AUSTIN, Texas — Austin’s police chief is pushing back against a bill that would expand Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) enforcement downtown.
At a hearing on Wednesday morning, Austin Police Department (APD) Chief Lisa Davis testified against House Bill 470. The bill would extend the boundaries of the Capitol Complex south to Lady Bird Lake, between Colorado and Brazos streets, giving DPS the primary law enforcement and security responsibility in that area.
HB 470’s author, State Rep. Carl Tepper (R-Lubbock), said he wants to make Downtown Austin’s most prominent corridor safer.
“Congress Avenue is a front door to the state of Texas,” Tepper said. “We can’t let it decay anymore and continue to watch its deterioration.”
But Davis said the crime numbers Tepper used are outdated, and that DPS already has jurisdiction in the area.
“We’ve made, again, significant strides,” Davis said. “What I’ve done – our homicides are down 30% year-to-date. Our violent crime in the downtown area is down 15%. So this narrative that Austin is dangerous is not accurate.”
Davis also said if HB 470 passes, it would hurt officer morale.