The city of Austin announced a plan to help law enforcement officers in the capital city on Monday.
Mayor Kirk Watson, and others, held a press conference to talk about new roles for APD and Texas Department of Public Safety DPS troopers. Officials said Troopers will now be the ones focused on violent crimes and traffic issues, and will provide backup for APD in other situations.
Mayor Watson said the reason for the changes is to keep Austin safe for residents and visitors. “This partnership will reduce traffic fatalities in Austin, reduce response times by Austin Police to calls for help, increase police enforcement presence across our community, which will also help deter and prevent crime from happening,” Watson said.
The plan includes stationing troopers in high crime areas across the city, to serve as a “visual crime deterrent.”
With both gun crimes and traffic fatalities on the rise in Austin, Mayor Watson said he feels an obligation to do something before things get worse.
“As mayor of Austin, my top priority is that the people of Austin both are safe and feel safe, Watson said. “I also want to be sure that our police officers feel respected and have the resources they need to do their job.”
One reason the additional help is needed is the fact that APD is grappling with severe staffing shortages right now. They’re not just officers either. Call and dispatch centers are also currently understaffed. Mayor Watson said the partnership will continue, as the police department rolls out several recruiting strategies, aimed at signing new members of the force.
“Like many, if not most, other cities, our police department is currently dealing with unprecedented challenges in staffing levels, amplified by cadet classes being paused for almost a year.,” Watson said.
This isn’t the first partnership between DPS and local law enforcement agencies. In recent years, DPS troopers have provided support in cities like Dallas and San Antonio to reduce crime rates.
To learn more about the new partnership, click here.
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