Council Member Leffingwell unveils plans to consolidate Austin law enforcement agencies

Plan Would Create Single Chain of Command and Training Regimen for All Sworn Peace Officers In Austin

Austin City Council Member Lee Leffingwell will sponsor a resolution at the Austin City Council meeting Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007, calling for the city to consolidate all of its law enforcement agencies - including the Parks Police, the Airport Police, and the City Marshals - under the oversight of the Austin Police Department.

Leffingwell’s consolidation proposal includes:

• All sworn peace officers would become part of the Austin Police Department.
• Officers from outside APD would join APD at the same base salary.
• The city would reduce its full-time sworn peace officer positions by around 27 and convert most of those to civilian Park Rangers and Security Officers. (A sworn officer can carry a gun, while a civilian officer does not.)
• Officers entering APD would go through abbreviated training academies in line with their existing training and the changes in policies between APD and other departments. This would allow the city to fill vacancies more quickly with experienced officers going through shorter training classes than new recruits.

"Creating a single chain of command among all of Austin’s law enforcement officers will pay off for both the officers and the citizens," said Leffingwell. "It’s a challenging but critically important step we need to take to make sure that there are no gaps anywhere in our public safety network."

"Public safety affects all citizens, and it’s extremely important that all law enforcement officers representing the city follow the same policies, procedures, and management oversight," said George Vanderhule of the Austin Police Association, which represents APD officers. "By consolidating into one agency, we can ensure that happens. The citizens need to know that when they’re dealing with a law enforcement officer from the city, that they’re all trained alike."

If approved, Leffingwell’s consolidation proposal will guide the city as it conducts its next "meet and confer" contract negotiation with the Austin Police Association.

Contact:
Nancy Williams, Office of Council Member Lee Leffingwell, 512-974-2260