According to recent data gathered by the Travis County Attorney’s office, the Austin police department’s partnership with state troopers is resulting in a large number of arrests of Black and Hispanic people.
Driving the news: According to data obtained and first reported by the Austin American-Statesman, nearly nine out of ten people arrested on misdemeanor charges by the Texas Department of Public Safety through an ongoing operation with Austin police are Black or Hispanic.
Details: Since the operation started, prosecutors have examined 167 arrest affidavits, according to The Statesman.
The big picture: The partnership has proven divisive, with some Austinites praising the move as a crackdown on crime and others criticizing it as a doorway to unaccountable policing.
Already the partnership had led to protests in southeast Austin’s Montopolis neighborhood, where some said they were being unfairly targeted.
“End Systemic Profiling,” read a placard at a protest last Friday.
What they’re saying: “If the goal is to address violent crime, this is not the right approach,” Travis County Attorney Delia Garza told the Statesman.
“This was my fear (all) along and now my fear, and the fear of so many of my colleagues, has been confirmed,” City Council member Zohaib “Zo” Qadri tweeted.
