AUSTIN, Texas — As the Austin Public Safety Commission takes up the idea of decommissioning the Austin Police Department’s downtown headquarters, the department said it must stay based downtown.
On Monday afternoon, the commission took up the topic, which has been floated for years after problems with the aging building that has had problems with plumbing and asbestos.
City leaders have considered using the property, located along Interstate 35 and Eighth Street, for a range of projects, including affordable housing, art space, a hub for nonprofits or a centralized space for first responders.
But APD Chief of Staff Troy Gay told the Public Safety Commission the department needs to stay based “in the close proximity of the downtown area.”
“We do request that our downtown area command is closer or is in the downtown area since they are on foot and on bikes,” he said.
Gay said the department is working with city real estate officials to provide numbers of individuals and the programming needs of the department, which are changing.
“We have a lot of individuals right now in headquarters that have traditionally worked here in the building, but we’re realizing that there are some, such in our records department, that and others, that can actually telework and be as efficient,” he said. “We’ve been asked from the city manager to really look at our needs and that may shrink our real estate needs based on our current situation.”
Gay told the commission the current building has been through a possible relocation process twice in the past as the department’s needs continue to change.
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