Austin, Texas anti-cop policies lead to hours-long waits for 911 calls

Police in Austin, Texas, allegedly took over two hours to answer a head-on collision attributable to a suspected drunk driver — as a result of town’s hyper-liberal insurance policies have left the division understaffed by a whole lot of officers, in response to a lawyer representing the crash sufferer.

The wreck occurred in part of town which ought to have been patrolled by 25 officers.

As an alternative, solely 5 cops have been working when a suspected drunk driver crossed into on-coming site visitors and slammed into Lacey Purciful and her household’s decide up truck three days in the past, in response to the authorized eagle.

“The man within the different automotive admitted to consuming, he reeked of alcohol,” Lawyer Adam Loewy informed The Submit Tuesday.

“He had bother standing and they also referred to as the police.”

Saying her kids have been injured and scared, Purciful launched right into a social media tirade.

“That is the drunk man who hit me — two hours in the past,” the pissed off mom of two claimed in the video.

“This man has now had two hours to take a seat right here and sober up as a result of the Metropolis of Austin has not come.”

By the point police arrived, the person had sufficiently sobered and police have been unable to press prices, in response to Loewy.

“The explanation the police didn’t present up for 2 and half hours is that when Austin defunded the police, there was an enormous drop within the variety of law enforcement officials who’re on the power,” the private harm lawyer defined.

“The estimates are 300-400 much less law enforcement officials than we’d like, and so that is manifesting itself in conditions like this.”

With out felony prices in opposition to the motive force, Purciful’s solely recourse is to sue the motive force personally and probably the restaurant that over-served him.

“For the previous three years and counting, this can be a very regular story,” Loewy said.

“I’ve had instances the place folks get into accidents and police don’t present up for hours. It’s not an assault on the women and men of the [police] division, as a result of all of them do the very best they’ll — there’s simply not sufficient of them.”

The Austin Police Division referred The Submit to town, who didn’t reply to a request for touch upon Tuesday.

The police division is so understaffed, 911 calls are being redirected to the 311 non-emergency quantity in sure instances — together with for crimes like residence burglaries, in response to sources.

Delays getting by way of to emergency numbers have been chronicled by an area paper who launched a information for when and when to not dial 911.

In a current evening of chaos, there weren’t sufficient officers to answer road vandals who took over metropolis streets and shut down intersections — attacking one officer and breaking home windows in cop vehicles.

Loewy blames woke metropolis leaders who defunded cops — slashing the police price range by a third and reducing academy numbers in 2020, which has led to a standoff between town and the power.

“Town council has been in a battle with the police division actually for 5 years, however it exploded in summer time of 2020,” he recounted.

“They’re so antagonistic to police right here that over 100 law enforcement officials have retired up to now six months. They’re having bother getting new officers to enter the academy. It’s 100% on metropolis council.”

Mayor Kirk Watson — who was not in workplace when many anti-police insurance policies have been adopted and took over in January — beforehand informed The Submit town is prioritizing filling open vacancies.

“We directed the Metropolis Supervisor to develop a plan to offer officers a pay increase and deal with the present scarcity of law enforcement officials by providing retention and recruitment incentives, in addition to a monetary incentive for the Austin Police Affiliation to renew contract talks with the Metropolis,” the mayor informed The Submit earlier this month.

With a money olive department prolonged, the mayor added, “We wish them to remain.”

However as town tries to cease the bleeding, Loewy believes it’s too late.

“The injury is already completed,” he mentioned.

“That is what occurs once you tackle a police division and also you don’t help them.”