The Austin Police Department's chronic understaffing has left residents fearing for their safety as crime escalates in the city. Residents report frequent gunshots, brazen drug use, and a lack of police response due to the department's limited resources.
Residents of Austin, Texas, are grappling with a growing sense of unease as crime rates soar amidst a severe shortage of police officers. The understaffed Austin Police Department (APD) has struggled to keep up with the influx of emergency calls and non-emergency incidents, leaving residents vulnerable and frustrated.
In the Montopolis neighborhood of Austin's southeast, residents are reporting nightly gunshots and increased drug activity. Delwin Goss, a resident, has witnessed the alarming rise in crime firsthand. "It's making the hair on my arms stand up," he said. "To hear eight, nine, 10 shots. Just bam, bam, bam. Where are those bullets going?"
Austin Crime Crisis: Residents Fear for Safety Amid Understaffed Police Force
Goss's concerns are echoed by other residents, who fear for their safety in their own homes. The APD's staffing shortage has compromised response times, leaving residents feeling neglected by the very force responsible for their protection. Delwin's neighbor, an elderly woman in her 70s, expressed her apprehension about being shot in her bed.
Austin Police Association President Mike Bullock has highlighted the impact of the staffing shortage on the city's safety. "500 officers short has a real impact on businesses and Austinites who expect to be able to safely run a business and live in Austin," he said.
Austin Crime Crisis: Residents Fear for Safety Amid Understaffed Police Force
City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly attributed the staffing problem to funding cuts in 2020, which led to the departure of many officers. "Our staffing currently at the police department is a direct result of the failed policy that was passed in 2020 to remove funding for the police department," she said.
Kelly emphasized the importance of allocating more resources to the APD to ensure the safety of all Austin residents. "We want a fully staffed department that takes care of our city employees that are loving the work that they do cause then they're going to do a better job of taking care of the community."
Austin Crime Crisis: Residents Fear for Safety Amid Understaffed Police Force
Despite efforts to decrease the homicide rate, which reached a record high of 89 in 2021, the city continues to experience a concerning number of violent crimes. The APD reported 71 homicides in 2022, 73 in 2023, and 42 so far this year.
In February, the department revealed that Austin was experiencing approximately one murder per week. The alarming trend has continued, with residents witnessing the consequences firsthand. "I've watched it for the last five, six, seven years, and it just gets a little worse," said Goss. "I see more open drug use in this neighborhood, more drug dealing."
The understaffing crisis has left residents with a diminished sense of security and trust in the ability of the APD to protect them. "They're not out here protecting me or my 85-year-old heart transplant neighbor or the widow that's in her 70s next door," Goss added.
Bullock has expressed concern over the long-term implications of the staffing shortage. "We've seen the highest homicide rates we have seen ever in the city," he said. "Either way, no matter which way we look at it, we're not on a good trend. We're headed in the wrong direction."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Austin Police Department and Mackenzie Kelly for comment. The city faces a daunting task in addressing the chronic understaffing issue and restoring the safety and well-being of its residents.
