Thread by @JewhadiTM

Austin Police Department seeing more officers leave statesman.com/news/20200810/…

The average number of officers and cadets leaving the Austin Police Department each month has more than doubled since the end of 2017 and increased by nearly 34% through mid-June compared to 2019.

The increased rate of departures has sparked concerns within the department about its ability to perform its duties as @MayorAdler @GregCasar and #ATXCouncil tee up major cuts to the police budget.

At the end of May 2019, Austin police had seen 45 officers leave, including cadets and sworn officers, whether through resignation, retirement or termination. One officer also died.

Through the end of May this year, @Austin_Police had lost 66 officers: 21 more than last year.

The department typically would rely on new cadet classes to fill gaps left by those vacant positions. But after city leaders vowed to cut portions of the department's budget —

much of which initially comes from eliminating open positions and postponing or canceling cadet classes — it's unclear how, when or if those positions will be filled.

Austin police currently have one class of cadets going through the academy, with those cadets scheduled to graduate in the fall. Another class that was scheduled for this summer has been indefinitely postponed.

Austin police Cmdr. Mark Spangler, who oversees the police academy, said the department continues to recruit for a class of cadets in the fall, but whether that class will convene is uncertain.

Austin Mayor Steve “Adder” said this past week during his State of the City address that he doesn't see how that class, scheduled for November, can go forward as planned while the city is struggling with questions over the kind of police force it wants.

Huh???

"I believe the academy curriculum lacks sufficient confidence in the community that it will move police personnel to the kind of culture and approach most desire," @MayorAdler said.

As of September, the department is expected to have about 192 vacant positions. But after the city's latest budget proposal is approved, that number would drop to 82 as the city eliminates unfilled positions.