Understaffed Austin Police Department is telling robbery victims not to call 911 as crime ravages the city
Austin, Texas police are asking residents to call 311 if they’re robbed near an ATM as police officers grapple with rising crime rates in cities and staff shortages.
The Austin Police Department posted on 911.
“Even if you are careful and follow all safety instructions, you can still be the unfortunate victim of a robbery,” the Austin Police Department wrote on X. “Do you know what your next steps should be?”
“File a police report and provide as much information as possible so we can recover your property quickly and safely,” the post continued.
The graphic contained a note to mention the bank in the 311 report and indicate the date and time of the cash withdrawal.
The new protocol comes at a time when the Texas capital is grappling with a spike in crime.
Compared to 2020, Austin saw a 77% increase in auto theft, an 18% increase in aggravated assault and a 30% increase in homicides.
President of the Austin Police Association Thomas Villarreal narrated Fox & Friends in August that the department lacks the resources it needs to fight crime.
“We’re a growing city, a city that currently employs around 2,000 officers and should continue to grow,” Villarreal said. “I have about 1,475 officers in our police department and, you know, we’re moving in the wrong direction. There are fewer and fewer resources available to get the job done.”
“I have investigators being pulled off their caseload to simply help answer 911 calls because we just don’t have the resources to adequately police the city,” the union leader added.
