Description
Title: Briefing on partnership between Austin Police and community violence prevention programs. [Lisa Davis, Chief of Police - Austin Police; Michelle Myles, Manager - Austin Office of Violence Prevention; Eddie Franz, Director; Sean Oliver, Community Coordinator - ATX peace]
Summary
The City of Austin's report, "How Austin Became Safer: Community Partnerships and the Decline in Violent Crime," outlines a noteworthy decrease in violent crime from 2021 to 2025, specifically in homicide and aggravated assault rates. This decline is attributed to the effectiveness of Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs, which are resident-driven initiatives that utilize community members to mitigate violence through conflict mediation, victim support, and resource connections. Areas served by CVI programs saw more significant reductions in crime compared to those without such initiatives. The report emphasizes the importance of sustained funding for these programs, as current financial support is set to expire, threatening future safety improvements. The findings highlight a community preference for locally rooted solutions to enhance public safety and