Know Your Rights Materials Update
Know Your Rights Materials Update
Austin Police Oversight is updating its Know Your Rights materials for 2026 with input from the community. Explore what we heard, how it’s shaping this work, and what’s coming next.
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Why This Matters?
In today’s world, access to accurate and trustworthy information about your rights—and what to do if they’re violated—is more important than ever. The mission of Austin Police Oversight (APO) is to provide impartial oversight of the Austin Police Department’s conduct, practices, and policies—enhancing accountability, informing the public, and building sustainable partnerships with the community.
As part of this work, APO is updating Austin’s Know Your Rights (KYR) materials for 2026. These resources are designed to support Austin residents with clear, practical and culturally relevant information about police encounters.
Grounded in Community Experience
To guide this update, APO conducted a community research phase that included surveys, focus groups, and conversations with residents across Austin. Community members shared their experiences, questions, and perspectives to help ensure these materials reflect real needs and lived experiences.
Through this process, we sought to better understand:
- What information people need during police encounters
- What feels unclear, missing, or difficult to navigate
- How to make KYR materials more accessible and community-centered
- How different communities prefer to receive this information
Community input is directly shaping the next version of Austin’s Know Your Rights resources.
What’s Next
APO is using what we heard to update and refine the Know Your Rights materials for 2026. Our goal is for these resources to continue evolving alongside the community.
Project updates, research findings, and future opportunities to stay engaged will be shared on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Know Your Rights (KYR) is a community-education initiative powered by Austin Police Oversight that provides community members with clear, accessible information to help understand their rights and responsibilities during interactions with Austin Police.
APO is relaunching the KYR toolkit for 2026 to ensure the content reflects community needs, lived experiences, and changing information needs. Community feedback will guide what we update, clarify, or add.
Residents from across Austin participated through surveys, focus groups, and interviews. APO ensured a broad range of perspectives were heard to reflect the diversity of the community.
The community research phase has now concluded, so the survey is no longer accepting responses. Thank you to everyone who shared their input—it is already helping shape the next version of Austin’s Know Your Rights materials.
We are reviewing and synthesizing all community input. A summary of what we heard will be posted here on the “What We Heard” page by the end of the month. Stay tuned for key findings, themes, and next steps.
APO is using community feedback to update the materials for 2026. While an exact release date is being finalized, updates will be shared on this page and through our newsletter and social media channels as soon as they are ready.
Yes! As updated materials are released and new initiatives begin, APO will provide additional ways for community members to share feedback and engage with our work. Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on social media to stay informed.
You can stay informed by visiting our website, www.atxpoliceoversight.org, signing up for the APO newsletter, following us on social media (Twitter/X: @atx_apo | Facebook: ATXPoliceOversight), or attending community events and quarterly meetings.