The Downtown Austin Alliance hosted its monthly Downtown Safety Forum on July 16, bringing together public safety partners, Downtown stakeholders and community members for updates on Downtown events, crime trends and ongoing public safety efforts. The meeting featured updates from the Austin Police Department Downtown Area Command led by Commander Christopher Juusola as well as a presentation from the Police Activities League of Central Texas (PACE).
See the full Safety Forum presentation.
Community Announcements
The meeting opened with several upcoming opportunities for Downtown stakeholders to connect.
Downtown Affinity Group Meetings
The Downtown Austin Alliance announced upcoming affinity group meetings for hotel general managers, office property managers and residential property managers, which will take place throughout late July and early August.
Upcoming Downtown Events
Attendees were encouraged to support several major events happening in Downtown Austin, including:
- Austin’s Hot Summer Nights music festival
- PBR Gambler Days at Moody Center
- Ongoing programming featured on the Downtown Austin Alliance event calendar.
Austin Police Department Downtown Area Command Update
Commander Christopher Juusola shared a snapshot of officer activity during the first six months of 2026, highlighting the work of the Downtown Area Command’s patrol officers, Public Order Team, Mounted Patrol and Downtown Area Rapid Response Team. The presentation emphasized that the statistics represent only a portion of the work performed by officers throughout the Downtown Area Command.
Arrest Activity
From January 1 through June 28, officers within the Downtown Area Command made:
- 2,297 total arrests
- 913 felony arrests
- 1,384 misdemeanor arrests
These numbers reflect continued proactive policing efforts throughout Downtown Austin during the first half of the year.
Firearms Removed from the Community
The Downtown Area Command reported seizing 151 firearms between January 1 and June 28, demonstrating continued enforcement efforts targeting illegal weapons and violent crime.
Calls for Service
During the same reporting period, officers responded to more than 23,000 calls for service, including:
- 8,397 self-initiated activities
- 15,059 dispatched calls
- 23,456 total calls for service
The presentation highlighted the balance between officer-initiated enforcement and responses to community requests for service across Downtown Austin.
PACE Program Presentation
The forum also welcomed Elaine Garrett from the Police Activities League of Central Texas (PACE), who shared information about the organization’s work connecting youth with Austin police officers through educational programming, mentorship and community engagement opportunities.
Looking Ahead
The Downtown Austin Alliance thanked Austin Police Department, PACE and Downtown stakeholders for participating in another productive Safety Forum. Through continued collaboration, proactive policing and community partnerships, organizations across Downtown Austin remain committed to maintaining a safe, welcoming and vibrant downtown for everyone.