Austin News

The joint operation by the Austin Police Department (APD) and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) which helped improve safety, decrease traffic fatalities and enable faster responses to calls for help in the Capital City, will resume on July 2.

The partnership was first announced on March 27 and continued through mid-May when additional DPS officers were deployed in Texas border cities in the wake of the expiration of the Title 42 immigration policy.

The partnership was originally forged through conversations with Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov Dan Patrick to support Austin Police as the department is facing historical staffing challenges. DPS officers have statewide jurisdiction and have provided additional support in other Texas cities to reduce crime rates.

As the operation resumes, APD and DPS will pivot their deployment strategies in response to recommendations from the Mayor and City Council. Instead of solely focusing on areas of highest call volume and traffic, DPS officers will be deployed at APD’s direction and based on need in three priority areas:

• Traffic: DPS will monitor roadways with high rates of injury/fatal crashes.
• Violent crime: At APD’s direction, DPS will focus on areas with the highest report of violent crime.
• Staffing levels: DPS officers will be distributed across multiple APD patrol sectors to support shifts with fewer APD officers.

DPS Criminal investigators and crime analysts will also support Austin Police in violent crime investigations and efforts to reduce gun crime.

“The partnership with DPS has already proven valuable to reducing crime and shortening response times,” APD Police Chief Joseph Chacon said. “This new iteration will ensure we continue that while taking Council direction into account and pivoting the deployment strategy.”

Chacon added that, to ensure Austin policing values are addressed and reinforced, APD leadership will attend shift briefings each week with DPS.

Interim City Manager Jesús Garza praised both APD and DPS for keeping Austin residents and visitors.

Original source can be found here.