.daustinsanders looks at what state police patrolling Austin means.
Before Kirk Watson was elected mayor of Austin , the prospect of Gov. Greg Abbott assigning more Texas Department of Public Safety troopers to patrol Austin was a threat – not the beginning of a welcomed partnership. On Oct. 2, 2019, a few months after City Council voted to decriminalize homelessness, Abbott sent a letter to then-mayor Steve Adler issuing such a threat. DPS"has authority to act statewide – including throughout Austin – to ensure the safety of state employees and [Texans] ..
But things are different around City Hall these days. The new mayor is one who spent 13 years grinding it out in the Texas Senate, with the last five of those under Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, with Patrick exerting new levels of power over the upper chamber with each legislative session he dominated.
Watson has presented the agreement as a stopgap measure to make up for years-long staffing shortages at APD. DPS troopers and special agents will assist with"violent crime and traffic issues," according to an APD news release, though they will"provide backup for other emergency situations." The announcement comes days before the meet and confer agreement between the city and the Austin Police Association expires on March 31.
Deploying DPS troopers while APD carries"a high number of patrol vacancies" is just a"common sense, practical solution," the mayor said. The police contract's expiration date increased the need to act urgently and Chacon was on board, so Watson – who promised to run City Hall as the new sheriff in town who gets things done – acted."City government must be nimble and able to move to meet needs," he said.
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