On March 20, the Downtown Austin Alliance held its monthly virtual Safety Forum. Officials provided updates on safety, crime data, and upcoming initiatives affecting downtown Austin. Bill Brice, senior vice president of investor relations at the Downtown Austin Alliance, introduced Davon Barbour, the new president and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance.
Newly appointed Austin Police Department Commander Michael Chancellor discussed downtown safety efforts and recent changes to policing strategies. Chancellor announced the expansion of the Downtown Area Command boundaries to MoPac and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to better address public safety needs. The APD has introduced several initiatives, including The Downtown Austin Rapid Response Team (DARRT), a 42-person team focused on violent crime prevention and addressing root causes of crime downtown. Chancellor noted that crime in the Sixth Street area has declined significantly since reopening efforts.
Chancellor also reported on crime during South by Southwest, noting that arrests were lower this year with around 130 arrests made, primarily for drug and weapon violations. He addressed APD’s Downtown Area Command staffing levels, which currently stand at 63%. Despite low staffing, specialized units like DARRT allow patrol officers to focus more on emergency calls and regular patrols.
Bill Brice updated attendees on year-to-date crime data within the Downtown Public Improvement District. There was a decrease in all major categories: crimes against persons down 46%, crimes against property down 62%, and crimes against society down 45%. Simple assaults decreased by 52%, while burglary of vehicles and auto theft decreased by 57% and 67% respectively.
Brandon Fahy, director of public space experience at the Downtown Austin Alliance, provided an update on the Downtown Dashboard which recaps efforts made by ambassadors’ APD overtime patrol.
The next Downtown Austin Safety Forum is scheduled for Thursday, April 17 at 8:30 am.
Information from this article can be found here.