Austin Police Shortage Leaves Section of City Without Patrol Officers

A section of Austin, Texas, was left without a single police officer for a couple of hours Saturday, and the police union’s president is blaming ongoing staffing shortages.

Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock tweeted Saturday that an entire sector in East Austin went two hours without a patrol officer assigned to the sector. He said that the department’s backfill shift made up of detectives and specialized units pulling double duty had to provide coverage, Fox News reports.

Bullock blamed these circumstances on "staffing woes." He said APD’s staffing was at 2006 levels – when the city had a quarter million fewer residents. Austin's population is hovering just under 1 million now. 

Bullock told Austin’s FOX 7 that the situation on Saturday was "not normal," as APD would typically have "anywhere from 10 to 14 officers that might be available or working that particular time."