How will the City and County Sheriff work together to solve problems?Cooperation between the departments will continue. The City also offers the District Representative Program to help with the resolution of short- and long-term problems, such as a barking dog. Detectives also help to solve problems.
Will the City build a substation in Anderson Mill MUD?The substation for the Northwest Area Command is located at 12425 Lamplight Village near the corner of Lamplight Village and Parmer Lane. Officers do not spend a lot of time at the substation; they are mobile and work out of their cars.
Who will patrol schools in the annexation area?Currently, Williamson County Sheriff's Deputies provide school resource officers (SROs) to Grisham Middle School and Westwood High School. After annexation, Round Rock Independent School District may choose to continue this arrangement at its discretion. Routinely, SROs are responsible for the school grounds proper, while the district patrol officers would be responsible for areas contiguous to the school property. The Austin Police Department patrols the areas around all schools within Austin city limits, regardless of the county.
Who hires crossing guards for schools?The city hires crossing guards as part of the Public Works Department's School Safety Program.
How will residents find out about city ordinances?The city ordinances that are most relevant to residents of annexation areas are described in the document Regulations from Selected City Ordinances (PDF 182 KB) on the City's Web site.
How many officers will we see in the neighborhood at any particular time?APD has already hired eleven additional officers who will be added to the staff of the Northwest Area Command as a direct result of the Anderson Mill MUD annexation. They will begin familiarizing themselves with the neighborhood in the Spring of 2008. APD operates in three overlapping shifts. Calls are prioritized, and an officer may be called out of the district to respond to a high-priority call nearby.
Which jail will be used for offenders?The offender will be brought to a jail in either Williamson or Travis County, depending on where the offense took place, except for municipal code violations. Individuals arrested for outstanding warrants issued for municipal code violations will be taken to the Travis County jail.
How will police become familiar with the community?Typically district representatives are free from responding to calls for service in order to have more time to get to know residents in the district and understand important public safety issues in the area. Patrol officers are also encouraged to get to know those in the community. Officers will begin getting acquainted with the Anderson Mill area this spring so they are familiar with the area by the time of annexation.
What can residents do to get to know the police and help them?Residents can make their concerns known to the City Council but more importantly have an open line of communication with the Northwest Area Command. Please remember to contact the Northwest District Representatives at (512) 974-5743 and utilize them as a liaison for areas of concern. Residents can also participate in an active Neighborhood Watch program or the Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.s) program.
How is the Austin Police Department funded?Police service is funded by the City's general fund, with revenue from property taxes, sales taxes, fees, transfers from the utility departments, and other sources. Federal funds and seized property are also used to provide police training and equipment.
What will response times be?The city-wide goal is to respond to Priority One calls in an average of seven minutes. In December 2007, the average response time in the Northwest Area Command was eight minutes and fifty seconds for Priority One calls. Travel times are longer in this part of the city, so the area command received additional officer positions in order to help improve response times. Longer response times occur during the busy afternoon rush hour and when officers are called out of their districts for an incident. However, Anderson Mill is well-situated within the area command because it is not on the periphery.
Will the Limited District be allowed to hire off-duty police officers to provide security for MUD facilities?Yes. The Limited District will be responsible for providing adequate security for facilities.
How will the City utilize the old MUD building that currently functions as a Williamson County Sheriff's Department substation?If this building is currently owned by the MUD, it would not become City property until after the Limited District is dissolved. Prior to that time, if the MUD or Limited District is interested in leasing the building to the City, APD would consider using it as a location for officers to write reports. However, the City's Real Estate Department would need an opportunity to review the terms of the proposed lease before committing to this use of the building.
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