PUBLIC SAFETY
State troopers patrolling Austin
RISING RESPONSES
Austin’s police sta ng has trended downward in recent years. POLICE STAFFING BUDGETED OFFICERS 1,959 April 2020 1,806
Due to short-sta ng and long 911 wait times, the Austin Police Department partnered with state law enforcement starting March 30. The APD says response times have dropped since the operation began. April data wasn't available as of press time.
Average priority response time
Target priority response time
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BY BEN THOMPSON
April 2021 1,708
Winter Storm Uri
10 11
Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and special agents are patrolling Austin streets through a new public safety partnership with the Austin Police Department. The operation, which kicked o March 30 and comes at no cost to the city, is aimed at violent crime and tra c enforcement while local police are understa ed and taking longer to respond to calls for service. Mayor Kirk Watson worked with state leaders to start the program and said its goal is making residents feel safer and supplementing local police; APD Chief Joseph Chacon said his o cers will still handle most calls for service. The police department has pointed to success so far with violent crimes, 911 calls and police response times all dropping in the program’s rst two weeks. DPS pulled over more than
BUDGETED OFFICERS 1,809
DPS Partnership starts
APD updated its target response times.
April 2022 1,604
0 9 8 /
BUDGETED OFFICERS 1,809
April 2023
84.11%
1,490
2020
2021
2022
2023
BUDGETED OFFICERS 1,812
NOTE: BUDGETED OFFICERS REFERS TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SWORN POSITIONS APD HAS FUNDING FOR EACH YEAR.
Oct. Dec.
Feb.
April
June
Aug.
Oct.
Dec.
Feb.
April
June
Aug.
Oct.
Dec.
Feb.
April
SOURCE: AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY IMPACT
said they have seen a disparity in DPS presence between east and west Austin and aggressive patrolling in their dis- tricts. Police o cials said the APD’s 911 call data alone is guiding patrols, and that more demographic information has been requested from DPS. The terms of the operation also remain unclear. Watson launched the partnership without council involve- ment or approval, there is no written
agreement governing the operation, and no details on a potential exit strategy have been shared. “We have talked about, just a little bit, how long will this last? And the short answer is, right now we just don’t know,” Chacon said. “We’re trying to give it time to work.” Regular data reports and further council review of DPS work are expected as the operation continues.
4,000 drivers and ticketed about 1,000 through April 13. Troopers also made more than 150 arrests and seized drugs, guns and vehicles. Several city o cials have raised concerns about who DPS might be targeting, where troopers patrol, and how to address questions about oversight and the program’s future. During an April 18 brie ng on the operation, some council members also
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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