AUSTIN, Texas — Proposition A, an ordinance designed to increase police oversight and "encourage accountability," passed resoundingly in Saturday election, with 79% of the expected vote favoring its passage.
Prop A was frequently mentioned alongside Proposition B, a similar ordinance that more broadly called for strengthened oversight.
Prop A was put on the ballot as result of an effort from Equity Action, a criminal justice reform group. Prop B made it to the ballot by Voters for Oversight and Police Accountability, a political action committee almost entirely funded by the Austin Police Association.
The main difference between the two was the goal of the ordinances. Prop A aimed to "deter police misconduct and brutality" by strengthening the City's police oversight. Prop B more broadly just sought to strengthen police oversight.
Prop B fell way short in its effort Saturday, with an astounding 80% of the expected vote against its passage.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson released the following statement in response to the results:
"The Austin City Council did not adopt the four-year police contract in February primarily because we wanted to protect the right of voters to be heard on police oversight. With the passage of Proposition A, my hope is that we can now get to back to work negotiating a new four-year contract with the police association with the aim of bringing some stability to the seriously understaffed and overworked Austin Police Department.
That said, this already complex situation has been further complicated by two factors: pending legislation at the Texas Capitol that would impact provisions just approved by voters; and a provision in Prop. A that, ironically, could lead to the people of Austin having less oversight over their police department than we had under the expired contract and less than if we had adopted the four-year contract, if the union does not agree to certain Prop. A provisions.
As I’ve said before, this deeply felt conversation about public safety and policing in our community has raised a lot of challenging questions and absolutely no easy answers. But we’ll keep talking in the hope of finding some common-sense solutions that serve all our community. That includes the sort of actions we have already taken such as protecting officers’ salaries and retirement and creating incentives for recruitment and retention."
Equity Action, the group that advocated for Prop A, claimed victory Saturday as it became clear that voters across Austin overwhelmingly favored Prop A over Prop B.
The ballot language for both props – which would handle how the City moves forward with police misconduct – was very similar, although it differed in some ways.
Prop A involves more civilian input in matters of police oversight, while Prop B was less robust.
Members of the criminal justice reform group gathered at Lustre Pearl East in East Austin as poll numbers came in.
Equity Action's board president, Chris Harris, mentioned this fight for the city all began with the first police union contract and overtime. He, along with members of his group, decided it was time to take the issue to the voters.
“This the only thing on the ballot for almost everyone in the city, and we look forward to the City of Austin implementing as much of Prop A as they can, as swiftly as they can,” Harris said.
“Hopefully, this is a new day for police oversight and transparency in the city, that that people that have been harmed by, you know, people who are work for our city will now have some opportunity at justice and to ensure that people who abuse the immense powers of policing won't necessarily get to keep those powers,” Harris added.
Some Austin City Council members joined Equity Action at the watch party in support of Prop A.
Councilmember Zohaib “Zo” Qadri (District 9) said he hopes the election results can bring the police union back to the table to negotiate a new contract with the city.
“I think it just speaks to the voters and the city and the constituents who want to see real oversight and accountability,” Qadri said. “We want to approach a long-term contract in good faith because it's the right thing to do. It's the right thing to do by our officers. It's the right thing to do by our constituents. And what ultimately makes us in a safe city."
The Austin Police Association also released a statement on the election results:
"The Austin Police Association is aware of the election results and is taking immediate action to determine the city's intentions regarding the implementation and enforcement of the illegal provisions contained in Prop A.
The APA simply will not stand by while this city and anti-police activists operate with blatant disregard for state law and the rights and protections afforded to our hardworking men and women.
The APA continues to prioritize negotiating a long-term contract; however, we will not be forced back to the table under a structure in which a new city ordinance attempts to unlawfully interfere with the statutory rights associated with the meet and confer process.
We look forward to finding these answers so that we can get back under a long-term contract that allows for our police department to recruit, hire and retain the best and brightest people who wish to serve this community in a law enforcement capacity."
The last labor union police contract lapsed earlier this spring, and the City approved a one-year long, stop-gap agreement in order to keep officers’ benefits while the City worked on a new contract for Austin police officers.
Prop A's passing means a City ordinance will be enacted called the "Austin Police Oversight Act." The ordinance will dictate the role and powers of the Office of Police Oversight and the Community Police Review Commission, and require the office to make disciplinary recommendations to the police chief after an investigation of officer conduct.
For a more detailed review of the two propositions, and what Proposition A's passing means, click the guide here.