In downtown Austin, officers patrol a challenging beat

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6th Street here in Austin, TX is really famous for the wide array of bars, pubs, resturants, and nightclubs. There are about 100+ in one area alone. Almost every one has some type of live music, including some top name musicians playing in very small venues.

Hundreds upon hundreds decend onto lower 6th St. each night to enjoy the wide variety of entertainment options. The police officers there have a challenging beat. Also, besides 6th St proper, there is a convention center, several hotels, and numerous office buildings and other types of stores. The State Capitol building, University Of Texas, UT Football Stadium (capable of seating 100,000 fans) and a number of parks and other entertainment theaters, etc (note DPS patrols the Capitol building and Governors Mansion, and University Of Texas has their own PD. Add to this the Homeless Shelter which sits just one block south of 6th.

During the daytime, it is quiet and filled with office workers during the weekdays, and on weekends, families, hikers, kayakers and whatever family-friendly event or race that is going on. It is very quiet during the day. At night, ONE area changes.

In Austin, this in the "George" sector. Not only is this challenging for the officers, but for the George sector dispatchers. There are usually only two cars to four cars to patrol the outlying areas of the sector,sometimes with a bike and bike rack, and the rest are on foot, bike, or horse. They have no MDT's, no GPS locators, nothing. So the sector dispatcher has to do EVERYTHING for the officer, running numerous drivers license, plate, wants and warrant, etc. They also have to call in all information that normally would be handled over the MDT. Also, note that each officer must have 3+ years experience in patrol to work in George.

At 2AM, all mayhem breaks loose, and it takes certain types of officers and one dispatcher to handle things. They use Clydesdales to round up and drive everyone out of the street and area. Then, the cleanup begins, pressure washing the sidewalks, etc. In the morning, you would not know anything happened there. And the cycle repeats iteself over and over again.

Which is why I think this article is really well written:

In downtown Austin, officers patrol a challenging beat

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/in-downtown-austin-officers-patrol-a-challenging-beat-1879164.html