[Last update: 3 March 2001]

Questions about the Austin Police Department's Crowd Management Team

  • Who controls the Austin Police Department's Crowd Management Team?
  • Who decides when they should be deployed?
  • Does the Chief of Police have the last word?
  • Must he consult with the Mayor?
  • Do City Council members have any say in the matter?
  • When was the current Crowd Management Team formed?
  • What is its stated mission?
  • Who authorized the purchase of non-lethal weapons?
  • Did the police department make this decision on its own?
  • Did the police consult the City Manageršs office?
  • Did they consult the Mayor?
  • Who suggested that non-lethal weapons be purchased?
  • What is the genesis of this idea?
  • Did the Austin Police Department think of this on their own?
  • Did some other body make this suggestion to them?
  • Under what budget provision was the Crowd Management Team funded?
  • Did City Council approve this aspect of the budget?
  • Did City Council even know non-lethal weapons would be purchased?
  • Were special federal or state funds used to purchase Crowd Control equipment?
  • Does the Crowd Management Team have written procedures and policies?
  • Has anyone in City government outside the police department seen these?
  • Are there specific procedures for the use of foam batons, rubber bullets, and pepper spray?
  • Who evaluates whether police procedures are followed?
  • Why was the Crowd Management Team deployed on Oct. 13, 2001, during a peaceful march?
  • What informed APD's decision to bring out force on that day?
  • Did the police have "intelligence" that Oct. 13 would be violent?
  • How are the police gathering intelligence on political activity in Austin?
  • Do they get assistance from federal and state agencies?
  • What other collaboration and cooperation concerning political protest exists?
  • What does the police department do with video and photographs they take of protests?
  • Does the police department keep these photographs on file?
  • How do they use these photographs?
  • If these photographs are not part of ongoing criminal investigations, are they public record?
  • What can we do with photographs of plainclothes police who have monitored protests and meetings?
  • Can we take them to APD to identify them and find out under which division they work?
  • Does the Austin police department engage in tapping telephones?
  • Does the Austin police department engage in monitoring email communication?
  • Which division of the police department is responsible for monitoring political activity?
  • What authority does the police department have to monitor peaceful political activity?
  • Does the Mayors Office or City Manager know anything about this?
  • Do federal or state agencies supply information about political activity to the local police?
  • Does the Austin police department supply information about legal, peaceful, political activity of Austin citizens to federal or state agencies?

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