTIONED EARLIER, WITHOUT IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.
ADDITIONALLY, UNLIKE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, A DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER, WHICH IS ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL, A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER IS ASSIGNED TO A VEHICLE, UM, AND MAY IDENTIFY MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS.
SO, AS AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU AND YOUR WIFE OWN A VEHICLE, UM, THEN YOU AND YOUR WIFE WOULD BE ON THE REGISTRATION.
SO IT'S NOT IDENTIFYING, AGAIN, THE PERSON THAT'S DRIVING OR OCCUPYING THAT VEHICLE, IT'S SIMPLY THE REGISTRATION, UH, BACK TO THE PERSON.
SO THAT, THAT'S HOW I WOULD ANSWER THE QUESTION.
SIR, I'M HAPPY TO EXPAND IF YOU HAVE FURTHER.
UH, NO, I APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION.
I AM, I'M SURE BY NOW, YOU'VE READ THE, UH, UM, THE ACCOUNT FROM A WEEK OR TWO AGO, OR THE 4 0 4 MEDIA ARTICLE THAT TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE, UH, DATA SHARING THAT WAS GOING ON IN ILLINOIS, UM, SUGGESTS THAT ICE HAS ACCESS TO A LPR DATA FLOCK, A LPR DATA.
SO CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW APDS DATA WOULD NOT BE SHARED IN A SIMILAR CAPACITY AS WHAT HAPPENED IN ILLINOIS? YES, SIR.
AND WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS, IS JUST FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T READ, UH, THE 4 0 4 MEDIA ARTICLE THAT, THAT IT'S FLOATING ABOUT, UM, THE 4 0 4 MEDIA ARTICLE TALKS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOW SOME AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY ARE USING A LPR DATA AND SHARING A LPR DATA WITH ICE AND OTHERS, UM, WILLINGLY.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIG TAKEAWAY HERE, IS THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, LOOK, THERE ARE POLICE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THIS NATION WHO, POLICE COMMUNITIES WHO ARE ALLOWING THEM TO DO THE VERY THINGS THAT OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT US TO DO.
THEY ARE NOT OPERATING IN A SPACE THAT PROVIDES GUARDRAILS, UH, TO PREVENT THIS SORT OF CONDUCT.
AND AS A RESULT, THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES, IS IN A SPACE WHERE THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, AGAIN, NOT BEING CONCERNED ABOUT SOMEONE'S IMMIGRATION STATUS, RATHER WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE THE VICTIM OF A CRIME, THESE TYPES OF ARTICLES ARE BEING USED AGAINST THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY DON'T APPLY TO WHAT WE ARE DOING.
WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST SCREENING PROCESS, WHICH I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THAT ENSURES THAT WE AREN'T SHARING DATA TO PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE A LEGITIMATE NEED TO HAVE THE DATA.
SO I WOULD PUSH BACK SAYING THAT THE ARTICLE THAT'S WRITTEN BY 4 0 4 MEDIA COULD CERTAINLY BE APPLICABLE TO POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND CITIES OUTSIDE OF AUSTIN, TEXAS, BUT THEY CERTAINLY DON'T APPLY TO A PD.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING CLARIFY THAT.
I'M, UH, I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON SOME COSTS EARLIER IN TERMS OF TRYING TO HELP US STEP THROUGH, UM, THE COST OF USING THE SYSTEM TO SOLVE A CASE VERSUS NOT.
WHAT DOES THE TOTAL COST OF THE PILOT TODAY? SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE FLOCK CONTRACT, IT CARRIES IT'S $114,000, IS WHAT THE, THE ONE YEAR, UH, TRIAL PROGRAM COSTS THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER CAMERAS? THE AXON CAMERAS? SO THE AXON CAMERA SYSTEM IS, IS EMBEDDED IN THE FLEET CONTRACT.
AND WHEN WE, WHEN WE PURCHASED THE FLEET CONTRACT, UH, THEY WERE OFFERING A DEAL WHERE WE WOULD GET WHAT'S CALLED AXON RESPOND.
AND I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER, GIVING THE SUPERVISORS THE ABILITY TO, UH, REVIEW CRITICAL INCIDENTS AND PURSUITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[02:40:01]
WE SAW TREMENDOUS VALUE IN THAT BECAUSE WE WANT OUR OFFICERS AND, AND SUPERVISORS TO BE INFORMED, UH, WITH FACTS SO THAT THEY CAN AGAIN, MANAGE, UH, CRITICAL SITUATIONS AND INCIDENTS RAPIDLY EVOLVING WITH REAL-TIME INFORMATION.SO WE GOT, WE BOUGHT, UH, THAT BUNDLE THAT INCLUDED THIS, UH, RESPOND, AND AS A RESULT, THEY, THE AXON CORPORATION GAVE US THE FLEET THREE FUNCTIONALITY.
SO TOTAL COST IS 114,000 FOR YES, SIR.
EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW THAT WE'VE DEPLOYED, SIR? YES, SIR.
AND CHIEF DAVIS, UH, TOTAL A PD BUDGET, ROUGHLY $500 MILLION? YES, SIR.
SO THIS IS A FRACTION OF A FRACTION OF A PERCENT OF THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, I'M GONNA SWITCH GEARS REAL QUICK.
I'M GONNA READ A QUOTE FROM THE A CLU ON THIS TOPIC, AND I, I'D LIKE TO GET YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH IT, AND, AND IF SO, HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT GUARDRAILS ARE IN PLACE, UH, IF SOMEBODY'S RIGHTS WERE TO BE VIOLATED GOING FORWARD IN A CAPACITY THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS MORNING.
THE QUOTE IS, WE DON'T FIND EVERY USE OF A LPR OBJECTIONABLE, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE DO NOT GENERALLY OBJECT TO USING THEM TO CHECK LICENSE PLATES AGAINST LIST OF STOLEN CARS FOR AMBER ALERTS FOR TOTAL COLLECTION, PROVIDED THEY'RE DEPLOYED AND USED FAIRLY AND SUBJECT TO PROPER CHECKS AND BALANCES, SUCH AS INSURING DEVICES ARE NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY DEPLOYED IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
AND THAT THE QUOTE UNQUOTE HOT LIST THEY'RE RUN AGAINST ARE LEGITIMATE AND UP TO DATE.
BUT THERE'S NO REASON THE TECHNOLOGY SHOULD BE USED TO CREATE COMPREHENSIVE RECORDS THAT EVERYBODY'S COMINGS AND GOINGS CAN USE.
SAY WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S SOMETHING YOU ABIDE BY.
AND IF SO, ASSUMING WE RAN INTO A PROBLEM, LIKE WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS MORNING, YOU'VE HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS, HOW WOULD WE APPROACH, UH, MAKING SURE THAT GOING FORWARD, NOBODY'S RIGHTS ARE VIOLATED? SIR, I, I'M, I'M A CITIZEN, UH, UH, OF THIS GREAT NATION, AND, AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR AMENDMENT RIGHTS, UM, ARE SACRED AND SHOULD BE PROTECTED.
UM, I ALSO CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT, THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY, UH, HAS TO MAKE SURE, OR WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE AS WE DEPLOY THIS TECHNOLOGY, THAT IT DOESN'T INFRINGE UPON THOSE RIGHTS.
SO, WITH RESPECT TO THE, THE ASSERTION THAT WE'RE TRACKING PEOPLE AND COLLECTING DATA, SIR, QUITE FRANKLY, I THINK PEOPLE ARE GIVING US TOO MUCH CREDIT.
WE, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO TRACK PEOPLE.
WE ARE KEEPING DATA FOR SEVEN DAY PERIOD AFTER WHICH TIME IT FALLS OFF.
WE DEFINITELY DO NOT HAVE A TEAM OF PEOPLE OR EVEN A SINGLE PERSON THAT'S SETTING IDLY BY TRACKING THE DAILY MOVEMENTS OF ANYONE.
AGAIN, WE HAVE A FULL-TIME JOB TRYING TO, UH, GET JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEDICATED TO DOING.
WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT INTERESTED IN VIOLATING ANYONE'S RIGHTS.
AND IN ANY SITUATION WHERE THAT'S HAPPENED, I, I WOULD PLEASE LIKE TO KNOW ABOUT IT SO THAT WE CAN QUICKLY ADDRESS THAT ISSUE.
YEAH, AND SIR, I AGREE AS WELL WITH THE STATEMENT FROM THE ACL U, UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO, TO REMEMBER THAT THE ONLY TIME WE ARE GOING IN TO LOOK AT THIS DATA, AND CERTAINLY FROM THE INVESTIGATOR'S STANDPOINT, IS WHEN A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED, AND IT IS ZEROING, ZEROING IN ON A LOCATION, ON A TIME SPECIFIC.
SO WE ARE NOT RAN, THERE'S NOT SOMEONE SITTING THERE RANDOMLY GOING THROUGH THIS DATA, RANDOMLY GOING THROUGH THE LICENSE PLATE, UM, UM, THE LPR AND LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT'S, THAT IS NOT HAPPENING.
UH, JUST TO BUILD ON YOUR POINT THEN.
SO YOU RAN THROUGH A NUMBER OF, UH, SOLUTIONS THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING THAT THE AUDIT RECOMMENDED.
SOME OF THEM JUST SAY CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING, SOME OF THEM HAD SPECIFIC DATES ON THEM.
I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHEN WE CAN EXPECT THOSE THINGS THAT SAY, CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING TO BE IMPLEMENTED.
SIR, MY ANSWER WOULD BE AS QUICKLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
UM, SOME OF THOSE ISSUES DEAL WITH WORKING DIRECTLY WITH VENDORS.
SO WE ARE BEHOLDEN TO OBVIOUSLY THE VENDORS, TO, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT, UH, THOSE CHANGES GET INCORPORATED.
UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE REASON AND, UH, INCIDENT NUMBER ARE TWO FIELDS THAT THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO SEE INCORPORATED INTO, UM, ITS SEARCH FIELDS OR IT'S, ITS LIKE A SEARCH.
AND SO WORKING WITH THE VENDORS TO GET THAT DONE, OBVIOUSLY IT TAKES TIME.
AND THEN WITH RESPECT TO BUILDING OUT, UM, A GUIDE, RIGHT? I TALKED EARLIER ABOUT HOW WE WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S A SEAMLESS TRANSITION BETWEEN AN OUTGOING EMPLOYEE, SAY AT RISK MANAGEMENT, UH, VERSUS, YOU KNOW, COMPARED TO THE NEW, THE NEW PERSON COMING IN TO TAKE THEIR PLACE.
UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THAT DOCUMENT IS, IS CLEAR, CONCISE, AND ENCOMPASSES
[02:45:01]
ALL THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE IN IT SO THAT WE DON'T, WE DON'T MISSTEP.AND SO WE CREATED THAT DOCUMENT, UH, WE'VE BOUNCED IT OFF OF A COUPLE PEOPLE UP TO AND INCLUDING THE AUDITOR.
I MEAN, THEY WERE, THEY WERE WITH US LOCKSTEP WITH RESPECT TO THE AUDIT.
SO WE, WE REALIZE THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
SO IT'S, IT'S THE COLLABORATION, IT'S THE WORKING, NOT ONLY COLLABORATION INTERNALLY WITHIN OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT ALSO COLLABORATION WITH THE VENDORS TO, TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE THINGS A REALITY.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE REASON WHY SOME OF THEM SAY THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING IMPLEMENTED.
UH, I'VE GOT I THINK, JUST TWO MORE QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, WHEN I RAN THE NUMBERS BASED ON THE AUDIT REPORT, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR PROSECUTION RATE IS HOVERING AROUND 80% RELATIVE TO THE, UH, PROSECUTIONS VERSUS ARRESTS MADE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY.
BUT I, I'M HOPING YOU HAVE SOME CONTEXT FOR THAT OR, OR CAN POINT ME IN THE DIRECTION OF SOMEBODY THAT DOES HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT WOULD BE THE TYPICAL OF PROSECUTION RATE BE FOR SIMILAR FELONIES OR CLASS A MISDEMEANORS.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS CAN PROVIDE? OBVIOUSLY NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT HOPEFULLY COUPLE OF DAYS.
I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR, UH, ON YOUR QUESTION, YOU'RE SAYING 8% CLEARANCE OR 8% PRO 80% PROSECUTION RATE, UH, WITH RESPECT TO THOSE CASES BUILT WITH A LPR, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A COMPARISON OF THOSE NOT USING A LPR OR WHAT THE TYPICAL RATE WOULD BE OVERALL? YEAH, YEAH.
I, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION, SIR, AND I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON IT.
I, I GUESS THE MAIN QUESTION, IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION? I, I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THE DATA EXISTS.
IT'S A DEEP DIVE INTO THE DATA.
UM, AND THE LAST THING YOU MENTIONED DURING YOUR PRESENTATION THAT STRUCK ME WAS YOU SAID FOLKS ARE COMING HERE TO COMMIT CRIMES.
UH, I'M SURE WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO UNPACK THAT THIS MORNING.
UM, BUT SAME POINT, I'D BE VERY CURIOUS TO KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT SOME DATA THAT CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE EXTENT OF THAT, UH, THIS PHENOMENON, AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND, UH, HOW OFTEN THAT IS OCCURRING AND MAYBE WHY THE UNDERLYING REASONS WHY.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN HELP ME HELP WORK ON BEYOND THIS WORK SESSION? ALSO, Y MOST CERTAINLY, SIR.
I DON'T HAVE THAT DATA IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK TOGETHER.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR ANSWERS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, BEFORE I RECOGNIZE COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER HAS A QUICK QUESTION HE ASKED FOR STAFF.
UH, MAYOR PRO TE, UM, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THIS DEBATE, AND I'VE ASKED IT A A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I DON'T KNOW IF THE AUDITORS, OH, YEAH, THEY ARE STILL HERE, BUT TO WHAT EXTENT IS THIS INFORMATION IS, UH, A LPR DATA ALREADY AVAILABLE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR? AND THAT, THAT'S KIND OF A, A, A CONVERSATION THAT WE'VE KIND OF CONTINUED TO HAVE.
'CAUSE, UH, MY, AGAIN, ANECDOTAL UNDERSTANDING IS THAT VIRTUALLY EVERY, UM, BANK DRIVE THROUGH, UH, GAS STATION, UH, BASICALLY ANYTIME A VEHICLE DRIVES INTO A COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME KIND OF SERVICE, THERE IS AN A LPR, UH, CAMERA PICKING UP THE DATA, AND THEY'RE USING THIS FOR MARKETING PURPOSES.
UH, I, I JUST, THIS IS, AGAIN, THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD AROUND THIS, BUT I, I DON'T HAVE ANY KIND OF CONFIRMATION OF THAT'S THE CASE.
I'VE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE HOAS CAN, UH, PUT UP, UH, UH, ALPS AND DO PUT UP ALPS.
UH, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY SENSE OF, OF, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PD AND THE DATA THAT WE'RE COLLECTING AND THE SEVEN DAY RETENTION RATE, HOW MUCH OF THIS DATA IS ALREADY COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE OUT THERE FROM, UH, DIFFERENT STORES AND DIFFERENT LOCATIONS? AND, AND FOR THAT MATTER, I WAS THINKING LIKE, EVEN LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, UH, LIKE THE TESLAS, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THE CAMERAS THAT ARE KIND OF CONSTANTLY WATCHING MM-HMM
ARE THEY PICKING UP A LPR DATA IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE A PD, UH, AXON CRUISERS ARE? BECAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING THIS KIND OF ONE CONVERSATION HERE ABOUT THIS LIKE TINY LITTLE SLICE OF, OF WHAT A PD IS COLLECTING, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING AT THE BIGGER PICTURE OF, I, I MEAN, THIS ALL MAY KIND OF BE A MOOT CONVERSATION IN THE SENSE THAT ALL THIS DATA IS ALREADY AVAILABLE OUT THERE WITH NO DELETION OR REQUIREMENTS.
AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, NO FEDERAL OR STATE LAW GOVERNING THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE USE OF IT, THE, THE MAINTENANCE OF IT, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
DO, DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY SENSE OF, OF THAT? WELL, YES, SIR.
UH, THERE ARE MANY BUSINESSES, UM, AS WELL AS TO YOUR POINT, HOAS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT, THAT CURRENTLY HAVE A LPR CAMERAS ON THEIR PROPERTY.
UM, SHOPPING MALLS AS AN EXAMPLE, THE DOMAIN, AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, MANY GAS STATIONS.
SO YES, YOU'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT.
THESE, UH, THESE A LPR CAMERAS ARE A LOT MORE COMMON THAN PEOPLE THINK.
AND, AND, AND YES, THEY EXIST.
AND WITH RESPECT TO THE TESLAS, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE
[02:50:01]
DOING IT.UM, KEEP IN MIND THAT THE L THAT THE ACTUAL SOFTWARE, RIGHT, IS ONLY TAKING A PICTURE OF THE LICENSE PLATE.
THERE IS NO DIRECT TIEBACK TO T LTS MM-HMM
SO THERE'S NO WAY FOR A PRIVATE BUSINESS TO TAKE A PICTURE AND THEN RUN THAT VEHICLE.
NOW, THERE COULD BE SOME SORT OF PAID FEATURE FUNCTIONALITY ON THE BACK END, RIGHT? BUT THAT'S NOT A, UM, IT'S NOT A COMMON THING.
THEY ARE TAKING IT IN THE EVENT, TO YOUR POINT, IF THEY WANT TO, UH, MARKET A CERTAIN PRODUCT, UH, UH, MARKET LIKE SOMETHING, UH, THEY'RE ALSO DOING IT IN THE EVENT THAT THEY'RE A VICTIM OF A CRIME OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
UH, BUT YES, TO YOUR POINT, THEY'RE VERY COMMON AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE BEING STOOD UP AND MULTIPLIED REGULARLY.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE TOO, TO YOUR POINT, THERE'S NOT A GROCERY STORE THAT YOU PULL INTO.
THERE IS NOT A BANK YOU GO INTO, UM, THAT IS NOT CAPTURING THIS DATA.
EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS ROOM, THEIR DATA, IF YOU ORDER SOMETHING ON AMAZON, THERE'S YOUR DATA.
UM, AND TO YOUR POINT, YES, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE AUDITOR, UH, HAS ANYTHING TO, TO, TO ADD TO THAT.
UH, AND I'M SEEING THEM SHAKE THEIR HEAD.
UH, BUT, AND AGAIN, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THE A PD RUNS THIS PILOT PROGRAM FOR A YEAR AND COLLECTED ABOUT, I THINK 75 MILLION OR SO KIND OF SCANS, RIGHT? AND THOSE ARE GONNA BE DUPLICATES.
AND THERE, THERE'S GONNA BE, THERE'S A LOT OF KIND OF WIGGLE ROOM IN THAT NUMBER.
BUT HOW DOES THAT COMPARE TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR? IS MY KIND OF, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S, YOU KNOW, 75 MILLION SCANS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AGAIN, THEN THIS KIND OF WHOLE CONVERSATION IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, ALL FOR NAUGH IN THE SENSE OF THAT DATA IS ALREADY OUT THERE, ALREADY ACCESSIBLE TO ICE, TO, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER WANTS TO, TO, TO GET IT.
UH, BUT I, I JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET A, A FIRM ANSWER ON, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH A LPR DATA IS OUT THERE, AND HOW ACCESSIBLE IS IT? UH, I, I JUST GET LITTLE PEEKS INTO IT.
I WISH WE HAD A, A COMPREHENSIVE KIND OF UNDERSTANDING OF THAT BECAUSE IT, IT REALLY CHANGES THIS ENTIRE IT DOES.
AND I THINK TO YOUR POINT, IF YOU HAVE A BAD ACTOR, YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO GIVE THAT DATA OVER, THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A BUSINESS OWNER THAT, THAT, UM, WANTS TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WORK IN THAT CAPACITY, THEY COULD.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY'RE COLLECTING THIS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES RESELLING THAT DATA TO THE DATA BROKERS, AND THEN IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, SITTING THERE AVAILABLE FOR, YOU KNOW, WHOEVER, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, NEEDS IT ONCE IT PURCHASES IT.
WELL, I, I JUST WANTED TO CHECK ON THAT.
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT, OUTSTANDING QUESTION THAT I HAVE THAT I STILL DON'T HAVE ANY REAL ANSWERS OR INSIGHT TO.
UH, AND, AND I, I THINK HONESTLY, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT BEFORE WE, UH, CAN, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH, WITH OUR PROGRAM.
UM, NOW WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL TO CLOSE.
ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM, AND, UM, REALLY THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THIS GREAT DISCUSSION AND THIS WORK SESSION.
UM, CHIEF AND ASSISTANT CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I'M NOT GONNA ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS TO Y'ALL, SO YOU CAN, UH, RETURN, UH, TO YOUR SEATS, IF THAT'S OKAY.
AND I WANNA THANK THE AUDITOR AS WELL FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK, UM, UH, TO REALLY BRING THIS TO BEAR.
UM, I'M GONNA PRESENT A LITTLE PRESENTATION HERE.
IT'S MAINLY FOR THE PUBLIC AND, AND MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I LISTENED TO ALL THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO MAKE SURE I COULD STAND ON ALL THE SLIDES THAT ARE HERE.
UM, AND I THINK EVERYTHING HERE, UH, HOLDS UP.
AND SO, UM, AND THEY EVEN GAVE ME A LITTLE CLICKER HERE.
UM, SO WHAT WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE A LPR PILOT PROGRAM, UM, WE HEARD FROM A LOT OF SPEAKERS TODAY THAT WE'RE IN A NEW POLITICAL REALITY.
AND I, I DO WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE WORK THAT, UH, THE PRIOR COUNCIL DID TO IMPOSE GUARDRAILS, UH, STARTING IN 2023 TO MAKE SURE THIS PROGRAM IS AS INTENTIONAL AND, UH, CONSISTENT WITH AUSTIN VALUES AS POSSIBLE.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM THE NEWS CYCLE IS THAT THIS IS A NEW POLITICAL REALITY.
UM, WHEN MAYOR ADLER WAS HERE IN, IN SEPTEMBER 22, UH, HE WAS QUOTED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LPR CONVERSATION, UH, SAYING THAT WE THINK IT'S PROBABLY UNLIKELY THAT REQUEST FROM ICE WOULD BE MADE OF US, RIGHT? AND, AND WE KNOW THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
UH, IN 2025, UM, WE HAVE THIS REPORT THAT ICE, UH, TAPS INTO THE NATIONWIDE AI ENABLED CAMERA NETWORK THAT, UH, FLOCK CONTRIBUTES TO, AND I'LL, I'LL SHARE WITH YOU LATER, BUT THE CONTRACT, EVEN THE AMENDED CONTRACT WE WE COULD POTENTIALLY ENTER INTO WITH FLOCK, WOULD NOT PREVENT AUSTIN'S DATA FROM BEING USED IN A NETWORK LIKE THIS.
WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE TESTIMONY TODAY ABOUT HOW A TEXAS POLICE OFFICER USE THE A LPR SYSTEM TO LOOK NATIONWIDE FOR A WOMAN WHO WAS LOOKING FOR AN ABORTION.
UM, WE HAVE THE NEW YORK TIMES TALKING ABOUT HOW THE PRESIDENT IS USING OBSCURE LAWS, ICE AGENTS,
[02:55:01]
AND FEAR TO CRACK DOWN ON DISSENT.SO I DON'T WANNA BE TOO HEAVY HANDED HERE, BUT I THINK ALL OF US ARE AWARE OF THE CURRENT POLITICAL, UH, CONTEXT.
THIS IS AN ARTICLE FROM JUST LAST WEEK THAT THE PRESIDENT'S ADMINISTRATION IS HIRING PALANTIR TO CREATE A MASTER DATABASE ON EVERY AMERICAN PALANTIR'S, A COMPANY THAT'S CO-OWNED BY PETER THIEL, WHO'S ONE OF THE OWNERS OF FLOCK.
UM, SO THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF SURVEILLANCE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I WANNA CLEAR UP HERE IS WHAT AN A LPR ACTUALLY DOES.
UM, DURING THE SEPTEMBER 22 MEETING, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA ASKED THEN CHIEF CHACON, UH, IF A PHOTOGRAPHS WERE BEING TAKEN.
AND THE ANSWER WAS NO, THAT IT'S JUST A SCAN.
THERE'S NO PHOTOS THAT ARE ACTUALLY STORED.
AND SO I HAVE A, A SHORT VIDEO THAT I'D ASK, ASK OUR CITY STAFF TO PLAY.
THIS IS FLOCK ITSELF TALKING ABOUT THE FOOTAGE, NOT JUST THE SCANS THAT ARE BEING GATHERED.
WE MAKE IT REALLY EASY FOR YOU TO PULL FOOTAGE IN THE EVENT THAT A CRIME OCCURS.
BECAUSE OUR SOLUTION IS WEB-BASED.
ANY AUTHORIZED USER CAN LOG IN FROM A DEVICE THAT HAS INTERNET ACCESS.
ONCE INSIDE THE PORTAL, YOU SIMPLY USE OUR ROBUST FILTERING FEATURES TO EITHER FILTER ON DATE, TIME, VEHICLE, AC, WIFI, ALMOST PERFECT OR EVEN PARTIAL PLATE NUMBER TO GET RIGHT DOWN TO THE EVIDENCE YOU NEED IN A FEW CLICKS.
ARMED WITH FLOCK FOOTAGE, LAW ENFORCEMENT NOW HAS THE ACTIONABLE EVIDENCE THEY NEED TO SOLVE.
CRIME FLOCK CAMERAS CAN BE INSTALLED JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE THE, THE END OF THAT ONE.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST A SCAN, IT, IT'S FOOTAGE AND THEN WE MAKE IT REALLY EASY.
OH, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO, UM, SHARE THE NEXT SLIDE AS WELL.
UM, UH, IF YOU WOULD PLAY THIS, UH, AS WELL, THANK YOU.
SO IF LOCK SAFETY, YOU LICENSE PLATE READING CAMERAS, A CAMERA THAT TAKES PICTURES OF ALL TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA, BUT OUR CAMERAS GO THE EXTRA STEP AND LOOK FOR IDENTIFYING FEATURES LIKE COLOR OF THE VEHICLE, TYPE OF VEHICLE, MAKE A VEHICLE STATE OF THE LICENSE PLATE, AND THESE IDENTIFIED FEATURES, WHICH WE CALL VEHICLE FINGERPRINT, HELP OUR POLICE CUSTOMERS QUICKLY SORT THROUGH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES TO FIND THE ONES THAT THEY NEED TO SOLVE CRIME, THE FLOCK SAFETY LICENSE.
SO THIS IS THE VEHICLE FINGERPRINT TECHNOLOGY, AND, UM, THE POWERPOINT THAT WE'VE POSTED TO BACK UP HAS THE LINKS FOR ALL OF THIS, BUT BASICALLY, THE FLOCK SYSTEM ENABLES FLOCK THROUGH ITS AI APPROACH TO SEARCH FOR VEHICLES EVEN WITHOUT A LICENSE PLATE BECAUSE OF THE, THE FOOTAGE THAT THEY'RE PROCESSING.
UM, THESE ARE JUST SOME SCREENSHOTS, UH, THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT LATER, BUT IT SHOWS HOW, UH, THIS IS FLOCK ZONE MATERIALS THAT YOU CAN SEARCH BY DECALS, ROOF RACKS, BUMPER STICKERS, AND THEN TRACK THE DIRECTION OF, OF TRAVEL.
AND SO THIS IS A TON OF DATA THAT THAT FLOCK IS GATHERING.
OUR POLICY ATTEMPTS TO REGULATE HOW FLOCK USES THIS DATA.
RIGHT? UM, THIS IS FROM THE GENERAL ORDER, UH, FROM OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT A LPR DATA SHALL NOT BE DISTRIBUTED, SOLD, OR TRANSFERRED TO ANY NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES.
UH, THESE ARE SOME OF THE SAFEGUARDS THAT WERE RESULT OF THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION.
UNFORTUNATELY, FLOCK CAN ACCESS AUSTIN'S A LPR DATA, AND IT'S ABLE TO USE THIS DATA FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF OUR POLICY.
OUR CONTRACT ACTUALLY ALLOWS THIS, THIS IS AN UNFORTUNATE THING WHERE I BELIEVE OUR LAW DEPARTMENT DID A, A STRONG JOB OF ADVOCATING FOR A CONTRACT THAT WOULD FULLY INCLUDE AND INCORPORATE THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
BUT THIS FLAW HAS BEEN IN THE CONTRACT SINCE IT WAS EXECUTED IN 2023.
UM, THIS IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE CONTRACT, AND I WANNA READ THIS BECAUSE THIS IS STILL NOT FIXED, EVEN WITH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED US.
UH, WE HEARD SOME OF OUR, OUR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SITE TO THIS, THAT THE AGENCY, WHICH IS THE CITY OF AUSTIN, WOULD GRANT A FLOCK, A NON-EXCLUSIVE, PERPETUAL, IRREVOCABLE, WORLDWIDE ROYALTY, FREE, FULLY PAID LICENSE TO USE, REPRODUCE, MODIFY, AND DISTRIBUTE THE AGENCY DATA AS A PART OF THE AGGREGATED DATA.
SO ONCE FLOCK HAS ACCESS TO THIS, THEY CAN BASICALLY USE IT FOR ANY OF THEIR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.
NOW, WE'VE ATTEMPTED TO MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF AGGREGATED DATA AND FLOCK ITSELF SAYS AGGREGATED DATA IS COMPILED ANONYMOUS DATA, WHICH HAS BEEN STRIPPED OF PERSONAL IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING I BROUGHT UP IN AUDIT AND FINANCE.
AUDIT OR FLOCK DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THESE SCANNED INFORMATION IS PII OR PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE THEIR LEGAL THEORY IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S CAPTURED IN PUBLIC, IT'S NOT PRIVATE INFORMATION, IT'S NOT PII.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE SLIDE, UH, HOW, HOW THEY, UM, IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THEIR POLICIES AND PUBLIC STATEMENTS MAKE THIS EXTREMELY CLEAR THAT THEY DON'T CONSIDER ANYTHING THEY GATHER AS PII.
AND SO WE'RE NOT SO MUCH TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT
[03:00:01]
TRACKING PEOPLE'S MOVEMENTS, IT'S FLOCK CREATING THIS DATABASE OVER THE COURSE OF THE 12 MONTH CYCLE, AS WE HEARD FROM THE UPDATED AUDIT REPORT, OVER A HUNDRED BILLION SCAMS. AND SO AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP SHARED, THEY CAN LITERALLY BUILD A PROFILE OF OUR MOVEMENTS BASED ON ALL THESE SCANS THAT ARE OCCURRING.UM, THIS IS OBVIOUSLY EXTREMELY VALUABLE DATA.
NO ONE WILL BE SURPRISED TO KNOW.
UM, FLOCK HAS VALUED AT OVER $7 BILLION.
IT'S A CORPORATION BECAUSE OF THEIR ABILITY TO AGGREGATE ALL OF THIS DATA.
UM, THIS IS A SLIDE I WON'T GO FULLY INTO, BUT WE KNOW THAT FLOCK ALSO ACQUIRES STOLEN DATA TO ENHANCE THEIR PRODUCTS, UM, EVEN DATA THAT WAS ORIGINALLY HACKED.
AND, UH, THEIR WHOLE THING IS THIS THEORY OF JUMPING FROM LPR TO PERSON.
AND THAT'S WHERE THEY CAN USE THINGS LIKE A MARRIAGE LICENSE, A VEHICLE REGISTRATION, TO NOT JUST FOCUS ON THE VEHICLE, BUT ON THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES.
UM, NOW I DON'T WANT TO OVEREMPHASIZE THAT FLOCK IS THE ONLY BAD ACTOR IN THIS SPACE.
THERE'S A LOT OF ARTICLES THAT ARE CITED IN THIS SLIDE THAT SHOW, UH, OTHER A LPR COUNTRIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. AND THE LAST POINT HERE IS, IS BASICALLY FOCUSED ON THE GUARDRAILS.
UM, AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE NOT, UM, AND I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
IT'S NOT ANY SORT OF CRITICISM OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THE WAY THIS CONTRACT AND THE WAY THE WAY THESE RELATIONSHIPS WORK WITH FLOCKED EQUIPMENT, OUR GUARDRAILS ARE NOT PROTECTIVE.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECES OF INFORMATION MY OFFICE GOT WAS FROM THE ASSISTANT CHIEF EARLIER THIS WEEK.
UM, OUR OWN POLICE MANUAL, UH, DIRECTS THAT, UH, OFFICERS SHOULD DOCUMENT THE REASON FOR THEIR INQUIRY WHEN THEY SEARCH THE A LPR SYSTEM THAT'S, UH, ON THIS SLIDE HERE.
AND THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THAT IN THE, THE, THE PERIOD THAT WE'VE STUDIED DURING THE AUDIT CYCLE, OVER 11,000 A PD SEARCHES OF THE FLOCK SYSTEM VIOLATED THE GENERAL ORDER OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS IS THE INFORMATION WE GOT FROM THE ASSISTANT CHIEF.
THIS IS, UH, THE, THE TABLE HERE.
UM, AND THERE'S ACTUALLY ALREADY AN AUSTIN CHRONICLE ARTICLE ABOUT IT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT JUST THE LAST QUARTER, Q1, 2025, OVER 20% OF THE SEARCHES BY OUR OWN OFFICERS OF THIS FLOCK SYSTEM DID NOT HAVE A REASON THAT WAS COMPLIANT WITH THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION.
SO I THINK THIS SHOWS THAT, UH, DESPITE BEST EFFORTS, DESPITE GOOD FAITH THAT WE CAN'T TRUST FLOCK WITH OUR DATA, THAT, UH, UNDER THE EVEN AMENDED CONTRACT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, THEY WILL STILL HAVE WITHIN THIS WINDOW THE ABILITY TO FEED ALL OF OUR DATA INTO THEIR AI SYSTEM AND USE IT FOR ALL OF THEIR PRODUCTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THOUGHT WHEN THEY CAME TO US, UH, UH, IN MARCH TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT, THEY THOUGHT THERE WERE ZERO DATA SHARING REQUESTS.
NOW WE KNOW THERE'S BEEN AT LEAST NINE SINCE THE PROGRAM WAS RESTARTED.
AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT DESPITE ORDERS IN THE POLICE MANUAL DIRECTING OFFICERS HOW TO USE THE SYSTEM, THAT BASICALLY 20% OF OFFICERS USING THE SYSTEM IN THE LAST QUARTER USED IT IN A WAY THAT CONTRADICTS, UH, CITY POLICY.
UH, SO WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL CLOSE MAYOR PRO TEM, AND I WOULD ASK THIS COUNCIL TO DISCONTINUE THE PROGRAM.
COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE LPR ITEM? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON.
I WAS, I WAS TRYING TO, I DIDN'T EVEN CONSIDER THAT.
YOU'RE NOT SITTING WHERE THE MAYOR SITS, SO YOU CAN'T SEE THE HANDS BEING RAISED.
UM, YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE TO JUST GO BACK AND PUT SOME EMPHASIS ON.
IT WAS THE, WHEN FOLKS WERE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME, UM, DURING THE COURSE OF THE DISCUSSION WAS, I GUESS IT WAS TWO THINGS.
UM, BUT THE FIRST ONE WAS WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, I'M SORRY, SOMEBODY USED A NAME AND I, AND NOW IT'S LOST ON ME.
BUT WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, I WAS TRYING TO QUANTIFY THE HARM, THE POTENTIAL FOR HARM, AND TRYING TO QUANTIFY WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO ACHIEVE, I APPRECIATE WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO ACHIEVE CRIME REDUCTION AND PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DE THE DESIRE TO ACHIEVE THAT IS NOT LOST ON ME.
I THINK THE THING THAT STILL KEEPS COMING BACK TO ME IS USAA HAS HAD A DATA BREACH WHERE MY ACCOUNT INFORMATION WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
UM, MY HIPAA INFORMATION BY WAY OF BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD, TRUIST MORTGAGE, EVERYTHING THAT HAS MY SOCIAL SECURITY AND EVERY OTHER DELINEATING PIECE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT ME BY THE MOST SECURE STRUCTURES AND INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN BREACHED.
I, I THINK WE'D BE REMISS TO EVEN APPROACH THIS DISCUSSION BY SAYING THAT EVEN REALLY
[03:05:01]
GOOD STEWARDS, I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE IS TO BE A GOOD STEWARD.I THINK ANY ASSUMPTION ABOUT PROTECTION OF INFORMATION IS REALLY NAIVE.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TELL THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WE'RE GONNA BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THEIR INFORMATION IF EVERY MAJOR SYSTEM CAN BE BREACHED.
I DON'T HAVE ANY TRUST THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN OR ANY ENTITY WITHIN OUR STRUCTURE, I MEAN, JUST WATCHING US COME REALLY, FRANKLY, GETTING COMPROMISED AS A MUNICIPALITY.
WE'VE BEEN COMPROMISED WITH OUR DATA.
UM, AND SO THERE'S THAT CONCERN.
BUT THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY WANTED TO TOUCH ON WAS, ONE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T OFFER PEOPLE GUARANTEES AROUND PROTECTING YOUR INFORMATION.
I PERSONALLY AM NOT PUTTING MY NAME ON THAT.
IF ANYBODY'S DOING THAT, I DIDN NOT SAY THAT.
UM, THE OTHER THING I REALLY WANTED TO, TO TOUCH BASE ON WAS WHAT IT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPRESSING CONCERNS ABOUT.
I, I HEAR THE SENTIMENT AROUND WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO ACHIEVE.
AND I THINK DURING THE COURSE OF THE DISCUSSION, WHAT GETS LOST AND WHERE IT STARTS LOOKING LIKE DIFFERENT JERSEYS AS OPPOSED TO SAME JERSEY, SAME TEAM.
WE ALL ULTIMATELY CARE ABOUT THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE AROUND US, THE PEOPLE WE GO TO SCHOOL WITH, GO TO CHURCH WITH.
YOU KNOW, I, I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL WANT THAT SAME THING, BUT THE MANIFESTATION OF HAVING A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY BE REMOVED FROM YOUR COUNTRY AND TAKEN TO A COUNTRY THEY'VE NEVER BEEN TO.
I THINK WHEN WE SAY, OF COURSE WE'RE NOT PERFECT, THERE WILL BE THAT COLLATERAL DAMAGE, THERE WILL BE THOSE MISTAKES.
I DON'T WANNA MAKE PEOPLE MISTAKES.
AND THAT'S, I THINK, ULTIMATELY THE POINT THAT I WAS ABLE TO REALLY SOLIDIFY HOW TO ARTICULATE IT IN MY HEAD.
NOW, I DON'T WANNA MAKE PEOPLE MISTAKES.
I THINK THERE WILL BE MISTAKES WITH TECHNOLOGY, WITH THE USE OF PEOPLE'S DATA, AND I DON'T WANNA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING PEOPLE MISTAKES.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS THAT I WAS TRYING TO CONVEY EARLIER.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, I WANTED TO AT LEAST REQUEST, UH, THAT THE CHIEF, UH, AND OR ASSISTANT CHIEF ASK YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL'S, UH, PRESENTATION, PARTICULARLY ON SOME CLARIFYING POINTS IF THEY HAD ANY.
UH, COUNCIL MAYOR SIEGEL, CAN YOU PULL UP YOUR, YOUR PRESENTATION PLEASE, SIR, TO SLIDE? I BELIEVE IT WAS THREE.
SO, ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS THE FOLLOWING SLIDE, UM, IT, AND I'M PARAPHRASING, SIR, SO PLEASE, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT, I THOUGHT I UNDERSTOOD YOU TO SAY THAT OUR INFORMATION WAS IN FACT SHARED WITH ICE.
AND, AND I JUST WANNA REITERATE THE POINT THAT OUR INFORMATION WAS NOT SHARED WITH ICE, UM, AT ANY POINT DURING THE TRIAL PERIOD OR THE EXTENSION OF THE TRIAL PERIOD, ASSISTANT CHIEF, CAN I INTERRUPT YOU? BECAUSE, UM, WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW, RIGHT? ISN'T IT TRUE THAT FLOCK HAS THIS DATA AND WE DON'T GET A NOTIFICATION IF FLOCK SHARES IT WITH ONE OF THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS? SO SIR, UH, THEY MAINTAIN OUR DATA FOR SEVEN DAYS, THE AGENCY DATA, AFTER WHICH POINT IN TIME IT, IT FALLS OFF.
UH, THEY DON'T, YOU'RE MISSING SECTION 4.2, THEY GET TO KEEP THE AGGREGATED DATA.
NO, 4.2 SAYS THEY CAN KEEP THE AGGREGATED DATA, WHICH IS STRIPPED OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION, BUT THEY DON'T CONSIDER THE INFORMATION CAPTURED IN PUBLIC TO BE PII.
AND SIR, IF I COULD, 4.2 OF THE CONTRACT IS AGENCY DATA.
THEY HOLD AGENCY DATA FOR A PERIOD OF SEVEN DAYS.
AT WHICH POINT IN TIME THAT THAT INFORMATION DATA IS DELETED, SHIFTING NOW? NO, DURING THOSE SEVEN DAYS, THEY CAN THEN INCORPORATE IT INTO THEIR AI SYSTEM.
SO YES, IT FALLS OFF AFTER SEVEN DAYS, BUT AS LONG AS THEY USE IT DURING THOSE SEVEN DAYS, IT'S THEIRS FOREVER.
THE AGGREGATED DATA IS COMPLETELY ANONYMIZED.
SO WITH RESPECT TO, UH, FLOCK OR ANYONE ELSE THAT MIGHT GET THE DATA THEREAFTER, UH, LET'S ASSUME THAT THEY DID SHARE THAT DATA.
THEY WOULDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, WHERE THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN OR ANYTHING ABOUT, UH, THAT PARTICULAR LICENSE PLATE, THE DATE IT WAS TAKEN, THE LOCATION IT WAS TAKEN, THE CITY IT WAS TAKEN, IT WOULD LITERALLY BE A PICTURE OF THE TEXAS LICENSE PLATE THAT COULD BE IN ANY OF THE CITIES ACROSS THIS, THIS STATE.
WELL, THAT'S NOT MY INTERPRETATION OF THE CONTRACT, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT THE AUDITOR HAS SAID.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THE LAWYERS HAVE SAID.
AND SO YOU'RE UP HERE INTERPRETING A CONTRACT AND CONTRACTING ITS EXPRESS TERMS.
[03:10:01]
SIR, I, I BELIEVE THAT THE CONTRACT, UM, IF, IF FLOCK WERE TO USE OUR DATA, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, UH, THROUGH ITS LEGAL DEPARTMENT, WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ANY SORT OF ACTION THAT WAS WITH WITHIN, IN THE SCOPE OF THAT CONTRACT.IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY VIOLATED THAT CONTRACT, THEN I THINK WE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY, UM, TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT I, BUT I CERTAINLY BELIEVE THAT THE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT CITY WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
I WOULD SUPPORT THAT IF FLOCK WERE DOING SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
IN OTHER WORDS, SHARING OUR DATA WITH ICE, I WOULD STAND WITH EVERYONE WHO IS OPPOSED TO THIS PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGY AND LET'S HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO SAY SUE, TOO, THAT WE ARE NOT MARRIED TO THIS TECHNOLOGY.
I MEAN, FLOCK DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE VENDOR WE GO TO.
WE CAN FIND A VENDOR THAT IS, WE, WE FEEL IS MORE RESPONSIBLE OR WE LIKE THE PROCESS BETTER.
WE ARE NOT MARRIED TO, UM, THE SYSTEM OF FLOCK.
AND SO I'LL JUST CLOSE AND THANK YOU, SIR, FOR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO, TO DO THIS.
BUT THERE'S NOT ONE DISTRICT THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN IN, UM, WHERE I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE, I'VE TALKED TO HISPANIC CITIZENS ABOUT THEIR FEAR AND WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE FOR THEM.
AND SO I TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY THAT WE'RE HERE.
BUT I DO FEEL THAT THERE IS A WAY TO DO THIS AND TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT WE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE A PROGRAM HERE AS A, A LARGE CITY, UM, THAT ADDRESSES VIOLENT CRIME.
WE CAN DO BOTH AND KEEP CITIZENS CLOSE THAT THE GREATEST DANGERS IN THIS CITY ARE THE PEOPLE WITHIN IT.
YOU HAVE ALL, YOU ALL STOOD UP THERE WITH ME AT THE SYNAGOGUE, WHAT LAST WEEK, WHERE WE ALL TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO ADDRESS CRIMES, TO SYNAGOGUES, CRIMES TO MOSQUES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE INTERNAL TO THIS CITY.
PEOPLE THAT ARE PERPETRATING ALL THESE CRIMES, UM, ON THE MORE VULNERABLE.
AND, AND THAT INCLUDES THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A TOOL THAT WE CAN USE TO DO THAT AND WE CAN BE RESPONSIBLE WITH IT.
AND AGAIN, THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE FLOCK.
IT CAN BE ANOTHER PLACE THAT WE FIND THAT WE DO FEEL IS MORE RESPONSIBLE.
I'M SORRY, CHIEF AND MAYOR PRO TEM, IF I COULD JUST ASK FOR SLIDE 17 TO BE PUT BACK UP BECAUSE THIS WAS JUST TO COMPLETE THE POINT I WAS MAKING, UM, THE CONTRACT WE HAVE UNDER THE, THE RESOLUTION THAT THIS COUNCIL ADOPTED GAVE FLOCK A NON-EXCLUSIVE, PERPETUAL IRREVOCABLE WORLDWIDE ROYALTY, FREE, FULLY PAID LICENSE TO USE, REPRODUCE, MODIFY, AND DISTRIBUTE THE AGENCY DATA.
AND SO THERE'S NO CON THERE'S NO LEGAL ACTION AGAINST FLOCK BECAUSE THE CONTRACT GIVES THEM PERMISSION TO USE THIS DATA.
AND SO THAT WAS JUST THE POINT I WANNA MAKE.
THANK YOU MEMBER DO THANK YOU COLLEAGUES.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THIS TOPIC? I KNOW OUR CITY ATTORNEYS IS WORKING ON, UH, AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXCHANGE THAT WE JUST HAD HERE AND WE WILL GET BACK TO US ON, ON THEIR ASSESSMENT.
ALRIGHT, SEEING, UM, WE ARE GONNA TAKE A LITTLE RECESS FOR 30 MINUTES SO THAT FOLKS CAN GO GRAB LUNCH AND TAKE A BREAK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK IN 30 MINUTES, LET'S SAY 1245.
WE'LL BE BACK HERE ON THE DAAS AND WE'LL HAVE A BRIEFING ON THE UPDATE TO THE CITY STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE READY? GOOD AFTERNOON, COLLEAGUES.
IT IS 1245 VANESSA FUENTES, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND I'M CALLING THE MEETING OF AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION BACK TO ORDER.
IT IS JUNE 3RD, 1240 5:00 PM HERE AT CITY HALL CHAMBERS, AND WE HAVE A QUORUM, UH, COLLEAGUES.
WE'RE NOW GONNA TAKE UP A BRIEFING
[B1. Update on the Citywide Strategic Plan.]
FROM STAFF ON AN UPDATE TO THE CITY STRATEGIC WIDE PLAN AND OR THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.AND, UH, FIRST I'M GOING TO ASK OUR CLERK HERE IF WE HAVE THE SPEAKER WHO HAS REGISTERED TO TESTIFY.
WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER FOR ITEM B ONE.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM MEMBERS.
I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH, I'M JUST GONNA ASK STAFF TO PULL UP THE PRESENTATION.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SOME COMMENTS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO ITEM B ONE, MY OPPOSITION.
IF YOU LOOK IN THE CENTER, YOU'LL SEE HOSTILE ARCHITECTURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CARRIE LANG WILL TELL YOU ABOUT IS EQUITY.
AND I JUST WILL CALL THIS LANGS, UH, LANGS LIES, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT ON NOVEMBER 15TH, 2017, CAPITAL METRO ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED DISPARATE IMPACTS, PRIMARILY IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT, THAT'S THE NORTHEAST AREA, AND THE NETWORK WAS CREATED IN 2016.
I JUST WANT YOU TO BE AWARE, SECRETARY INVITES@HUD.GOV.
[03:15:01]
UM, THE SECRETARY OF HUD THIS MORNING AND ASKED HIM TO VISIT AUSTIN.WHETHER OR NOT HE'LL COME OR NOT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, REMAINS TO BE SEEN, BUT I DID COPY THE MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM, AND THE CITY MANAGER.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE STILL THERE'S NO SIDEWALK OVER HERE, UH, TO THE HAKA PROPERTY, WHICH IS ON, UH, NORTH LAMAR NEAR PARMA LANE.
AND SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL MONIES HAVE NOT BEEN USED IN THIS AREA.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT OF THE SEVEN ITEMS THAT YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ABOUT HOMELESSNESS, MOBILITY ARE ISSUES THAT IMPACT VETERANS SPECIFICALLY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEND A LITTLE TIME ON THAT AND REMIND YOU YOUR OWN INFORMATION FROM ECHO SAID THAT AUSTIN PRIORITIZATION AS ASSESSMENT TOOL DISPROPORTIONATELY PRIORITIZED HOUSING WHITE PEOPLE.
BUT YOU'VE NOT CHANGED ANYTHING.
I WANNA REMIND THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS VETERAN'S RESOLUTION.
THE NUMBERS ON THE SCREEN I WANNA REMIND YOU AS WELL.
MARCH 4TH, 2021, YOU APOLOGIZE TO BLACK PEOPLE FOR INTENTIONAL DISCRIMINATION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM AND YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THIS FROM 2015.
I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE, VETERANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE HOMELESS, MORE LIKELY TO STAY ON THE STREETS, AND AFRICAN AMERICANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE OVERREPRESENTED AT THE BOTTOM.
HOWEVER, I'LL JUST REFER YOU TO THANK YOU.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL THE SPEAKERS.
UH, WITH THAT I WILL TURN OVER TO CITY MANAGER BROAD NEXT FOR OPENING REMARKS.
THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM, AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
UH, THIS BRIEFING TODAY, UH, THIS AFTERNOON BY, UH, MS. CARRIE LANE, WILL BE ON THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UH, IN DECEMBER OF 2024, STAFF PRESENTED AN UPDATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN TO THE ODD AND FINANCE COMMISSION COMMITTEE.
THIS UPDATE IS INTENDED, UH, TO INFORM THE FULL COUNCIL OF THE PROGRESS MADE SO FAR IN IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN, INCLUDING ONGOING EFFORTS TO REFINE ITS MEASURES AND PREVIEW THE UPCOMING STRATEGIC DASHBOARD.
WITH THAT, I'LL PASS IT OVER TO CARRIE LANE, THE DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF BUDGET AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE.
CARRIE, THANK YOU, CITY MANAGER.
UM, THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR AND, UH, MAYOR PROAM AND COUNCIL.
UM, AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, WE'LL DO A, A UPDATE ON THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN, THE WORK THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE TO DATE.
UM, AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO START WITH GIVING SOME HISTORY AND JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN ON THIS JOURNEY OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AS A CITY SINCE 2018.
OUR CURRENT PLAN IS THE RESULT OF THE LESSONS WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE PREVIOUS PLAN.
AND, UM, BASED ON INPUT THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE AUDITOR'S OFFICE ON THEIR AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, ON HOW WE IMPLEMENTED THE PREVIOUS PLAN.
IT IS A BLUEPRINT THAT HELPS STAFF OPERATIONALIZE AND MEASURE THE PRIORITIES OF THIS COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY.
AND IT ALLOWS THE CITY TO SET MEASURABLE GOALS ACROSS KEY AREAS AND FOSTERS COLLABORATION ACROSS DEPARTMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORK THAT IS IDENTIFIED IN THE PLAN.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE PLAN STRUCTURE, UM, WE BEGAN WITH THE VISION AND VALUES OF, OF THE CITY.
AND THE VISION IS BASED ON THE, UM, THE COMPREHENSIVE, THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IMAGINE AUSTIN VISION THAT WAS CREATED WITH THE CREATION OF THAT PLAN.
WE HAVE SIX FOUNDATIONAL VALUES THAT WE, UM, ARE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND ARE EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT THE PLAN.
THAT INCLUDES EQUITY, AFFORDABILITY, INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, PROACTIVE PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS.
AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, THOSE ARE THE OVERARCHING AREAS OF FOCUS THAT GUIDE THE WORK THAT THE, AND ORGANIZE THE WORK OF THE PLAN.
THE GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN ARE WHAT WE INTEND OR OUR, OUR VISION ON WHAT WE WANT TO, UH, ACCOMPLISH THROUGH THIS PLAN.
AND THEN WE MEASURE THAT THROUGH THE STRATEGIC MEASURES, SEE HOW WE'RE TRACKING TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS.
AND THEN THE STRATEGIES ARE THE WORK PLANS OR INITIATIVES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS ON THOSE MEASURES.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK.
STAFF HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE THE PLAN WAS ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25, BUT WE ALSO STARTED WORKING ON A PILOT IN FISCAL YEAR 24 TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAKE THE, THE WORK OF THE PLAN MORE SCALABLE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD, UM, REALLY, UM, OPERATIONALIZE THE PLAN ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION.
AND WITH THAT IMPLEMENTATION FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHAT WE STARTED WAS THE ADVANCING MEASURES AND PLANNING SERIES.
SO WE TOOK THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE PILOT, AND WE ARE NOW, WE NOW HAVE 45 TEAMS THAT ARE WORKING THROUGH THE, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PLAN.
THESE 45 TEAMS IS A MIX OF 15 TEAMS THAT ARE LED BY THE, UH, BUDGET AND ORGANIZATIONAL
[03:20:01]
EXCELLENCE OFFICE.WHAT WE HAVE WORKSHOPS WITH THESE TEAMS TO SEE WHAT WORK PLANS THEY ARE CREATING OR HAVE CREATED TO MOVE THE MEASURES FORWARD.
UM, THE 30 SELF-LED TEAMS ARE USING THE RESOURCES CREATED BY, BY MY STAFF TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO FURTHER IMPLEMENT THE PLAN.
UM, WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS ALREADY THAT HAVE GUIDED THE WORK OF THE PLAN AND, UM, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE NEXT STAGES OF REFINEMENT AND UPDATING.
AND I'LL SAY THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS A LIVING DOCUMENT.
IT IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES, IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES THAT HOPEFULLY WILL WORK, BUT IF THEY DON'T WORK, WHAT, WHAT SHIFTS AND CHANGES DO WE NEED TO MAKE? AND IN THE CURRENT STATE OVER THESE, OVER THESE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, GOALS, STRATEGIES, AND MEASURES.
AND AS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT REFINING THESE OVER THIS LAST SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS THE MEASURES THAT WE, THAT WE SHOWED YOU ALL THROUGH THE PLAN IN THE, UM, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET, WE'VE CONTINUED TO REFINE THEM AS, AS STAFF LOOKED AT HOW WE CAN TRACK THESE MEASURES, HOW THE MEASURES CAN TELL THE STORY OR SHOW THE, THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING.
AND SO IN THIS, IN THIS SPACE, WE HAVE REFINED 29 MEASURES.
WE'VE ADDED FIVE NEW MEASURES AND DELETED EIGHT MEASURES.
UM, AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK ON MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO SHOW THAT DATA, UM, IN A MEANINGFUL WAY.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE REFINEMENT THAT WE'VE DONE, AND THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THE MEASURES.
AND SO, UM, YOU LOOK AT THESE THREE AREAS WHERE WE ARE LOOKING AT MEASURE REFINEMENT AND, AND COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SUSTAINABILITY, WHERE INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING AT PARKLAND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE EXPANDING IT TO LOOK AT CITY OWNED LAND TO SEE HOW, UM, THE, THOSE LANDS CAN BE STEWARDED BETTER.
AND THEN IN MOBILITY, WE ARE, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVEMENTS, UM, AND AN ANNUAL PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN NOT JUST CAPTURING A, A OVERALL QUALITY, UH, DATA.
AND THEN IN PUBLIC SAFETY, WE ARE LOOKING AT NON-EMERGENCY CALLS THAT COME INTO THE 9 1 1 SY SYSTEM SO THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY WHERE WE CAN TRY TO SHIFT THOSE CALLS TO FOCUS THE 9 1 1 SYSTEM ON EMERGENCY CALLS.
AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE AGAIN, OF SOME OF THE REFINEMENTS AND WE'LL HAVE A FULL BREAKDOWN OF THE CHANGES IN REFINEMENTS IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET DOCUMENT.
AND SO SPEAKING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE WE'RE INTEGRATING A PLAN IN, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25, WE INTRODUCED THE, THE UPDATED PLAN.
AND WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
IT IS, UM, ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS THAT WE ARE ASKING DEPARTMENTS TO, UM, CONSIDER AND LOOK AT AS THEY'RE MAKING ANY BUDGET REQUESTS OR WE ARE LOOKING AT MAKING CHANGES IN THE BUDGET.
HOW WILL THAT IMPACT THE PLAN MOVING FORWARD? UM, IT INCLUDES ALSO, UM, INCORPORATING, UM, REPORTS THAT THE TEAMS ARE PROVIDING TO MANAGEMENT TO SEE WHAT PROGRESS THEY'RE MAKING IN THEIR WORK PLANS.
AND IF THERE ARE, IF THEY HAVE ANY, UM, CHALLENGES THAT ARE HAPPENING, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S CHALLENGES BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY HAVE VACANCIES AND THEY MAY HAVE STALLED SOME OF THE WORK OR IF THE, IF SOME OF THE WORK PLANS THAT THEY STARTED PUTTING IN PLACE, THEY'VE IDENTIFIED THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE A SHIFT TO MAKE A BETTER IMPACT.
ANOTHER WAY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INFORMING, UM, YOU AS A COUNCIL IN THE COMMUNITY IS THE CREATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN DASHBOARD.
THIS IS A CENTRALIZED, UM, REPORTING AND, UM, UM, UM, INFORMATION SHARING MECHANISM THAT WE ARE USING.
IT'S, IT IS A COMP COMPREHENSIVE DASHBOARD.
WE ANTICIPATE, UM, BEING ABLE TO, TO, UH, SHOW YOU ALL THIS AND, AND MAKE IT GO LIVE MID-JUNE.
SO IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, WE ARE GONNA BE SENDING YOU ALL SOME COMMUNICATION ONCE WE'RE READY FOR IT TO GO LIVE.
UM, BUT IT IS COMPREHENSIVE IN THAT IT SHOWS THE STRATEGIC PLAN MEASURES.
IT ALSO INCLUDES THE CITY MANAGER'S ANNUAL GOALS AND THE, UM, PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING ON THAT, AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT WIDE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS.
SO MORE OF THE OPERATIONAL MEASURES THAT DEPARTMENTS, UM, REALLY, UH, REPORT ON, ON A QUARTERLY OR ANNUALLY BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE SHOWING WHAT PROGRESS THEY'RE MAKING.
OPERATIONALLY IT IS AN INTERACTIVE WEBSITE WHERE, WHERE YOU WILL HAVE A, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DYNAMICS OR INTERACTIVE, UM, COMPONENTS WHERE WHETHER IT'S MAPS OR CHARTS OR THINGS THAT CAN HELP TELL THE FULL STORY OF THE MEASURE THAT WE ARE REPORTING NOW OR THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING IN THE PLAN.
AND THIS RIGHT HERE IS JUST SCREENSHOTS OF, UH, THE COMING, FORTHCOMING, UH, DASHBOARD AS YOU, AS YOU CAN SEE.
[03:25:01]
YOU A LINK ONCE WE HAVE IT, MAKE IT GO LIVE.BUT IT WILL ALLOW FOR, UM, THE, THE END USER OR THE, THE STAKEHOLDER TO SEE BOTH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, THE CITY MANAGER'S GOALS, AS WELL AS KEY INDICATORS AS I MENTIONED.
BUT IT ALSO WILL ALLOW FOR STORYTELLING OF WHAT THESE MEASURES MEAN, THE PROGRESS THAT IS MADE AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAVING ON, ON THE OVERALL STRATEGIC PLAN.
I THINK MY CLICKER STOPPED WORKING.
UM, AND SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE SO FAR AND OUR PROJECTIONS ARE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROJECTED WORK WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON, UM, NOT ONLY THE WORKSHOPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TEAMS ACROSS THE CITY HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO MOVE THE WORK FORWARD.
BUT ALSO WE ARE, UM, PROVIDING QUARTERLY UPDATES, QUARTERLY REPORTS TO, UH, THE CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM.
AND AS WE, UM, IMPLEMENT AND PUSH OUT THE DASHBOARD, WE'LL, IT WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE UPDATES TO, AGAIN, STAKEHOLDERS ON THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE.
YOU WILL SEE UPDATES TO THE PLAN, UM, IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS.
SO THESE CHANGES THAT, THAT THE TEAMS HAVE BEEN ON, WE WILL PROVIDE THAT IN, UM, THE UPCOMING BUDGET DOCUMENT ALONG WITH THE, UM, JUSTIFICATION FOR THOSE CHANGES.
SO IT WON'T JUST BE NEW INFORMATION.
IT WILL, WE WILL SAY WHY, UM, THE, A MEASURE MAY HAVE BEEN UPDATED OR CHANGED.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH DEPARTMENT STAFF ACROSS THE, UH, CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THESE, THIS WORK AND THIS MEASURE NOT ONLY IMPACTS THE STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT IMPACTS HOW WE AND WHAT WE DO IN OUR DAILY WORK TO MOVE THE THESE AREAS FORWARD.
I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE ON THESE TEAMS. WE HAVE OVER 200 PEOPLE WORKING ON THESE GOAL ADVANCEMENT TEAMS TO HELP MOVE THIS, THIS PLAN FORWARD.
MY STAFF ON THE IN BUDGET AND ORGANIZATIONAL EXCELLENCE, THEY ARE WORKING, UM, WITH THESE TEAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WORK CONTINUES.
AND THEN MY, UH, STAFF ON, ON OUR DATA TEAM IS WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DASHBOARD IS, IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU ALL AND, UM, THE COMMUNITY BY THE, BY MID, UH, JUNE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, I, I WANTED TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF OF WHERE YOU THINK KIND OF THAT LINE IS BETWEEN POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION.
YOU KNOW, IT SEEMS LIKE THESE GOALS VERY HIGH LOFTY, UH, ASPIRATIONS, VERY MUCH FEEL LIKE THE POLICY REALM, THE, UM, THE ME OR THE STRATEGIES, YOU KNOW, HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THERE TO MEET THE, THE MEASURES VERY MUCH A A STAFF, UM, DRIVEN PROCESS.
BUT, BUT THE REASON I'M ASKING, I'M JUST, I'VE ALWAYS STRUGGLED AS IT COMES TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS WHERE'S OUR ROLE? THE COUNCIL HAS NEVER BEEN ASKED WHAT GOALS DO YOU WANT TO PUT IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN? WHAT, UH, DO YOU AGREE WITH OUR GOALS? SHOULD WE HAVE DIFFERENT GOALS? ARE WE MISSING ANY GOALS? AND I JUST, I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE HAVE ANY KIND OF IMPACT IF, IF WE FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO MAKE ANY CHANGE.
I THINK THAT, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT POLICY VERSUS IMPLEMENTATION, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE'VE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AS BEING OUR OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE, AS WE'VE HEARD FROM COUNCIL ON WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE.
AND SO THIS IS, UM, VERY SIMILAR TO HOW THE CITY IN THE PAST HAS DONE BUSINESS PLANNING OR, UM, OPERATIONALIZE ANY OF THE, UM, UM, DIRECTION THAT YOU ALL HAVE GIVEN US AS A COUNCIL.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND I'LL SAY WE, WE CALLED IT THE CITYWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN PARTIALLY, UM, BECAUSE OF MY INABILITY TO BE CREATIVE WITH A NAME FOR IT.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT WE LISTENED TO YOU ALL AS COUNCIL AND TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN WE CREATED THE PRIOR STRATEGIC PRIORITY AREAS, THESE BUCKETS OF, OF SPACES THAT YOU ALL HAVE TOLD US THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU.
WE ALSO, IN THE CREATION OF THIS PLAN AND EVEN THE GOALS WORKED WITH THE EXECUTIVE, UM, MANAGEMENT TEAM TO LOOK AT WHAT DIRECTION WE'VE RECEIVED FROM COUNCIL.
SO THINKING ABOUT THE IFCS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH YOU ALL, OR YOU KNOW, THE WORKSHOPS THAT WE'VE HAD IN PREVIOUS YEARS WITH COUNCIL.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S UH, UH, A NEXUS
[03:30:01]
BETWEEN THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU'VE SET AND THE POLICIES THAT YOU'VE SET WITH US.THEN ESTABLISHING BASED ON THESE PO THESE POLICIES, HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT THOSE POLICIES IN A MEANINGFUL WAY? AND, AND SO THAT'S WHERE I THINK THE, THE DIFFERENCES IN THE, THE, UM, POLICY VERSUS OPERATIONALIZING SIMILAR TO THE CITY MANAGER HAVING HIS ANNUALIZED GOALS.
THESE, THESE STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS ARE BASED ON LISTENING TO THE DIRECTION THAT WE'VE HAD FROM YOU ALL.
AND THEN IT GETS FURTHER INTO OPERATIONALIZING THAT IN THE WORK THAT THE STAFF IS DOING TO WHETHER IT'S CREATING MEASURES THAT THEY CAN, UM, STAND BEHIND AND MEASURE OR THE WORK PLANS AND STRATEGIES THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN PLACE IN THEIR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS.
SO LIKE I THINK ABOUT WHEN WE WENT TO DENVER AND VISITED ON THEIR HOMELESSNESS, UM, PROGRAMS, ONE OF THE BIG INITIATIVES THEY LAUNCHED WAS THEY WERE GOING TO BRING A THOUSAND PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND, UH, INDOORS OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE DECIDED WE WANTED TO DO, WE WANT TO BRING A A THOUSAND PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS.
WOULD THAT BE INCORPORATED HERE? WOULD THAT BE A GOAL? WOULD THAT BE A MEASURE? WOULD THAT EVEN MAKE IT INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN? IT DEFINITELY WOULD.
SO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN, IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT.
AND AS WE GET DIRECTION FROM YOU ALL, AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO MAKE UPDATES AND CHANGES TO THAT.
UM, WE WILL GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, AND BASED ON THAT, IF THAT EXAMPLE, IF THAT, IF COUNCIL CAME TO US AND SAID WE WANTED THAT TO BE ADDED OR INCREASED.
SO WE WOULD GO BACK TO STAFF AND SAY, HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THIS? HOW DO WE UPDATE THE PLAN TO INCORPORATE THAT? AND YOU WOULD SEE IT IN THE FOLLOWING BUDGET DOCUMENT.
IF YOU TELL ME TODAY THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, YOU WON'T SEE IT IN DEC IN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 1.
BUT WE WILL INCORPORATE IN THE COMING DOCUMENTS AS WE UPDATE THE, UH, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO MOVE THE PRIORITIES FORWARD.
AND THEN PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, DO YOU ASK DEPARTMENTS OR SOMEHOW TIE THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO, UM, BUDGET REQUESTS? SO FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT, UM, PERCENTAGE OF PERSONS WHO ENGAGE WITH CITY FUNDED HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PROGRAMS AND DO NOT EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS.
WE HAVE A A PERCENTAGE NUMBER ON THAT, RIGHT? MM-HMM
DO, WHEN THE HOMELESS STRATEGY OFFICE COMES TO YOU, DO THEY HAVE TO SAY, WE THINK THESE PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE THIS MEASURE? OR HOW, HOW ARE THE BUDGET REQUESTS AND, AND BUDGET DEVELOPMENT LINKED TO THE ACTUAL STRATEGIC PLAN? SO WE'RE DOING IT IN STAGES.
SO IN THIS YEAR FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, WE DID ASK IN, IN YOUR REQUEST, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE, THE, UM, STRATEGIC PLAN? WHAT GOAL OR MEASURE WOULD IT IMPACT AND HOW WOULD IT IMPACT? AND SO THAT'S SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
I DO BELIEVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THERE'LL BE MORE REFINEMENT IN HOW WE INCORPORATE THE PLAN INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, AND THIS YEAR AS, AS WE'VE HAD A LOT, SO WE STARTED, AS YOU KNOW, WE STARTED WORKING ON THIS PLAN IN, UM, FISCAL YEAR 23.
AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE IN, IN STAFFING AND, AND AS WE LOOK TO REFINE THE WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MEASURE, THERE ARE STILL THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN TWEAKING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
BUT AS WE GET THAT FINALIZED AND WE START INCORPORATING THAT IN THE CONVERSATIONS, IT WILL BE A TIE BACK TO THIS WILL IMPACT, YOU KNOW, X MEASURE BY THIS AMOUNT AND WE THINK THESE RESOURCES ARE NEEDED, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, EVEN IN IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN, IT MAY NOT BE JUST NEW RESOURCES.
WE'LL LOOK AT HOW CAN WE REAPPROPRIATE RESOURCES, HOW CAN WE BE CREATIVE IN IMPLEMENTING THE PLAN THAT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY, UM, INDICATE THAT THERE WILL BE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ADDED.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE AN UPDATE ON THIS.
UM, I HAD A QUESTION, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS RHETORICAL OR SOMETHING THAT YOU MAY HAVE A SPECIFIC ANSWER TO, BUT IN PREVIOUS WAYS THAT WE HAVE DONE STRATEGIC PLANNING, UM, THERE WERE SOME METRICS THAT JUST HAD TO BE IDENTIFIED BASED ON, UM, THESE ARE UPDATED ANNUALLY, THESE ARE PART OF THE AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY VERSUS US USING OUR OWN INTERNAL METRICS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT CONVERSATION'S PLAYING OUT IN THIS PLAN? YES.
SO OUR, OUR CURRENT MEASURES, WE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE MEASURES THAT WE, UM, COULD REPORT ON AND COULD RELY ON DATA THAT WE HAD ACCESS TO.
AND SO, UM, A LOT OF THE PREVIOUS PLANS, MEASURES WERE COMMUNITY INDICATORS OR, OR MEASURES THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE DIRECT, UM, UM, INPUT ON.
AND SO WE WANTED TO MAKE THAT SHIFT.
UM, THAT WAS SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT IN THE AUDITOR'S, UH, REPORT THAT WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE CREATED MEASURES THAT STAFF HAD INFLUENCE ON AND STAFF COULD, UM, REALLY
[03:35:01]
MAKE SURE WE COULD, UM, GATHER THE INFORMATION AND REPORT THE DATA AND NOT RELY ON OUTSIDE ENTITIES.AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WORKED ON FOR THIS CURRENT PLAN.
'CAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE HAD DONE SOME WORK ON THIS IN 2019, OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING CHANGED IN 2020 AND A LOT OF THE DATA CRUNCHERS WERE REASSIGNED INTO MM-HMM
UM, PANDEMIC REPORTING AND, AND OTHER THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND SO I THINK WE, UM, HAD A HARDER TIME BEING ABLE TO GAUGE OUR SUCCESS WHEN WE WERE RELYING ON METRICS THAT WE HAD NO CONTROL OVER OR PEOPLE INPUTTING DATA AND THEY DON'T WORK FOR THE CITY AND SO WE DON'T DIRECT THEIR USE OF TIME.
AND THEN, UH, THIS IS PROBABLY VERY CLOSE TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER ALTER HAD SAID, BUT I WAS ALSO GONNA ASK A LINE ABOUT ADVISING THE BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS.
IS THE INTENT THAT YEAR OVER YEAR WE MIGHT LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, THESE WERE, UM, THESE ARE METRICS, WE'RE NOT HITTING THE MARK, WE NEED TO INVEST MORE MONEY OR SHOULD WE RECALIBRATE OUR METRICS? UM, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THIS INFORMS OR HOW THIS IS ADJUSTED BEFORE AND AFTER A BUDGET ADOPTION? SURE.
SO MY GOAL IS TO COME BACK TO THE, THIS COUNCIL, UM, AT LEAST ON THE ANNUAL BASIS AND, AND SHOW THE, THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE PLAN AND WHETHER THAT, SO FOR EXAMPLE, AFTER WE END FISCAL YEAR 25, POTENTIALLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME BACK IN, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST QUARTER OR SECOND QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 26 AND SAY, THESE ARE THE MEASURES, THIS IS THE PROGRESS WE MADE, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE STILL LAGGING.
UM, AND GIVE YOU ALL AN UPDATE SO THAT AS WE START THINKING THROUGH THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR OR THE NEXT BUDGET, YOU ALL HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHERE, WHERE THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
UM, I THINK, I THINK THE OTHER PART IS JUST HAVING THE CONVERSATION AND ALLOWING FOR, UM, STAFF TO RECOGNIZE THAT, OH, WE TRIED THIS STRATEGY, WE TRIED THIS WORK PLAN AND IT DIDN'T WORK FOR X, Y, AND Z.
AND SO WE MAY NEED TO SHIFT THAT.
AND SO IT MAY NOT BE NEW RESOURCES.
MAYBE WE NEED TO ADDRESS IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY IN ORDER TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
AND SO THOSE ARE ALL THE DYNAMICS THAT WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO BRING TO YOU ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THERE MAY BE SOME, UH, METRICS THAT OVER THE YEARS WE START TO SAY, IS THIS THE RIGHT WAY TO CALCULATE THIS SUCCESS? WHICH IS WHERE I THINK THE SLIDE AROUND THE ORIGINAL AND THE, AND THE RE WHAT DID YOU CALL IT, REFINED VERSIONS OF THOSE METRICS COMES INTO PLAY IS YES, WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY GETTING AT AND CORRECT, MAYBE WE COULD CRUNCH NUMBERS ABOUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH PARKLAND WE'VE ACQUIRED, BUT THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THE FOLLOW-UP CONVERSATION OF, OKAY, BUT HOW WELL IS IT MAINTAINED AND HOW QUICKLY ARE WE ACTIVATING IT FOR NEIGHBORS AND TAKING CARE OF BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE LAND FOR THE, THE SPOTS THAT WE'RE PURCHASING.
UM, AND I'LL END ON JUST, UM, ANOTHER ANECDOTE ABOUT COUNCIL PRIORITIES.
I KNOW THAT IS GOING TO BE A STRUGGLE FOR ANY BIG CITY TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ALL THE FOLKS ON STAFF FEEL SUPPORTED IN IMPLEMENTING AND EXECUTING THE INITIATIVES THAT WE SET FORTH DOING.
I REMEMBER IN 2019, UM, I CAME IN AT THE VERY END.
SO THE PREVIOUS STRATEGIC PLAN ONLY HAD MOBILITY LEFT.
SO ME AND COUNCIL MEMBER HOPPER MADISON GOT A CRASH COURSE IN TRYING TO SET PRIORITIES AS VERY NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, AND I REMEMBER THIS EXERCISE THAT, THAT WE WERE GIVEN THAT SAID, IF YOU HAVE X NUMBER OF POINTS AND YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE METRICS ACROSS ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS OF EXPERTISE, WHICH ONES ARE YOUR PRIORITIES? AND I WENT THROUGH AND, YOU KNOW, REALLY FINE TUNED WHICH ONE GETS A ONE AND A TWO AND A THREE AND HOW DO I PRIORITIZE IT? AND THEN I HAD LEARNED THAT OTHER FOLKS ALONG THE WAY HAD JUST SAID, I'M GONNA PUT 25 POINTS IN THIS ONE THAT I LOVE AND 25 POINTS IN THAT ONE THAT I LOVE.
AND SO IT KIND OF SKEWED THE BALANCE AND I THINK IT MAY HAVE GIVEN STAFF A BIG QUESTION MARK OF HOW DO WE INTERPRET THIS AND HOW DO WE SET PRIORITIES WHEN SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY HAVE A TON AND SOME MAY HAVE VERY LIMITED PRIORITIES THAT THEY GO VERY DEEP ON.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE PROCESS IS HOW DO WE ENGAGE WITH, WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND HOW DO WE, UM, HELP MAKE SURE THAT THE PRIORITIES OF COUNCIL AND OUR DISTRICTS ARE, UM, GETTING THE, THE SERVICES THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR.
COUNCIL MEMBER, COLLEAGUES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER UCHIN.
THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
UM, SO JUST A QUICK QUESTION, AND I THINK IT HAS TO DO, MAYBE IT'S A CONTINUATION OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS'S QUESTION AS WE RECOGNIZE THE DOCUMENT IS LIVING AND BREATHING AS WE SEE THE SHIFTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
UM, YOU GUYS MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT I'M, I'VE BEEN ANTI IFC
AND SO I'M TRYING TO MEASURE WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO INTRODUCE THOSE SHIFTS AS WE START TO SEE DYNAMICS SHIFT IN OUR DISTRICTS.
'CAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE DYNAMICS IN DISTRICT ONE FROM A BUDGET CONSIDERATION PERSPECTIVE ARE COMPLETELY
[03:40:01]
DIFFERENT IN 25 THAN THEY WERE IN 19 OR IN 22 OR IN, YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING? SO AS THINGS SHIFT, HOW DO WE SORT OF KEEP Y'ALL ABREAST TO THE, THE FINGER OF THE PULSE OF OUR COMMUNITY? I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS AS WE DO BRIEFINGS, AS WE, AND YOU KNOW, IF AS WE COME AROUND AND MAYBE BEGIN THOSE ANNUAL CONVERSATIONS WHERE WE SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, THIS IS, THIS IS THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PLAN, THERE COULD BE A PART TWO OF THAT WHERE YOU ALL THEN SAY, OKAY, WE KNOW THESE THINGS WERE IMPORTANT WHEN WE CREATED THIS PART OF THE PLAN.BUT WE WANNA HAVE DISCUSSION ON WHAT SHIFTS WE CAN MAKE.
I THINK THOSE ONGOING DIALOGUES WILL HELP, UM, AND, AND WILL HELP INFORM US WHAT, WHAT, UH, ADJUSTMENTS OR EDITS ARE REFINEMENTS WE NEED TO MAKE IN THE PLAN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME TO MIND WAS WHEN WE WENT TO THE COLONY PARK GRAND OPENING RECENTLY, WE HAD BEEN SO LONG TRYING TO GET THE AQUATICS FEATURE THAT WE DIDN'T CONSIDER SOME OF THE ANCILLARY CONSIDERATIONS MM-HMM
AND SO HALF OF THE KIDS AT THE POOL DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM MM-HMM
AND WE HADN'T TALKED ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE TO DO SOME REDUCED COSTS, SWIM LESSONS AND OR POOL SAFETY AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
AND IT HADN'T OCCURRED TO ME UNTIL I OVERHEARD THE CONVERSATION, WHICH MEANS MAYBE SOME OF THE SHIFT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE APPARATUS, WE HAVE THE POOL, BUT NOW WE NEED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN USE IT SAFELY.
BUT THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT.
JUST HAVE A SIMPLE QUESTION REGARDING, UH, HOW GRANULAR ARE SOME OF THE MEASUREMENTS THAT WE'RE GONNA GET OR IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO GO BACK AND LOOK THROUGH PRIOR REPORTS AND GET A SENSE OF THAT? I'M THINKING OF LIKE THE PERFORMANCE AUDIT THAT WE HAD THAT HAD SOME PERFORMANCE METRICS IN IT MM-HMM
THAT I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED THAT WE WERE MEASURING AND WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
UH, AND JUST TO SORT OF AS AN ADDEND WITH THAT QUESTION, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE THINK WOULD BE VALUABLE PER COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS'S QUESTIONS ABOUT SORT OF THIS LEADING INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN REQUEST THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL MAYBE TO NOT JUST ME, BUT OTHERS TO INCLUDE IN THIS AS PART OF THINGS THAT WE'RE MEASURING TO INFORM OUR DECISIONS.
SO, UM, HOW GRANULAR, SO THE, THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS, UM, WE REALLY TRY TO MAKE IT A OVERARCHING KIND OF COLLABORATIVE CROSS DEPARTMENTAL MEASURES.
AND SO THOSE, THOSE ARE REALLY A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
THERE IS WORK THAT IS BEING DONE, UM, THAT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULAR IN THE STRATEGIES AND THE WORK PLAN.
YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE CURRENT MEASURES, UM, IN THE BUDGET, IN THE FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET DOCUMENT AND ON THE FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY WEBSITE.
BUT I CAN SEND YOU THOSE, THOSE LINKS SO YOU CAN SEE THE CURRENT.
UM, WE WILL MAKE THE UPDATES TO THE PLAN IN, AND YOU'LL SEE THOSE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND WHEN WE, UM, GO LIVE ON THE DASHBOARD, YOU CAN SEE THE, THE MEASURES AT THAT POINT.
UM, BUT THERE ARE ALSO, UM, DEPARTMENTAL KPIS THAT ARE OPERAT MORE OPERATIONAL.
SO THOSE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULAR IN, UM, IDENTIFYING THE WORK THAT DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING DAILY AND SHOWING THE PROGRESS ON THAT WORK.
THE, THE PLAN MEASURES, THE STRATEGIC PLAN MEASURES ARE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER LEVEL THAN THAT WORK.
I'LL GO LOOK AT THOSE THREE ITEMS OR OBVIOUSLY TWO AND THEN I'LL WAIT FOR THE DASHBOARD.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THIS IS THE LAST BRIEFING ON TODAY'S AGENDA.
WE THANK YOU MS. LANG, FOR YOUR BRIEFING AND PRESENTATION.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AND WITHOUT OBJECTIONS.
IT IS 1:16 PM AND WE ADJOURN OUR WORK SESSION.