Austin Police Plans to Beef Up Security after Weekend of Violent Incidents

Austin Police Plans to Beef Up Security after Weekend of Violent Incidents

Austin Police Department plans to beef up downtown security following South by Southwest festival weekend that included five shootings, two crashes involving pedestrians and a suspicious death

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Mar 21, 2019

Austin Police Department plans to beef up security in downtown Austin following multiple violent incidents during the South by Southwest festival weekend.

During the weekend, Austin experienced five shootings, two crashes involving pedestrians and a suspicious death. Austin Police are still working to track down several suspects involved in these various incidents.

During a press conference, APD Chief Brian Manley shared plans to avoid future shootings and prevent violent crime downtown.

Manley said APD plans to work with South by Southwest festival promoters and the Downtown Austion Alliance on the security plan for next year’s festival.

It’s not clear whether all five of the shootings that took place were related to the festival, but Manley said it’s important to work with DAA and SWSW because some of the incidents took place near the festival area.

According to Manley, police will be monitoring unofficial SXSW events to make sure they have adequate security in place. In addition, police plan to review the post-incident reports to see what could have been improved.

Manley said he plans to identify any venues that book acts with a history of violence at their shows and concerts, and that the department plans to increase staffing downtown during the festival in future.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • The Next Generation

    Video security technology has reached an inflection point. With advancements in cloud infrastructure and internet bandwidth, hybrid cloud solutions can now deliver new capabilities and business opportunities for security professionals and their customers. Read Now

  • Help Your Customer Protect Themselves

    In the world of IT, insider threats are on a steep upward trajectory. The cost of these threats - including negligent and malicious employees that may steal authorized users’ credentials, rose from $8.3 million in 2018 to $16.2 million in 2023. Insider threats towards physical infrastructures often bleed into the realm of cybersecurity; for instance, consider an unauthorized user breaching a physical data center and plugging in a laptop to download and steal sensitive digital information. Read Now

  • Enhanced Situation Awareness

    Did someone break into the building? Maybe it is just an employee pulling an all-nighter. Or is it an actual perpetrator? Audio analytics, available in many AI-enabled cameras, can add context to what operators see on the screen, helping them validate assumptions. If a glass-break detection alert is received moments before seeing a person on camera, the added situational awareness makes the event more actionable. Read Now

  • Transformative Advances

    Over the past decade, machine learning has enabled transformative advances in physical security technology. We have seen some amazing progress in using machine learning algorithms to train computers to assess and improve computational processes. Although such tools are helpful for security and operations, machines are still far from being capable of thinking or acting like humans. They do, however, offer unique opportunities for teams to enhance security and productivity. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3

  • 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. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3