ALISON HAS

Improved Public Safety

• Fortifying Austin’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS): Improved our emergency health response by adding 2 ambulances and 46 medics and support staff for EMS, and by creating the Office of the Chief Medical Officer to expand access to physician services and improve clinical oversight.

• Wildfire Prevention: Actively pushed to accelerate wildfire prevention efforts, increased the wildfire division’s budget and wildfire related investments by AW, AE, and PARD, adopted the Wildland Urban Interface Code (WUI code), and secured commitments for a new fire station in the Davenport area.

• More Transparency, More Accountability: Led the 2018 police contract reform that resulted in greater police accountability and fiscal sustainability and shepherded the creation of the Office of Police Oversight. In the most recent City budget, Alison successfully increased funding for the Office of Police Oversight and the Equity Office.

• Investing in Prevention: Advanced transformational changes to Austin’s public safety system to create a safer Austin for everyone, regardless of race or ZIP code. These actions will increase funding for addressing homelessness, substance use, mental health issues, violence prevention, and workforce development.

• Restructuring Austin’s Response System: Pushed for a modernized triage system that sends the best professional to each call. This includes utilizing mental health experts for more nonviolent calls for service, code enforcement for complaints like noise violations or illegally parked cars, and EMS for medical calls. Restructuring our response system will reduce the reliance on police for every call and will better ensure the community receives the service they need.

See also Alison’s work to improve our sexual assault response system and to prevent gun violence.