Austin Police Question (Atlanta: violent crime, living, prices)

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by riaelise

I've noticed that there are more shootings lately. I chalked it up to just an increase in population.

People have this vision of Austin as some utopia where gangs, shootings, and violence don't seem to exist. At least years ago people had that vision. Truth is, while crime is lower than say other cities, Austin is growing and with that growth, there's an uptick in crime. Gangs are alive and well in Austin. There's always been lots of property crime.

I personally feel there's a large combination of things.

Between the whole pandemic & job loss, rising cost of housing leaving some people feeling trapped and financial disparities.. ..some people are going to do things they wouldn't otherwise normally do.

[ScoPro]

Even Round Rock & Cedar Park are having a murder now & then. Not long ago, several years would go by without someone getting offed. City growing pains for sure contributes, but at least we aren’t to this point yet...

[NightZeroTX]

I did extensive research when moving here, originally I was going to move to Houston but I had an old coworker who retired and moved to Austin. Everyone who I spoke of told me how awesome Austin was. The festivals, activities, the atmosphere, I was sold.

Then I moved here. 2 months after I moved 3 Cedar Park Cops got shot, a few months later another Officer involved shooting.
My first few trips into downtown Austin were downright eye opening. The homeless population, the aggressive pan-handlers and I wasn't so impressed with East 6th street. It's growing on me though. I wouldn't live in Austin proper, but I do like the North side of Austin.

[Need4Camaro]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

Even Round Rock & Cedar Park are having a murder now & then. Not long ago, several years would go by without someone getting offed. City growing pains for sure contributes, but at least we aren’t to this point yet...

They make Chicago Style Pizza's Deep Dish Pies to absorb the bullets!

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by NightZeroTX

I did extensive research when moving here, originally I was going to move to Houston but I had an old coworker who retired and moved to Austin. Everyone who I spoke of told me how awesome Austin was. The festivals, activities, the atmosphere, I was sold.

Then I moved here. 2 months after I moved 3 Cedar Park Cops got shot, a few months later another Officer involved shooting.
My first few trips into downtown Austin were downright eye opening. The homeless population, the aggressive pan-handlers and I wasn't so impressed with East 6th street. It's growing on me though. I wouldn't live in Austin proper, but I do like the North side of Austin.

Dirty 6th Street is for tourists, drunk students, and gangbangers.
The local club/bar crowd go to other areas like Rainey Street, West 2nd Street, the Rock Rose district of the Domain...etc.

[scot892]

The increased crime comes from many factors. First and foremost is from our welcoming policies by our City Council and Mayor by putting in place ridiculous policies for the city. Like reducing police funding, allowing homeless camp anywhere and everywhere and making Austin a sanctuary city for Illegals. With that kind of idiotic policies to welcome criminals, you would be crazy to think crime is not going to increase. It's only our idiotic Mayor and Council members who think this actually helps the city. With increased Illegals, we have increased gang members taking advantage of those policies. It also doesn't help that the police are more focused on speed traps to increase their revenues than actually put their focus on the real criminals.

[Ivory Lee Spurlock]

If I understand it right, a person who is caught with drugs and no other crime has been committed, that person would go to a drug counselor rather than to jail. If that's the reason for defunding the police, it seems to me the laws should be changed before defunding the police.

[ScoPro]

Good luck getting the legislature to decriminalize weed. Texas will probably be the last state to do it.

[Trainwreck20]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

Good luck getting the legislature to decriminalize weed. Texas will probably be the last state to do it.

No, the polis are reading the 'leaves' and you will notice that very few, if any, come out directly opposed to legal weed. The support for legal weed crosses all political parties.

[ScoPro]

I’ll believe it when HEB starts carrying “edibles” on Aisle 5. Lol