Abbott Send More State Troopers to Austin After Partnership Suspended

[#TexasPolitics365]

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday said he was sending 30 additional state troopers to Austin after city officials, with the blessing of Mayor Kirk Watson, suspended its partnership over a controversial traffic stop. 

The Republican governor said he had deployed 30 additional Texas Department of Public Safety troopers "to protect and serve the city of Austin." 

The latest deployment, Abbott noted, brings the number of state troopers in Austin to 130.

(Full story HERE.)
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Abbott Launches "Street Takeover" Taskforce

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On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced the launch of a statewide “street takeover task force” to address a rising trend of destructive and disruptive car demonstrations that have blocked streets and threatened public safety in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston in recent weeks.

Videos of the chaos have gone viral on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook.

(Full story HERE.)
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Abbott Unleashes $355 Million In Public Safety Grants

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Governor Greg Abbott has announced that his Public Safety Office (PSO) will administer more than $355 million in grant funding for a variety of public safety programs and services in Texas, including victims services, anti-human trafficking efforts, and law enforcement support. This grant funding is made possible through a combination of federal and state dollars.

(Full story HERE.)
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Texas House Report Blames Uvalde Police, State Agencies For Slow Uvalse Follow-Up During School Shooting

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Nearly 400 local, state and federal law enforcement officers were at the scene on May 24, including 91 state troopers, the Texas House investigative report said, and none took initiative to lead the response. The school district police chief, Pedro “Pete” Arredondo, wrote its active shooter response plan and assigned himself as incident commander, but did not follow the protocol he had set up, the report said. 

The report, however, cast a broader net of blame at “the entirety of law enforcement ... on that tragic day.” Nineteen students and two teachers died in the attack the 18-year-old gunman, who was killed when police broke into a classroom after a long delay.

(Full story HERE (
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Rise In Austin Sex Crimes Blamed On Police Department Cuts

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47-year-old man who failed to register in the sex offender database was arrested in Austin last week after police officers caught him in the middle of a sexual act with an autistic teenager, and one expert says the city’s move to defund police has put it at the mercy of such criminals.

According to 13-year Austin police officer Justin Berry, the incident is directly related to Austin’s decision to strip funding from the police in 2020, which he says pulled resources from units that monitor and pursue convicted sex offenders. 

"When the city of Austin defunded us by a third of our budget they also cut 150 officer positions," Berry, who is running to represent Texas’s 19th House District, told Fox News Digital on Wednesday.

(Full story HERE.)
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Among New 2022 Texas State Laws: Protecting Police Budgets

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Twenty-three new Texas laws have officially gone into effect as of New Year’s Day 2022, among them is a bill that is designed to protect police budgets from being cut as part of the "defund the police" movement.

Republican authors say Senate Bill 23 intends to fight against cities and counties trying to change police budgets.

The Republican-led effort to protect police department’s from budget cuts is a direct response to the Austin City Council’s decision to "reimagine" the police budget, or reallocate services out of police control.

The legislation was a direct response to Progressive efforts to "defund the police." Crime has risen in Austin as a direct result of the cuts, Republicans assert.

(Full story HERE.)
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Williamson County Reaches Settlement In Live PDF Case

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Williamson County commissioners signed off on a settlement Tuesday with a man injured by deputies during an arrest broadcasted on the now defunct “Live PD” television show.

Williamson County commissioners confirmed a $325,000 settlement with Ramsey Mitchell.

In a June 2019 broadcast, records show Mitchell’s car was stopped for “no front license plate.”

During the stop, while he was being patted down, Mitchell turned to run.

(Full story here.)
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"Police Accountability" Proposition Fails In San Antonio

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A charter amendment that would have stripped San Antonio's police union of its right to collectively bargain with the city, was defeated by a narrow margin Saturday.

About 51 percent of voters opposed Prop. B, with 49 percent supporting it, according to the final tally.

Voters’ rejection of Prop. B notched a significant victory for the San Antonio Police Officers Association, which first gained collective bargaining in 1974. It and the city are in midst of negotiating a new contract.

Opponents framed the proposition as a way to "hold police accountable."

(Full story here.)
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#Texas Senate Passes Bill That Penalizes Cities That Defund Police Departments

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Gaining stronger than expected Democratic support, the Texas Senate has approved a Republican priority bill that would penalize cities and counties that cut spending on police.

Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, said Tuesday that her bill was intended to promote public safety and show support for law enforcement amid calls to defund police during last year's protests over police brutality after George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis officer in May. Groups like Black Lives Matter and ANTIFA have championed the "Defund the Police" efforts in that city and elsewhere.

The Democrat-controlled Austin City Council last year partially defunded their police department, by cutting nearly a third of its budget.

(Full story here.)
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Fort Worth Legislator Wants Police To Take "Implicit Bias" Course

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Fort Worth Democratic state legislator Nicole Collier is proposing a bill that would require police officers in Texas to take a course in implicit bias within two years of their licensure.

According to the language of House Bill 312, the course, which would be developed by the Department of Education, would include four hours of classroom instruction that would, "critically examine common stereotypes and cultural assumptions often held by communities and officers who serve those communities. 

It would further, "examine a training program participant’s perception of other individuals, other individuals' perception of the participant, and the impact those perceptions have on officer effectiveness and safety."

The Fort Worth lawyer's bill defines "implicit bias" as, "thoughts and feelings about social groups that can influence the individual's perceptions, decisions, and actions."

While committee assignments in the house have not yet been made for this session, in the last session of the legislature Collier chaired the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.

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State Takeover Of Austin Police Dept. Closer To Reality

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Monday night, Gov. Greg Abbott signaled that legislation could be on the way soon to transfer the powers of the Austin Police Department away from the city council and under the control of the Texas Department of Safety.

Abbott tweeted:

"Just in time for Christmas: The Legislative Council has sent draft language for a proposed law that would transfer control of the Austin Police Department to the Texas Department of Public Safety. One way or another we will pass a law to keep Austin safe."

The tweet from Gov. Abbott was not a surprise, reports KXAN,-TV.  

Back in September, Abbott expressed his displeasure with Austin City Council’s decision to cut $20 million from APD’s budget, in addition to transitioning $130 million out over a year. 

Abbott has vowed to pass law to defund cities that defund police departments.

APD reports a rise in several violent crimes in the city this year. The department says the murder rate increased by 55% over 2019.

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Dallas PD Gets State Assistance Amid Crime Spike After Budget Cuts

[Texas Politics 365] 

Gov. Greg Abbott is sending aid to the Dallas Police Department after they requested help following $7 million in cuts to their overtime budget by city leaders. It comes amid a spike in crime in the city, reports Breitbart.

"Abbott responded to a request from the Dallas Police Department to provide direct support in reducing violent crime, the governor’s office reported. The Texas Department of Public Safety is sending multiple resources to help the city that is currently in the midst of a spike in violent crime.

Those resources include DPS special agents, state troopers, and intelligence analysts. The additional manpower will be directed at helping support gang and drug enforcement operations."

Abbott said in a written statement: “Every Texan deserves to feel safe in their own community, and the State of Texas will continue to provide the city of Dallas with the resources they need to crack down on this heinous activity and protect Dallas residents.”

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