Austin ISD police adds new motorcycle unit to help patrolling officers

Austin ISD Police Dept. adding motorcycle unit

Austin ISD announced it's adding a motorcycle unit to its police department to help patrolling officers provide support as quickly as they can.

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin ISD is the largest district in Central Texas. Last year, the state legislature passed House Bill 3, requiring all school districts to have an armed officer on campus.

The issue most school districts in the area have been dealing with is hiring enough qualified officers for the job.

"Austin ISD is launching a group of officers who will be on motorcycles, in and around our campus, mainly around our elementary school campuses, to provide perimeter security and safety in and around the campuses," said Austin ISD police chief Wayne Sneed.

By adding this new motorcycle unit, AISD police chief Wayne Sneed says it will decrease response time in the case of an emergency.

"Using a car to get in and around those areas can be challenging at times, especially during the rush hour. So motorcycles allow for a lot more flexibility," said Chief Sneed.

Austin ISD has a new superintendent

Late last night, the AISD board of trustees votes to approve Matias Segura's contract as the district's new superintendent.

Adding a motorcycle unit to a school district police department is very new.

"Dallas ISD contacted me wanting to know how we're setting this up because they were looking at doing it as well. So, it's to give you an idea of if you have got a large metropolitan city that's not doing it. It's probably not very popular," said Chief Sneed.

Bexar County has a similar program called "Bike Patrol of Precinct 1." They embrace the idea of community policing by making themselves more approachable and accessible to the citizens of the community.