Police Council candidates make case to have impact

Seven candidates for 3 spots in 15th Distric t

By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Austin Talks

Police misconduct, random stops and improved response times are among the top issues candidates for the 15th District P olice Council promise to address on the West Side

Across the board, candidates speaking at a nonpar tisan community for um Sat., Feb. 4, pushed for accountability, trust and better relationships with the community.

“What’s happening oftentimes is that we don’t get the service that some folks in other communities may have,” Arewa Karen Winters told several do zens of West Side residents who attended the for um held at Hope Community Church.

Five of the seven candidates running for the 15th District Council par ticipated. Car melita P. Earls, Constance Melton, Deondre Rutues, Elena X. Thompson and Winters, shared their background and experience with police.

Thompson, a mom of seven, is an advocate for families impacted by the child welfare system and a criminal justice activist, working to assist residents of Humboldt Park and Austin.

Winters became a police reform activist after the