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On the heels of the death of George Floyd, hundreds flooded to the streets, convincing city officials that cutting the budget of our police officers would be a necessary step in “making things right.” But now, years later, we’re seeing the effect of such a campaign, which is not only hurting thousands of fellow officers, but also the cities that they desperately tried so hard to protect.
One of those cities is Austin, Texas. That’s right, one of the sparkling jewels of that great state has now fallen to a higher level of violence. It’s seen a massive increase in homicide over the past few years; and its police presence has dwindled, to the point that the city’s own Police Chief has had enough.
Thomas Villarreal, president of the Austin Police Association, recently appeared on Fox & Friends to discuss the hazardous actions of city officials. He discussed how the city cut a massive $150 million from the police budget three years ago, and how the force hasn’t bounced back since.
“We just continue to have a city council that doesn’t show its police officers that [it] cares about them,” he explained.
Villarreal continued, “Back in December 2017, we had a city council vote down a police contract for the first time in the history of negotiating contracts. And, you know, we pushed forward to 2018, tried to get back under contract. Our city decided to go through what they called reimagining police oversight. And then, you know, we got back under contract.”
But then, as you might guess, the year 2020 – and “defund the police” – came around, and, well, Austin’s police force got screwed over, so to speak. As a result, the city now sits around 1,475 active officers – well short of the 2,000+ that Villarreal suggested was needed to keep the streets safe.
“We just have a backward slide,” he suggested. “There’s less and less and less resources to go out and do the job. I’ve got detectives who are pulled away from their caseload to just help answer 911 calls because we just don’t have the resources to adequately police the city.”
And now, as I mentioned above, their police chief is headed out the door. Joseph Chacon had been with the police force for 25 years, and, after some thought and deliberation, decided to call it a career. I wish him nothing but peace and happiness, but I have a funny feeling that the city officials don’t necessarily do the same.
I think they forced his hand. Took away the budget needed to hire new officers; took away the resources for additional mental health and gear support; and “handcuffed” him (as Villarreal put it) from being able to move forward in any regard.
That is not how a city government should be treating its police force. And yet, we see a number of examples of it across the U.S., from New York to Portland to Chicago. As a result, their crime numbers have never been higher; and they’re having a tough time bringing new officers onto the force. What was once considered to be a prosperous (though dangerous) job is now nothing more than a bother, mainly because of how officers are getting treated.
And that’s on top of what people are screaming at them about “defund the police” – the city officials are giving the biggest backlash of them all.
Those Austin officials need to fix this. Bring back the officers that are needed on the streets. Show them that the care and devotion is there to back them up. Show their citizens that they actually care, instead of just trying to count money into new departments.
Because, otherwise, it’s going to fall into further despair and, like Chacon before them, they might just pack up and look for greener pastures. And the city of Austin certainly deserves better.
Michael Letts is the Founder, President, and CEO of InVest USA, a national grassroots non-profit organization that is helping hundreds of communities provide thousands of bulletproof vests for their police forces through educational, public relations, sponsorship, and fundraising programs. He also has over 30 years of law enforcement experience under his belt, hence his pro-police stance for his brothers and sisters in blue.
You have to remember what the segment of excrement oblama said “Elections have CONSEQUENCES”! The libers in Austin voted for this so THEY should OWN it! I do pity the DECENT people inflicted with the BLUES!!
10 years ago Austin was referred to as the “San Francisco of Texas.”
Now, it is. A rotting cesspool of crime, left wing nuts and a complete disregard for society.
Today, San Francisco, east. As for the needles found at homeless encampments,’
a lady on the city council claimed they were, “Insulin needles.”
We live in a suburb of Austin and the crime, etc., is appearing here like the tentacles
of an octopus.
Much like Minneapolis.
In other words, it still is the San Francisco of Texas.
Don’t forget a lot of dumb Americans voted for their elected representatives. Austin is just another city that will bite the dust and become unlivable. It will join all the other cities in the toilet. .
Marxism is all about the destruction of that which exists and its replacement with a system unknow or unsuccessful in all human history. The destruction of the police forces, and resulting decline into chaos, crime, and destruction of civil society in nearly all blue cities is, as the saying used to go, a feature, not a bug.
All the big cities in Texas are Blue, Austin, Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio.
The democrats would love to see Austin be just like San Fransissyco.
What will happen when one of the city council, mayor have their property damage, or they are attacked? Will they release the police are there to protect everyone.
Remember the Chicago mayor demanded police security. But the need to protect the citizens was bottom of the duty list.
Chief of police needs to say the taxpayers are being protect therefore there are no officers available for security duty.
So Austin is another leftist hellhole like all the other leftist run cities across the country.
The democrat party ruins every place that they gain influence.
And 99% of these same people vote (D) and excoriate and demonize the police at every turn to this day. They’ll always vote for free stuff over security for their children.
As I recall, the day after the new Mayor was installed, he and the City Council passed a Pro Homeless Camping ordinance, which encouraged one and all to live on Austin’s streets and underpasses and parks. You have the perfect confluence of LEFTISM and GOVERNMENTISM in Austin. Too many government workers and UT students, faculty, admins and associates who ALWAYS vote RADICAL LEFT. I’d feel bad for Austin if my home town of L.A. wasn’t generations of decay and corruption ahead of you. Good luck. You’ll need it. Get out now.
Remember the Alamo!
Austin was previously known as “The Live Music Capital of the World.” Most of the musicians that lived there have moved away because they cannot afford the rent. Austin used to have a “cool vibe.” Now, it is a place that you need to be on-guard when strolling along the streets. My wife and I used to enjoy visiting Austin, but we avoid it now, due to the increased crime. The homeless population, coddled, and financially supported by the communist mayor and city council, have ruined a once fun city. It makes us sad every time that we drive past it.