Police Budget vs Mental Health | Austin News

After the fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Anthoneil Williams, Austin community advocates demanded the City Council keep police funding flat and redirect money to mental health services — arguing that armed officers shouldn’t be first responders in behavioral crises. But the council spent most of its budget meeting justifying a $25 million police funding increase tied to pay raises and operating costs, not new programs. Despite protests outside City Hall and calls for social services investment, legal and union contracts block meaningful cuts. With more budget talks ahead, the community insists: mental health professionals must be the front line — not police. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/bd3ef5ba05aff332