Official touts local partnerships

South Austin, as defined by the Austin Police Department, has a low crime rate despite a high volume of calls, APD Assistant Chief Patti Robinson said.

Robinson was the guest speaker at the Oak Hill Business and Professional Association meeting March 7.

APD divides the city into regions. Region 4—80 square miles covering most of the area south of Lady Bird Lake—typically has the second- or third-highest call volume among regions in the city, Robinson said.

Those calls include requests for support from area sheriff's offices and emergency services.

"It's not because we are crime-ridden; it's because we're so large," she said. "We get a lot of calls for service, but crime is low. We get a report, and then we catch [the culprits]."

Robinson credited police officers for following up in neighborhoods and partnering with the community to deter crime.

She said collaboration among police, Child Protective Services, neighbors and school officials helped stop a group of juveniles who were found responsible for stealing 25 vehicles.

The assistant chief said the department is authorized to have 1,740 officers, but it has fewer than that because of how long it takes to train new officers.

When asked how the area's traffic issues affect public safety, Robinson said that APD has no official position but that the department is held accountable for solving crimes, as well as response times.