Austin law enforcement and elected officials are already debriefing the events of the serial bombings that occurred in March and learning how to be a stronger community. Public safety was the topic March 26 at the regular meeting of the Northwest Austin Coalition—a group of neighborhoods in Northwest Austin formed in 2013 by District 6 Council Member Jimmy Flannigan and other neighborhood leaders. As hundreds of tips flooded in from residents during the investigation of the bombings that killed two and injured several others, Austin Mayor Steve Adler said it became obvious that people did not know what was truly suspicious in their neighborhoods. “It became apparent to me that sometimes what was suspicious was the person who lived across the street we did not know,” he said. “We don’t know our neighbors in this city the way that we did when I was growing up. And I’m as guilty as anybody.” Adler said Austin will be a stronger and better community if residents start to build those relationships. “I think the legacy of this going forward is not the horror that existed and the fear that existed, but if we can move from this and actually put forth the effort to really know the people around us, then this will have been something that has made us a stronger community and a better place to live in,” he said. Interim Austin Police Chief Brian Manley also recapped the ongoing investigation into the bombings and how local law enforcement worked together with more than 500 federal agents to locate the suspect. Manley said the community responded well to law enforcement’s call for tips, and he also credited federal agents with assisting with handling data and video. “We needed that help,” he said. “There was a lot of work being done in the background.” Even after listening to the 25-minute video the suspect left, Manley said law enforcement are still not sure of his motive other than to create violent acts. “He talks on the recordings the things he was planning,” he said. “I believe there would have been future violence had we not caught him that night.” Because the investigation is ongoing, Manley said the decision on whether to release that video depends on future discussions and if any charges would be filed. Moving forward, Manley echoed Adler’s sentiment on encouraging residents to get to know their neighbors and stay in tune with what is happening in their neighborhoods. “We have 1,908 positions for police officers in this city but there’s almost a million residents,” he said. “The eyes and ears of this community are the force multipliers for us.”
Safety tips from Austin police officers
- Know your surroundings: Be aware of people and activity happening around you so you aren’t startled.
- Know your neighbors: What might look suspicious to one person might not be to someone who knows their neighbors.
- Play the “what if” game: Make up scenarios and act out what you would do in those situations. One example is what if someone started banging on your door late at night? Act out what you would do.
- Call police if you see something suspicious: If the incident is currently happening, officers said to call 911 so they can check it out. If the incident already happened, residents may call the nonemergency line at 311.
- Lock your vehicles: Officers said in 40-50 percent of cases involving stolen vehicles or items take from vehicles, the owner did not lock the vehicle or left the key fob in the vehicle.
