The state’s top law enforcement agency will beef up its presence in Austin and help local police handle violent crime and traffic incidents, city and state officials said Monday.
The move — agreed upon by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — is a dramatic response as the city’s police department struggles with persistent vacancies in its officer ranks, a problem in virtually every major police department in the country. Austin has also had problems with long response times to emergency calls.
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The move — agreed upon by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick — is a dramatic response as the city’s police department struggles with persistent vacancies in its officer ranks, a problem in virtually every major police department in the country. Austin has also had problems with long response times to emergency calls.

State troopers will help Austin with police patrols as the city struggles with an officer shortage
Austin officials view the partnership as a stopgap measure as they try to fill the city’s more than 200 police vacancies.
