KUT
In a report released by the city auditor s office Wednesday, researchers said in the vast majority of cases where data indicated officers may need additional training or support, none was recommended.
Researchers with the city auditor s office have found that a system the Austin Police Department uses to signal when an officer may need additional support or guidance does not work, according to a report released Wednesday.
“The Austin Police Department’s early intervention system does not fulfill its mission to effectively identify officers who may need assistance and connect officers to support services,” auditors wrote.
Police departments across the U.S. employ what are called early intervention systems. These programs consider certain data points, such as how often an officer gets into a physical altercation while on the job, and then flag officers who may need additional training or counseling based on that data.
• Austin Recreation Center, 1301 Shoal Creek Blvd.
Last week, multiple city departments laid out the initial criteria for the sites. The city wants locations hosting 50 people to be 2 acres, while encampments hosting 100 people should be at least 4 acres.
City staff emphasized the list is preliminary. Some possible sites are on parkland that gets a lot of use like the Onion Creek Metropolitan, Mary Moore Seawright, Gus Garcia, Bull Creek, Patterson, Walnut Creek, Roy G. Guerrero and Palm Neighborhood parks.
Kimberly McNeeley, director of Parks and Recreation, told council the resolution that triggered the review suggested parkland could be on the table at least for the initial list.