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Austin Police Department

Austin Police Department
Patch of Austin Police Department
Patch of Austin Police Department
Badge of Austin Police Department
Badge of Austin Police Department
AbbreviationAPD
Agency overview
Employees2,422 (2020)
Annual budget$876 million (2020)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionAustin, Texas, USA
Map of Austin Police Department's jurisdiction
Size296.2 square miles (767 km2)
Population964,243 (2018)
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersAustin, Texas
Officers1,600[2]
Civilian employees675[3]
Agency executive
Facilities
Patrol vehiclesFord Explorer, Ford Taurus, Chevrolet Tahoe
Website
Austin Police

Austin Police Department (APD) is the principal law enforcement agency serving Austin, Texas. As of fiscal year 2022, the agency had an annual budget of $443.1 million[5] and employed around 2,484 personnel, including approximately 1,809 officers.[6] The department also employs 24 K-9 police dogs and 16 horses.[6] As of 2023, Robin Henderson is the current interim chief of police.

Specialized units

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  • APD 219 (Communication Supervisor Line for Austin 311)
  • Aggravated Assault Unit
  • Air Support Unit (Air One)
  • Auto Theft Interdiction Unit
  • Chaplain
  • Child Abuse Unit
  • Cold Case Unit
  • Command/Executive Staff (Chief police, and other department leaders)
  • Counter Assault Strike Team (CAST)
  • Crime Scene Unit (CSU)
  • Court Services
  • Decentralized Investigations
  • Digital Forensics Unit (DFU)
  • Executive Protection Unit (EP)
  • Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
  • Family Violence Protection Team
  • Financial Crimes Unit (FCU)
  • HALO- High Activity Location Observation (Cameras in the street)
  • Homicide
  • Honor Guard
  • Human Trafficking Unit
  • Intelligence
  • Internal Affairs (IA)
  • K9 Unit
  • Mounted Patrol- Horse Unit
  • Peer Support Unit
  • Public Information Office
  • Recruiting
  • Risk Management Unit
  • Robbery Unit
  • Sex Crimes Unit
  • Special Events Unit (SEU)
  • Special Investigations Unit (SI)
  • Special Weapons & Tactics (SWAT)
  • Training Academy
  • Vehicular Homicide Unit
  • Victim Services Unit/Counselors (VSU)

Patrol divisions

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  • Downtown Area Command (DTAC)
  • Northeast Area Command
  • Northwest Area Command
  • North Central Area Command
  • Central East Area Command
  • Central West Area Command
  • Southeast Area Command
  • Southwest Area Command
  • South Central Area Command

Ranks

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Rank Chief of Police Chief of Staff Assistant Chief Commander Lieutenant Sergeant
(10 years seniority) 		Sergeant Corporal/
Detective 		Senior Police Officer Police Officer Recruit
Insignia[7] No insignia

Fallen officers

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Since the establishment of the Austin Police Department, twenty-four officers have died in the line of duty.[8][9]

Staffing shortages and budget cuts following protests

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Shooting of Michael Ramos

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On April 24, 2020, officer Christopher Taylor, and other officers, were dispatched to a Southeast Side apartment complex for a report of drug dealing.[10] The caller told dispatchers they believed the man, later identified as 42-year-old Michael Ramos, had a firearm. Responding officers stated Ramos ignored commands and a bean bag projectile before he got into his car and attempted to flee.[10] Taylor's attorneys say he opened fire on Ramos believing other officers were in the path of the vehicle. Ramos was struck by the gunfire and later pronounced deceased. Ramos was unarmed.[10]

Ramos' death, and the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis one month later, prompted weeks of protests in Austin throughout the summer of 2020. During the protests, two demonstrators were severely injured by rubber bullets deployed by officers.

Budget cuts

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In August 2020, the Austin City Council voted unanimously to reduce the department's budget of $434 million by approximately $150 million.[11] Then councilman Greg Casar introduced a three-part plan which called for an immediate reallocation of $21.5 million of the department's budget to social services.[11] Other budget reduction measures included eliminating r150 vacant officer positions, and declining to add 30 new officer positions that had been budgeted as part of a broader staffing plan.[11] The Texas Tribune reported the cuts to be "among the largest percentage decreases (in budget) in the nation this year."[11][12] In the same year, Austin city manager Spencer Cronk placed a moratorium on Austin Police Department cadet classes to allow for an audit of the training academy materials and curriculum.[13]

In 2021, 210 Austin police officers left the department, which was more than the two previous years combined.[14]

Trial of Christopher Taylor

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Travis County district attorney Jose Garza brought the shooting before a grand jury in 2021 and a grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against Taylor for murder. In May 2023, a judge declared a mistrial in Taylor's case following issues selecting a jury.[10] The judge reset the trial for October 2023.[10] Taylor is reportedly the first officer to be charged with murder for on-duty conduct.[10]

No longer responding to "non-emergencies"

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In October 2021, chief Joseph Chacon announced officers would no longer respond to non-emergency calls due to severe staffing shortages and at the recommendation of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force.[15] The policy, which took effect October 1, 2021, applies to burglaries no longer in progress, vehicle thefts, and vehicle collisions without injuries.[15] Those who are seeking to make a report are fielded to 311 or encouraged to fill out a report on iReportAustin.com.

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Sullivan, Carl; Baranauckas, Carla (June 26, 2020). "Here's how much money goes to police departments in largest cities across the U.S." USA Today. Archived from the original on July 14, 2020.
  2. ^ "APD Administration". Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  3. ^ "Austin FY22 Approved Budget" (PDF). Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  4. ^ https://www.austintexas.gov/page/apd-administration
  5. ^ "Police Department Budget | AustinTexas.gov". austintexas.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Austin FY22 Approved Budget" (PDF). Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  7. ^ "Policy manual" (PDF). Austin Police Department. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 5, 2015.
  8. ^ "Officers Killed in the Line of Duty". austintexas.gov. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  9. ^ "Three dead, including an officer, after hostage situation in Austin" – via www.youtube.com.
  10. ^ a b c d e f "Murder trial for Austin officer Christopher Taylor in killing of Mike Ramos reset to Oct. 16". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c d Venkataramanan, Meena (August 13, 2020). "Austin City Council cuts police department budget by one-third, mainly through reorganizing some duties out from law enforcement oversight". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  12. ^ Venkataramanan, Meena (August 13, 2020). "Austin City Council cuts police department budget by one-third, mainly through reorganizing some duties out from law enforcement oversight". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved November 5, 2024.
  13. ^ "Austin Police Academy class postponed for academy audit". kvue.com. May 4, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  14. ^ "Austin PD, other departments seeing an increase in officers resigning and retiring". kvue.com. March 10, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  15. ^ a b "APD Announces Changes to Call Routing and Non-Emergency Response Services". austintexas.gov. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  16. ^ Doolittle, Dave (September 26, 2018). "Police substation to be named after Jaime Padron". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
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