Austin Police Department Reserve Officer Unit is Set to Begin Next Month

For the first time in its history, 14 officers with the Austin Police Department (APD) Reserve Officer Unit will report to duty in October. The purpose of the Reserve Officer Unit is to supplement the Department’s ability to staff special events, such as the Austin City Limits festival, with trained, motivated, and disciplined reserve officers. The Reserve Officer Unit is made up of retired APD officers of different ranks.

Each Reserve Officer completed 64 hours of remedial training which included an Integrated Communications and Tactics (ICAT) course; Arrest, Search, and Seizure; Use of Force; Defensive Tactics; and Legislative Updates.

“I am happy to successfully implement this program and get some much-needed relief to our officers,” said Interim Chief of Police Robin Henderson. “We know that each reserve unit officer is committed to serving our community.”

In addition, the Reserve Officer Unit reduces the need to use on-duty officers at special events, who would otherwise perform regular patrol or other essential peace officer functions.

Highlights of the program are:

Reserve Officers hold a part-time TCOLE license and are temporary APD Employees.

Reserve Officers receive an hourly wage the APD Chief Financial Officer sets.

The Reserve Officer Unit is a Special Events Unit sub-unit and reports to the Special Events chain of command.

Reserve Officers will only work special events and only at barricade or traffic control assignments

Reserve officers are required to work one special event shift a month and cannot exceed 40 hours in a week. The first set of officers from the unit will begin on October 6th.