Austin, TX
Increased Texas DPS presence in Austin causes controversy among residents
Elevated Texas DPS presence in Austin causes controversy amongst residents
Some Austin residents are involved in regards to the Texas Division of Public Security’s elevated presence in Austin. Others stated the assistance is required.
AUSTIN, Texas – Some Austin residents are involved in regards to the Texas Division of Public Security’s elevated presence in Austin. Others stated the assistance is required.
In March, Metropolis of Austin leaders introduced a plan for Texas DPS to help the Austin Police Division whereas they’re short-staffed.
“We might have hit all-time low at this level now as a result of we’ve obtained some assist,” Austin Police Retired Officers Affiliation President Dennis Farris stated.
Governor Greg Abbott requested Texas DPS help Austin PD by the creation of the Austin Violent Crimes Process Pressure. This got here after the road takeovers in Austin. A Texas DPS spokesperson stated the duty pressure has already stopped three large-scale road takeover occasions throughout the town.
“I believe that this was coming no matter whether or not the town of Austin agreed to it,” Farris stated.
Metropolis leaders stated Texas DPS troopers and particular brokers would assist APD with violent crime and visitors points and supply backup throughout emergency conditions.
Austin police, Texas DPS associate as much as enhance response occasions and improve security
Metropolis of Austin leaders introduced a plan they count on will enhance security, lower visitors fatalities, enhance police response time and scale back crime in Austin, because of a brand new partnership.
“The concept DPS goes to return in right here and simply overpower the town is only a false narrative,” Farris stated.
Some Austin residents are frightened due to the lack of understanding on the entrance finish.
“One in all our chief considerations with this so-called partnership is absolutely the lack of transparency in regards to the partnership itself and lack of accountability measures that neighborhood members in Austin have to carry DPS to account when the state’s police is on the town’s streets,” ACLU of Texas Employees Lawyer Savannah Kumar stated.
A Texas DPS spokesperson broke down what troopers have accomplished from March 30 to April 3:
- Made greater than 1,500 visitors stops
- Wrote 765 citations
- Labored 15 crash investigations
- Made 83 arrests
- Seized 11 weapons
- Recovered 6 stolen automobiles
- Seized 174 grams of cocaine, 40 grams of heroin, and 127,415 grams of methamphetamine.
In that very same time interval, APD stated they wrote 223 citations.
“What DPS is doing is what APD did earlier than once they may proactively police the place they weren’t operating name to name,” Farris stated.
Kumar stated they’ll be digging into the numbers to grasp the partnership’s foundation and is frightened due to Texas DPS’ historical past.
“We don’t need to look far to see that there was an absence of or there was really lethal mismanagement throughout the Uvalde capturing after which within the aftermath of that, an absence of transparency about how selections have been made and what was the reason for the selections,’ Kumar stated. ‘We’ve additionally seen that there’s important proof that DPS has engaged in racial profiling as properly.”
Metropolis council members have additionally requested a briefing on the partnership at Tuesday’s work session to offer, “communities transparency and full understanding of how this partnership will work to uphold Austin’s values.”
Austin ‘road takeover’: 17 extra charged in ongoing investigation
Expenses have been filed in opposition to 17 extra people in reference to February’s ‘road takeover’ incidents in Austin, officers say.
Farris, a retired APD officer who served on the pressure for 25 years stated the assistance from DPS is required.
“Realistically all DPS is doing at this level proper now could be getting us again to the place we have been earlier than and that’s not a foul factor,’ Farris stated. ‘Austin has obtained to get their police numbers up.”
When the announcement in regards to the partnership was made, APD had 281 vacancies.
The Interim Assistant Metropolis Supervisor, Bruce Mills, stated: “We’re one week into our partnership with the Texas Division of Public Security and already are experiencing a constructive impression with greater visibility of police presence and decrease response occasions. Chief Chacon is creating a dashboard to trace information and quantify the impression of the DPS assist, which will probably be most informative when now we have no less than a number of weeks’ price of data to have the ability to evaluate. Within the meantime, we recognize the additional assist which has supplied much-needed aid to Austin Law enforcement officials as we proceed to handle staffing shortages. This previous weekend notably, with many high-profile occasions taking place round Austin and an inflow of holiday makers, we benefited from the partnership and look ahead to persevering with to work collectively to maintain Austinites secure by this busy spring pageant season and past.”
Metropolis Council Member Mackenzie Kelly stated she delivered a memo with inquiries to Mills prematurely of the council briefing on April 18.