Memo: DPS returning to Austin July 2
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety will resume its partnership with the Austin Police Department on Sunday, July 2, according to a memo sent to the mayor and city council.
The initiative, called the Austin Violent Crimes Task Force (AVCTF), began on March 30 as a way to assist APD, as the department faces a staffing shortage. The program halted on May 14, so troopers could focus their attention on border cities in the wake of the expiration of Title 42.
The Austin Police Department currently has about 300 vacancies.
Since the program began, there have been “significant decreases in violent crime, response times, and calls for service,” according to APD. The department used a data-driven approach to identify crime “hot-spots” as well as high-travel roads most common for crashes – and deployed troopers to those locations.
During the June 5 Public Safety Commission meeting, APD said the department saw an uptick in violent crime after DPS left Austin.
“We see it moving back in the direction of the levels that we were seeing before. I would expect we’ll see it get quite a bit higher,” Jonathan Kringen, APD’s chief data officer, said.
The program has also drawn criticism from heavily patrolled communities, with residents feeling like they were being unfairly targeted with traffic stops. Austin City Council members shared some of these concerns at a briefing earlier in June.
Changes to DPS deployment this time around
Following feedback from the community as well as some city council members, the memo on DPS’ return states patrols will operate differently when troopers return.
“The deployment of DPS is pivoting from solely a focus on areas of highest call volume and traffic,” the memo reads.
Troopers will be deployed at APD Chief Joseph Chacon’s direction based on the following public safety needs:
Roads most susceptible to crashes
Areas with higher reports of violent crime
Sectors to support shifts staffed with fewer APD officers
“To help ensure Austin policing values are addressed and reinforced, APD will attend shift briefings with DPS. DPS can monitor local radio channels; however, DPS activity will not be call driven. DPS will be assisting APD on-scene with emergency calls that require a high level of support,” the memo reads.
KXAN asked APD for specific information on how APD’s strategy with DPS will be different as the partnership resumes. This story will be updated.
Source: KXAN.com
