AUSTIN, Texas — After more than a year and a half, the Austin police union may finally get a contract with the city.
But before they sign off, council members heard from Austinities during a work session on Tuesday.
Austinites who signed up to speak before council addressed their concerns over the impending contract, which is set to be voted on on Oct. 24.
A bulk of those who signed up to speak asked city leaders to consider voting "no" on the contract. The reasons were the so-called G-files and the impact of the budget.
The G-files, which are personnel files of officers accused of misconduct, have caused a wedge in police contract negotiations. The problems lie with the full implementation of the Austin Police Oversight Act, the language regarding the files, and how much will get released.
The first batch of G-files were released last week.
The city has stated that the contract is in compliance with the Austin Police Oversight Act.
"I think we should be very, very careful about the language that we agreed to and make absolutely certain that the G-file is public," said District 4 Council Member Chito Vela during the work session. "I appreciate the work that y'all have put into it – the city attorney as well – but I'm comfortable with this language, that it does lock in transparency and accountability."
At previous meetings, supporters said the contract will boost staffing and recruiting for APD, which will help improve response times as well as address property crimes.