Gov. Greg Abbott creates state task force to take over the streets

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Gov. Greg Abbott created a task force to combat “street occupants” just days after huge crowds turned the streets of Austin into a playground for chaotic stunts.

Over the weekend, several cars and trucks caught fire and spun donuts in the middle of various intersections in Austin. In raucous scenes captured on video that went viral, their tires smoked the crowd and even set fire to the clothes of some nearby viewers. And as soon as the police arrived, some officers had to retreat as people threw rocks, bottles and fireworks at their cars. As a result of the pogrom, one officer was wounded, but there was no threat to his life.

Since then, the Austin Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety have arrested and charged at least seven people with criminal charges ranging from evading arrest to reckless driving and illegal possession of a weapon. More people will be charged, according to APD Police Chief Joseph Chacon.

Street takeovers have been seen in other cities as well, but the incident has attracted the attention of leading politicians. On Thursday, Abbott announced that the DPS will work with local law enforcement to investigate and “target the organized crime aspect of street takeovers to make arrests and seize assets, including vehicles and weapons.”

“We must send a clear message that these reckless, coordinated criminal activities are unacceptable in Texas,” he said in a press release. Abbott also denounced the “stupid attempts of some local authorities [police departments]”, making similar excavations as Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

The task force is planned to be formed from the DPS units: CID, Texas Highway Patrol, and Intelligence and Counterterrorism. But the press release does not specify the amount of funding or personnel that will be allocated to the unit. The DPS declined the request for an interview with The Texas Tribune, instead citing Abbott’s statement.

APD also did not provide an interview. But public relations manager Brandon Jones said in a statement that they “welcome” the creation of the task force.

Street racing and takeovers are not new in Texas. They have grown during the COVID-19 pandemic in cities across the state and nation.

In 2018, the Dallas Police Department formed a street racing task force for its Southwest Division when such events were frequent in the city. According to DPD public information officer Brian Martinez, the unit patrols hotspots and answers calls regarding this activity, as well as gathering information on suspected street takeover groups.

In 2020, the division was expanded to cover the entire city. That same year, the city also banned watching races or takeover events, which could result in a $500 fine.

Dallas police responded to at least 8,441 reporting calls in 2020, up from 4,867 a year earlier, according to The Dallas Morning News. Martinez has since noted that street racing and hijacking incidents continue, but now they mostly take place outside the city and in nearby suburbs.

“Takeover incidents occur weekly in the DFW area, although few are of the magnitude seen in Austin over the weekend,” he said.

In Austin, APD is unlikely to set up a similar unit anytime soon due to staff shortages, Chacon said at a news conference Tuesday. Instead, the department will seek help from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office and the DPS.

The lack of personnel is also the cause of a major complaint about the long response times of emergency services during street seizures – the longest of which, according to Chacon, was 27 minutes. He added that the requirements for emergency operators, who must be state-licensed and pass all background checks, “make it harder to hire people.”

“We believe we are being as resourceful as possible to get as many people on board as possible, including not only retaining people from previous shifts, hiring a lot of overtime, but I even swore employees at the 911 call center who take phone calls directly now rather than being on the street,” he said.

Mayor Kirk Watson also focused on the issue, calling 911 wait times “unacceptable” in a statement Monday. He added that he is working with Chacón and interim city manager Jesús Garza to find “at least a temporary solution soon.”

In the same statement, Watson spoke out against the Austin Police Association, which accused city ​​politicians on Sunday for reducing public safety. The mayor and police union are currently fighting over contracts: the city council wants a one-year temporary contract, while the APA is pushing for at least a four-year contract.

“Twitter is not the right forum for contract negotiations and no Austin should ever accept the false choice between public safety and responsible police — Austin can and will have both,” Watson said. “If the Austin Police Association wants to discuss staffing and other issues, we invite them to return to the negotiating table to discuss a one-year contract.”

Renzo Downey contributed to this story.