This browser does not support the Video element.
25 new Austin police officers sworn in
The Austin Police Department’s 149th cadet class is the first to graduate this year. Those officers are expected to have a positive impact on the department’s staffing crisis.
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Police Department’s 149th cadet class is the first to graduate this year, and although it is made up of a small group of officers, those officers are expected to have a positive impact on the department’s staffing crisis.
The Austin Police Department swore in 25 new officers on Friday afternoon.
"Just tremendously proud of all of them," said Interim APD Chief Robin Henderson.
Chief Henderson says these 25 new cadets will be a key step in helping with the department’s staffing crisis. Right now, she says APD has 1,447 sworn officers, but the city allocates 1,812 officers.
"Note that's a big gap that we're trying to make up there, so we're short about 350 officers and then, if we include the ones that were removed from the budget in 2020, which was 150 officers, we're actually about 500 officers short," she said.
This browser does not support the Video element.
APD still dealing with officer shortage
The Austin Police Association president said they are cutting their availability to respond to 911 calls almost in half because they do not have enough officers.
On top of that, APD continues to lose already sworn officers. Chief Henderson also revealed the department saw its highest attrition rate in 2023 with 161 officers separating from the APD.
"We are still in that realm of where we're not at a plus at the end of the year from the previous years, and we haven't been in that space since about 2018, 2017," she said.
Chief Henderson says the 25 officers will still make a difference. She says the new officers are equivalent to about two full shifts.
Mayor Kirk Watson was standing on stage in support of the 149th cadet class on Friday. He says he is aware of the staffing issues and is working to fix them.
"This is a high priority of mine and has been since I came in," he said.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Community raise concerns on APD communication
Austin police have been applauded for the bravery and hard work of officers on the ground risking their lives to track down Shane James Jr., confront him and take him into custody. But where some have raised concerns is about the communication coming from police saying it could have, and should have, been better.
RELATED: Austin police critic takes part in 'shoot, don't shoot' training exercise
He says the first step is getting more cadet classes in the works, and he says there are already two more graduations in the works this year.
Mayor Watson believes one thing would make all the difference in the long run to help the staffing issues.
"The number one thing that we, I think, agree that we need to do is we need to get to a longer-term contract," he said.
The mayor says he is more hopeful than ever now that the Austin Police Association has a new president, Michael Bullock.
"We have a good relationship. I remain very hopeful in talking to him that we will get where we need to get. I think we are in agreement that the best course is to get to a longer-term contract. There can be things we disagree on, of course, and they're going to be I mean, that's part of negotiations and part of relationships in government, but I’m pretty hopeful," said Mayor Watson.