The New York Post referred to the city of Austin, the capital of Texas, as “on the brink of disaster,” as the shortage in the number of police officers has led to the city’s crime rates returning to their rate more than 15 years ago.
The American newspaper reported that Austin residents expressed their anger about the shortage of police staff and long response times to emergency calls following the City Council’s vote to stop funding the department in 2020.
She revealed that last February, part of the city was left without a single police officer for a few hours due to the ongoing shortage.
Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock said the steady decline in public safety has put the city on the "brink of disaster," warning that "previous boards and leadership have actively worked against our officers and management, which has now placed us in a worsening staffing crisis."
Last year, the police department was on the verge of collapse after 40 officers filed retirement papers after the City Council voted 9-2 to cancel a four-year contract the city had previously approved and instead pursue a one-year contract, something the union council rejected. the police.
“As a result, our headcount has declined for at least 15 years, while simultaneously dealing with population growth of over 250,000 new residents, while the District Attorney has made it clear that targeting officers and releasing criminals is his priority — not public safety,” Bullock continued.
It is noteworthy that the state of Texas, located on the southern border with Mexico, is facing a major crisis due to a significant increase in the number of immigrants crossing the borders of the two countries illegally.
Last January, the office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that the state authorities had sent more than 102,000 people to other parts of the United States as part of a program to transfer illegal immigrants from its territory.
25 Republican governors of US states accused President Joe Biden of not wanting to combat illegal immigration .