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AMENDMENT TO ITEM 20 - 911 Emergency Response

Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2021 1:16 pm
by Ann Kitchen
Colleagues

I am proposing the below amendment to Item #20 related to creation of the Emergency Communications Department. This aligns the ordinance language about the Department purposes with the intent and current practice to provide for dispatch to EMS, Fire, and Mental Health for 911 emergency calls, as well as APD.

This amendment also recognizes the budget direction we passed last August - to fully implement and make improvements for alternative response to mental health emergency calls. That initiative, Austin CARES, is in progress and I have requested a status update to Council at an upcoming work session. AustinCARES implementation will continue as directed by Council last August.

I also want to acknowledge the work of the Reimaging Austin Task Force. I will be asking staff today to analyze and bring back to Council options related to these recommendations. See pages 50 to 57 of the Report for recommendations related to 911 and Non-Police Crisis Response. Many of these reiterate and build on/improve on the work that Council contemplated with AustinCARES

Best
Ann Kitchen
City Council D5

AMENDMENT TO ITEM 20:


Motion for Amendment:
I move to amend the proposed ordinance as follows:

Line 33
ADD to end of clause: “, including options related to alternative response to mental health crisis emergency calls”

Line 51
ADD after the words “criminal justice:” “public safety” so it reads “criminal justice and public safety purposes”