On March 20, the Downtown Austin Alliance hosted its monthly virtual Safety Forum, where officials provided updates on safety, crime data and upcoming initiatives impacting downtown Austin. Bill Brice, senior vice president of investor relations at the Downtown Austin Alliance, opened the forum by introducing Davon Barbour, the new president and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance, who has completed his first 30 days in the position.
Austin Police Department Update
Newly appointed Austin Police Department Commander Michael Chancellor joined the forum to discuss downtown safety efforts and recent changes to policing strategies. Commander Chancellor announced the expansion of the Downtown Area Command boundaries to MoPac and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to better address public safety needs. To enhance law enforcement presence and reduce crime, APD has introduced several initiatives, including The Downtown Austin Rapid Response Team (DARRT), a 42-person team that consists of detectives, sergeants and lieutenants focused on violent crime prevention and addressing the root causes of crime downtown. Chancellor also highlighted the positive impact of the Sixth Street reopening efforts, reporting that crime in the area has declined significantly, including use of force.
Commander Chancellor also provided an update on crime during South by Southwest. He noted that arrests were lower this year, with around 130 arrests made, primarily drug and weapon violations.
Additionally, the Chancellor addressed APD’s Downtown Area Command staffing levels, which currently stands at 63%. While staffing remains low, he noted that the increase in specialized units such as DARRT–which is not counted in staffing levels–allows patrol officers to focus more on responding to emergency calls and maintaining regular patrols.
Public Improvement District Crime Statistics
Bill Brice provided an update on year-to-date crime data within the Downtown Public Improvement District, highlighting a decrease in all major categories:
– Crimes against persons: Down 46%
– Crimes against property: Down 62%
– Crimes against society: Down 45%
Brice specifically noted that simple assaults, which had been a major contributor to increased crimes against persons in previous years, decreased by 52%, and burglary of vehicles and auto theft decreased by 57 and 67% respectively. These positive trends reflect the impact of APD’s initiatives programs, such as the Alliance’s own Downtown Safety Team, and increased collaboration between APD and community stakeholders.
Downtown Dashboard
Brandon Fahy, director of public space experience at the Downtown Austin Alliance, provided an update on the Downtown Dashboard, which recaps efforts made by the ambassadors’ APD overtime patrol.
2025 Year-to-Date Data:
– 1,098,879 square feet power-washed
– 3,510 hospitality contacts
– 1,936 Downtown Safety Team ordinance compliance requests
– 9,463 APD overtime patrol requests for compliance
– 10 Trinity Center homeless reunifications
Join Us for More
The next Downtown Austin Safety Forum is scheduled for Thursday, April 17 at 8:30am Register for the event here.
You can review the slide deck from the March Safety Forum here.