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AUSTIN (KXAN) – Members of the Texas Department of Public Safety are expected to start assisting with patrols in Austin Thursday, an Austin Police Department spokesperson told KXAN.
APD said the exact number of DPS troopers assisting the department was still being determined but confirmed there would be a “significant presence.”
A partnership between the two departments was announced Monday to help with local police staffing issues.
During a Monday news conference, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said DPS would work to support APD. The initiative was sparked following a recent conversation with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Watson said.
“This is support and supplement, not override, not overtake. It is a partnership,” Watson said during the conference. “APD is primary, but there’s support and supplement coming from DPS so that we can meet some of the needs that the staffing levels have kept us from being able to meet the way we want.”
Watson said DPS could potentially assist with issues like traffic control and providing additional coverage since there is an increase lately of traffic-related deaths as well as gun violence.
Several Austin leaders, including Watson, spoke out about delayed police responses and long wait times for 911 calls following the “street takeover” events in February around Austin.
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