AUSTIN, Texas — Tuesday, May 25, marks the first anniversary of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.
Though it was not the first time the nation saw an unarmed Black man killed by a police officer, it did lead to national protests and sparked calls for police reform. In Austin specifically, the City Council voted to redistribute funding from the police department in an effort to reimagine public safety.
On Tuesday, Austin Mayor Steve Adler released the following call to action:
“Today’s anniversary poses an important question for all who watched George Floyd’s murder last year and said 'never again.' That question is – what have we done and what are we doing?
"Here in Austin, we saw record numbers of protesters and heard the pleas, especially from Black and brown parents across our city. Austin did not 'defund the police.' But we did ban chokeholds and strongholds, shooting at moving vehicles and the use of tear gas and munitions on crowds expressing First Amendment rights. We set a goal of zero racial disparity in traffic stops and use-of-force by officers.
"And we embarked on a journey to improve public safety for all by honoring and centering the peacekeeping role of our police officers. That has meant correcting cadet training in ways the police department has acknowledged were necessary and beneficial. That has meant providing greater focus on our city’s mental health challenges and accepting that our police should not be asked to be our mental health first-responders. It has meant investing in crime prevention measures like a protective shelter for women experiencing or fearing domestic violence. And with the rising tide of gun violence across the country, it has meant dynamic firearm surrender protocols to protect foreseeable targets, among other violence prevention initiatives.
"We did all of this while still maintaining police spending at high levels as compared to other Texas cities, including one of the highest-paid police forces in the state. Austin’s City Council continues to stand by its budget rider authorizing the police department to return to Council with any resource needs, especially as concerns expanding overtime opportunities.
“I’m proud to be part of a community process to re-imagine public safety for all and a community that is acting on the commitment to ensure ‘never again.’ On this anniversary of Mr. Floyd’s death, I invite each of you to join the conversation and be part of the action.”
Austin City Council Member Greg Casar also released a statement on Tuesday:
“Today, we must take a moment to mourn George Floyd’s death and support his family’s search for peace and accountability. While we’ve taken steps in Austin toward policing alternatives, there is no real justice for George Floyd. Real justice would be George Floyd being able to return to his daughter Gianna. Real justice would be never allowing this to happen again.
“Decades of over-policing, of racially disproportionate policing, of us vs. them models of police training and of mass incarceration have had devastating results. No one should be killed over a $20 bill, like George Floyd. Or over loose cigarettes like Eric Garner. Or unarmed and fleeing like Mike Ramos. Or in mental health crisis like David Joseph. That’s why 20 million people marched across the country for justice. That march must continue.”
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: