AUSTIN, Texas — The University of Texas at Austin Police Department has expanded its patrols to enhance safety for UT students who live in Austin’s West Campus neighborhood and thousands of employees and visitors who frequent it. Building on years of safety investments in West Campus and last year’s addition of the UTPD West Campus substation, UT police officers, in coordination with assigned officers from the Austin Police Department, will increase law enforcement visibility and coverage to improve safety.
The enhanced approach, which took effect Aug. 4 in advance of the fall semester, represents an intentional strategy to expand UTPD’s presence in a newly created West Campus Patrol District with dedicated teams in the neighborhood where most UT undergraduate students live.
“The safety of West Campus remains a top priority for the Board of Regents,” said Board Chairman Kevin Eltife. “We’ve made real improvements over the past three years, but the work continues. We are especially grateful to the officers who will be in West Campus each day to protect the safety of our students.”
“The West Campus neighborhood is a cross section of Texas and the nation, with 90 percent of our students coming to UT from outside of Travis County,” UT President Jim Davis said. “It is the college home for a majority of our undergraduate students, and for many their first time in a big city environment. We deeply care about our students and their families’ positive experience and safety in the city of Austin. We are grateful for our Board of Regents’ significant and ongoing investment in safety, for the UT Police Department’s commitment to excellence, and for the Austin Police Department’s partnership in prioritizing the safety of our students and families near campus.”
Approximately two dozen UTPD officers are assigned to the neighborhood in permanent shifts, based out of the department’s West Campus substation at 2400 Nueces St. They patrol the neighborhood on foot, bicycles and in a variety of motorized vehicles to maximize public accessibility and mobility. Their regular patrols will allow them to get to know UT students who live there and to work in partnership with APD to enforce laws and act as a deterrent to those who intend to break them.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our students, families, employees and visitors,” UT Police Chief Shane Streepy said. “We established an intentional presence off campus in the West Campus neighborhood, and now we are growing that presence to enhance the safe experience for those who live, work and study near UT Austin. Our students will get to know our officers, and they will see us patrolling alongside Austin Police. I am grateful to President Davis for his commitment to safety beyond our campus borders, and to Austin Police Chief Davis for her partnership in keeping our community safe.”
In addition to facilitating more patrols, the West Campus Patrol District also extends the western boundary of UTPD’s patrol area outside of the UT campus to North Lamar Boulevard. It previously ended six blocks west of campus at Rio Grande Street.
With the creation of the new district and authorized by a Memorandum of Understanding signed in February, UTPD and APD officers who patrol West Campus will cross-train, allowing officers from both law enforcement agencies to be educated on the nuances of policing in both a University and traditional urban environment.
“The Austin Police Department is excited to continue our partnership with The University of Texas at Austin Police Department, focusing on the West Campus Patrol District,” said Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. “This collaboration will enhance both agencies’ access to facilities in a timely manner, allow us to assist each other with calls, and provide cross-training opportunities — all of which are critical during a crisis. Addressing crime and keeping our community safe is a joint effort, and we are proud to be a part of it.”
UT and the UT System Board of Regents have invested more than $13 million in West Campus safety enhancements in recent years, including increased patrols, enhanced lighting, HALO cameras and the establishment of UT’s West Campus Ambassadors program. The ambassadors serve as a specialized safety, cleaning and hospitality team that works in collaboration with business and community leaders who are dedicated to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment in West Campus.
About UT Safety Programs
UT provides a range of safety programs including UT’s SURE Walk, which offers walks or rides on campus or from campus to West Campus, and UT Night Rides, which provides Lyft rides from the Main Campus, the J.J. Pickle Research Campus and Dell Pediatric Research Institute to an individual’s home. In addition, UTPD has a free mobile app called LiveSafe, giving the UT community and guests immediate access to police dispatch via text. LiveSafe allows you to report suspicious activity and request help, and it includes a panic alarm and a peer-to-peer virtual escort tool that connects with any contact in your phone, whether you are riding in a vehicle or walking, to help ensure safe commutes.
