Crime concerns in Austin neighborhoods as police department grapples with staffing issues.

The understaffing in the Austin Police Department in Texas has caused residents to worry about the safety of the city.

Crime in the Montopolis neighborhood of Austin's southeast is reportedly getting worse, according to residents.

Delwin Goss stated that he woke up to gunshots in the neighborhood on Thursday night, a occurrence that he finds increasingly alarming.

"Hearing eight, nine, ten shots in quick succession made my hair stand up. Where are those bullets going?" he said.

His neighbor informed him that she hears gunshots from her home approximately two to three times per week, according to him.

He stated that he did not want to be shot while sleeping in his bed.

Despite being informed by Austin Police that they were already investigating when he called, he attributes the department's understaffing issue as the cause of the problem.

The officer shortage in Austin has a significant impact on businesses and residents who expect to run their businesses and live safely in the city. The Austin Police Association President Mike Bullock addressed the issue on X, stating that they are close to having a contract that could make progress towards resolving the staffing crisis. However, the question now is whether the city will prioritize making it happen.

This week, Austin City Council Member Mackenzie Kelly discussed the police understaffing issue on the Austin Police Association's podcast, stating that it is due to funding cuts that occurred in 2020.

The failed policy passed in 2020 to remove funding for the police department has led to our current staffing levels at the police department, as she informed Bullock.

"We desire a fully staffed department that looks after our city employees who are passionate about their work, as they will perform better in caring for the community."

Council members are working to increase the number of officers on duty to ensure residents feel safe in their neighborhoods, according to Kelly's statement to KVUE.

Kelly stated to the station that she believes everyone, regardless of their district, deserves to feel safe in their own homes, as she feels that her part of the district and town is often neglected.

Despite a decrease in the homicide rate from a record of 89 in 2021, the city's homicide rate remains high.

"Over the past three years, the city has experienced its highest homicide rates, according to Bullock, who stated this to FOX 7 earlier this year. As a result, regardless of how we analyze the data, we are not on a positive trajectory. We are moving in the wrong direction."

According to KXAN-TV, the city recorded 71 homicides in 2022, 73 in 2023, and 42 this year as of Monday.

According to the department, the city was experiencing approximately one murder per week in February, as reported by FOX 7.

In 2021, Austin experienced 89 murders, which was a significant increase from the previous record of 59 in 1984. This surge in violence occurred after the Austin City Council defunded the police in 2020, resulting in massive staffing shortages that prevented police from responding to non-emergency calls. Despite the fact that Austin now has two level one trauma centers and has standardized its ambulance services, the city's police force is still struggling to keep up with the demand for emergency services.

Goss stated that he has been watching the area for the past five to seven years, and it has only gotten worse, with more open drug use and drug dealing occurring in the neighborhood.

He stated that they are not out here to protect him, his 85-year-old heart transplant neighbor, or the 70-year-old widow living next door.

The Austin Police Department and Kelly have been contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for comment.