APD details cost of patrolling trails 24 hours
APD Chief of Staff David Carter
A proposal to lift the curfew on Austin's hike and bike trail could easily have the full support of the Austin Police Department if City Council was willing to pay for extra patrols.
On Thursday, council members passed a resolution to open trails in the city for 24 hours a day. They say it’s a bid to get pedestrians and bicyclists off the road when it’s dark.
Before the Public Safety Commission Monday, chief of staff for the Austin Police Department David Carter presented an analysis of how much it would cost APD to protect the parks after hours.
“If we're going to open up a series of trails that had been closed, 22 miles of trails, we have to do something as a police department to proactively address that and that's what we're proposing to do," Carter said.
One commissioner asked if it's worth the amount of money it would cost police to boost park protection.
The commission passed a motion Monday to make sure police have the resources to be equipped for any increase of services.