City of Austin leaders this week announced a plan they expect will improve safety, decrease traffic fatalities, improve police response time, and reduce crime, thanks to a partnership with the State of Texas. The Texas Department of Public Safety will provide state troopers and Special Agents who will focus on violent crime and traffic issues, but will also provide backup for other emergency situations and increased presence throughout the community.
“During my run for mayor, I promised we would make city government work better in providing basic services,” Mayor Kirk Watson said. “This is an example of that. It’s a common-sense, practical response to a serious need and arose out of a positive working relationship between the Capital City and the Capitol of Texas. I want to thank the Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and DPS Director Steven McCraw for being willing to step in and work with us to ensure the safety of our shared constituents.”
The Austin Police Department is currently facing unprecedented staffing challenges.
“Public safety is at the very core of what we do in city government, and we must get it right,” Garza said. “We’ve moved quickly to address staffing issues – recruit new officers, retain experienced officers, and staff up in our 9-1-1 call centers. But those efforts take time, and we can’t wait to make sure Austinites feel safe.”
In order to manage the staffing shortages, Chacon has been reassigning officers to patrol duties, which has left gaps in other areas as officers were pulled away from assignments in traffic, parks, DWI, and other specialized units, stretching limited resources across the city.
Chacon pointed out that traffic fatalities and gun crime are on the rise in Austin. Positioning additional DPS troopers to patrol Austin’s streets and highways, and respond to violent crime and traffic incidents, will provide a strong deterrent to criminal activity.
“This is a wonderful resource and partnership that will provide relief to our APD officers and detectives who want nothing more than to focus on keeping Austin safe – whether that’s responding to domestic violence incidents, combatting DWI, or investigating criminal activity,” Chacon said. “DPS has always provided valuable support – such as in the recent arrests of individuals involved in the February street takeovers – and providing these significant and strategic resources will help make Austin a safer city.”
