Posting Language
Title
Authorize negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with Travis County for booking and related services at the Travis County Central Booking Facility from February 1, 2025, through September 30, 2025, for a total agreement amount not to exceed $7,191,323. Funding: $7,191,323 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Austin Police Department Operating Budget.
De
Lead Department
Austin Police Department.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $7,191,323 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Austin Police Department Operating Budget. The total cost for this agreement, in addition to the current contract that expires on January 31, 2025, will be $10,690,582.
Due to the City’s reduced responsibility to provide magistration services under this agreement, the City anticipates cost savings that will keep the total cost within or near the total amount budgeted for this agreement. Staff will closely monitor costs associated with this agreement.
Prior Council Action:
September 26, 2024 - Council authorized negotiation and execution of a four-month interlocal agreement that will expire on January 31, 2025 (Item No 113 - approved on consent).
For More Information:
Robin J. Henderson, Chief of Staff, Austin Police Department, (512) 974-5030.
Additional Backup Information:
The Travis County Sheriff’s Office operates the Central Booking Facility at the Travis County Criminal Justice Center located at 500 West 10th Street. The Central Booking Facility is the location where persons arrested by the Austin Police Department and other State and local law enforcement agencies are taken upon arrest for booking, identification, magistration, and other services. For many years, the City and Travis County have shared the costs of operating the Central Booking Facility through an interlocal agreement. As part of this arrangement, judges of the Austin Municipal Court have conducted the magistrations of arrested persons at the Central Booking Facility under authority provided in State law.
In connection with the Counsel-at-First-Appearance program, Travis County announced in September 2024 that it intends to hire additional staff and magistrates to perform the magistrations at the Central Booking Facility. The parties entered the current four-month agreement following that announcement so they could negotiate an agreement that factors in the County’s performance of magistration services.
Under the proposed eight-month agreement, the City and County have agreed upon a schedule for the County to phase in its magistration services over the next eight months, while the City phases out its performance of magistration services. County personnel will take over all magistration duties at the Central Booking Facility on October 1, 2025, immediately after the expiration of this agreement.
During the term of this eight-month agreement, the City and County will work towards negotiating a longer-term agreement for services at the Central Booking Facility.
If approved by Council, this eight-month agreement will be presented to the Travis County Commissioners Court for approval. For the period covered by this agreement, the parties have agreed to a total cost of $7,191,323 as the City’s contribution to the costs of operating the Central Booking Facility for eight months.