Texas’ Capital Increases Security in Time for SXSW

Texas' Capital Increases Security in Time for SXSW

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Mar 10, 2016

South by Southwest (SXSW) has seen its fair share of tragedies. In 2014, an intoxicated driver drove their car into a group of people killing four and injuring almost two dozen others. This year, however, is going to be different.

South by Southwest, Austin, Texas’ annual film and music festival is set to begin on March 12 and run through the next 10 days. The capital city will see hundreds of thousands of people flow into the festival site as well as President Barack Obama, setting up an excellent excuse for determining stronger security procedures.

Sixth Street will see the biggest of changes, police say. There will be a 20 foot wide emergency lane running down the middle of East Sixth Street to help emergency vehicles get in and out. Also, this year, instead of just putting barricades around the outer perimeter of SXSW, there will be two marked patrol cars on those closed off streets to increase security.

150 to 200 police officers will be paid from a special overtime budget to control the crowd. The SXSW stress level is already high for first responders, but now it is doubling with the arrival of the President.

Police are also expecting mass amounts of traffic on Friday, March 12, the opening day of the festival and the date of President Obama’s speech. To keep too many drivers from seeing red, the city’s traffic management system will be looking for bottlenecks and redirecting officers to the worst of them. Even with the increase in staffing, the city says driver’s expectations should be low.

Another change this year is that the no-refusal period will be the longest APD has ever enforced. It will cover the entire 10-day festival.


About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.