The Downtown Austin Alliance hosted its Downtown Safety Forum on April 16, 2026, bringing together downtown stakeholders, public safety officials and community partners to share updates on crime prevention efforts, city resources and upcoming events expected to bring increased activity to downtown Austin.
The forum featured updates from the Austin Police Department, a presentation on the Austin 3-1-1 mobile app, and a preview of the upcoming ATX TV Festival and other major events scheduled throughout the spring.
See the full April 2026 Safety Forum Presentation
Announcements
The forum began with several announcements from the Downtown Austin Alliance.
Future of Downtown
The Downtown Austin Alliance announced the Future of Downtown event scheduled for May 12, 2026, which will bring together community leaders, stakeholders and downtown advocates to discuss the future of Austin’s urban core.
Downtown Alliance Board Election
The organization also shared information about the Annual Board of Directors Election, which remains open through May 1, with the Annual Meeting of Members scheduled for May 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m..
APD Downtown Outpost
The Downtown Alliance recognized partners who supported the creation of the Austin Police Department outpost located at 408 E. Sixth Street, thanking several downtown organizations and property partners for their contributions.
LIVE! From Downtown, Texas
Stakeholders were also invited to attend Live! from Downtown Texas, a free outdoor concert scheduled for April 22 from 4–6 p.m. at Indeed Tower Park Plaza (200 W. Sixth Street).
Austin Police Department Update
Commander Carey Chaudoir with the Austin Police Department shared updates on downtown crime prevention efforts and public safety initiatives.
Anti-Pickpocketing Campaign
APD recently launched a public education campaign focused on preventing pickpocketing, which began on March 8, 2026. The initiative includes signage, window posters and outreach materials placed in high-traffic areas throughout downtown to encourage awareness and prevention.
The campaign encourages residents and visitors to remain alert and report suspicious activity.
Safety Tips
Key safety reminders include:
- Check valuables immediately if someone bumps into you.
- Keep purses and bags close to your body with the strap across your chest.
- Avoid placing phones in back pockets.
- Do not leave phones or wallets unattended at restaurants or bars.
- Avoid hanging bags on the backs of chairs.
- Stay alert and aware of your surroundings.
Vehicle Theft Prevention
APD also shared tips to help prevent vehicle theft and property theft from vehicles.
Recommended precautions include:
- Keep vehicle doors locked at all times.
- Never leave keys inside the vehicle, even in garages.
- Consider installing steering wheel locks or OBD port lock devices.
- Avoid leaving valuables in plain sight inside vehicles.
Bike and Storage Unit Burglaries
APD noted an increase in bike storage room and residential storage unit burglaries in some downtown buildings.
Many incidents involve suspects gaining access through “piggybacking” entry, when someone follows a resident into a secured building.
To improve security, APD recommended:
- Installing secondary access controls or additional doors.
- Installing high-quality cameras between six and ten feet high to assist with suspect identification.
Downtown Area Rapid Response Team (DARRT)
The Downtown Area Rapid Response Team (DARRT) continues to play a key role in addressing crime trends downtown.
The unit includes one sergeant and eight detectives dedicated to investigations within the Downtown Area Command and works closely with crime analysts to identify patterns and trends.
DARRT collaborates with several partners, including:
- APD patrol and public order teams
- APD Organized Crime Division
- APD Commercial Burglary Unit
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
- Texas Comptroller’s Office
- Downtown business owners.
Investigative priorities include:
- Street-level narcotics activity
- Commercial burglaries
- Organized crime linked to late-night venues
- Alcoholic beverage law violations
- Cell phone theft and pickpocketing operations.
Reporting Crime
APD reminded stakeholders that:
- 911 should be used for emergencies or crimes in progress.
- 311 or the City of Austin online reporting system can be used to file non-emergency police reports.
Austin 3-1-1 Mobile App
The forum also featured Carrie Fidler with Austin 3-1-1, who presented information about the Austin 3-1-1 mobile app and how residents and businesses can use it to report city service requests.
Austin 3-1-1 serves as a central point of contact for city services and information, helping connect residents with the appropriate departments.
App Features
The mobile app allows users to:
- Submit service requests to city departments
- Upload up to three photos with a request
- Pinpoint exact service request locations using map tools
- Track the status of requests.
The system processes an average of more than 6,700 service requests per month, helping city departments address community concerns efficiently.
How Service Requests Work
When a service request is submitted through the app:
- A community member submits the request.
- The request is automatically routed to the appropriate city department.
- The department reviews and investigates the issue.
- The department resolves and closes the request.
ATX TV Festival
The forum also included a preview of the ATX TV Festival Season 15, scheduled for May 28–31, 2026.
Founded in 2012, the festival celebrates television through screenings, panel discussions, reunions and conversations with actors, writers and creators.
Festival Venues
Events will take place across several downtown venues, including:
- 612 Brazos
- 800 Congress
- Hyatt Centric Congress Avenue Austin
- Omni Austin Hotel Downtown
- Paramount Theatre
- Stateside at the Paramount.
Programming Highlights
Planned programming includes:
- Friday Night Lights 20-Year Reunion & Texas Made Award
- Everybody (Still) Loves Raymond: A Night of Comedy
- Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed screening
- Conversations with the cast and creators of Peacock and Universal Television’s The Paper
- A 75th anniversary script reading of I Love Lucy, along with additional screenings and panels.
Upcoming Downtown Events
Several major events and conferences will bring additional visitors to downtown Austin in the coming weeks.
Highlights include:
- Austin Reggae Festival – April 17–19 at Auditorium Shores
- Healthcare Financial Management Association Conference – April 23–28 at JW Marriott
- Austin Blues Festival – April 25–26 at Moody Amphitheater
- American College of Mohs Surgery Conference – April 27–May 3 at JW Marriott
- WNBA Dallas Wings vs. Las Vegas Aces – May 3 at Moody Center
- Public Broadcasting Service Conference – May 3–6 at JW Marriott
- Abrigo Conference – May 3–9 at Fairmont Austin
- Henry Pun-Off World Championship – May 9 at Brush Square Park
- CyberArk Conference – May 10–12 at Fairmont Austin and Hilton Austin
- Cine Las Americas International Film Festival – May 13–17 at multiple locations
- CapTex Triathlon – May 25 at Lady Bird Lake
- International Site Alliance Conference – May 26–29 at Fairmont Austin
- ATX Television Festival – May 28–31 at various downtown venues.
Upcoming Safety Forums
The Downtown Safety Forum series will continue with upcoming presentations from additional public safety partners:
- May 21, 2026 – Fire Marshal Carrie Stewart
- June 18, 2026 – Texas Department of Public Safety, Luis Benavides.