Community police review commission seeks feedback on APD use of force

The Community Police Review Commission (CPRC) will host the 8 Can’t Wait Town Hall focusing on the national “8 Can’t Wait” campaign on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, from 6–7:30 p.m. The town hall will be held virtually on Zoom and is open to the public to attend.

“We want to hear directly from community members about their experiences and get their feedback on proposals to make policing safer for everyone,” said CPRC chair Amani Seay.

The event will be an opportunity for the community to learn more about how the City of Austin is addressing public safety and provide feedback on the Austin Police Department’s Use-of-Force Policies.

“In the wake of recent officer-involved shootings, the questions about when and how Austin police officers use force have never been more important,” said Commissioner Sukyi McMahon.

The 8 Can’t Wait campaign is part of a national movement to reduce police brutality. In January 2021, the City of Austin Office of Police Oversight (OPO) released a review of the 8 Can’t Wait recommendations as a starting point to recommend changes to APD policies.

The town hall hosted by the Community Police Review Commission will build from OPO’s recommendations by facilitating community feedback.

At the 8 Can’t Wait Townhall, the community will: 

• Receive a presentation from a Campaign Zero representative
• Learn about  OPO’s preliminary analysis on how APD policy matches up to “8 Can’t Wait” policy model. 
• Participate in a facilitated discussion and provide feedback on Austin Police Department’s Use-of-force policies

To RSVP for the 8 Can’t Wait Town Hall, visit atxpolicecommission.org.