EAST WILCO
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Hutto, Taylor relying on both technology and old-fashioned ‘community policing’
Headlines that grab attention and mugshots glaring from social-media groups, television, websites and even neighborhood chats ensure every high-profile crime and arrest gets maximum attention.
But that may be leading to a false perception that crime is rampant in eastern Williamson County, which in general is a relatively secure place to live, analysts said.
“You should absolutely feel safe here in Taylor,” said Commander Joseph Branson of the Taylor Police Department. “This is a great town to live and work in, and we appreciate the support from our residents. We’re doing everything we can to keep the town on the great path it is now on.”
PERCEPTION VERSUS REALITY
The latest statistics from both Taylor and neighboring Hutto show no major increases so far in violent crime for 2024 compared to the last few years.
However, on a nationwide level, 77 percent of Americans believe there is more crime in the U.S. than a year ago, and 55 percent believe crime in their local area is on the rise, according to Gallup’s recently released crime survey.
Public perceptions of national and local crime problems have worsened since 2020, the company reports.
Hard data indicates perception may not be reality in this case.
A study released this month by the FBI shows that comparing January through June 2023 versus the same time in 2024, violent crime decreased by 3 percent nationwide. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter dropped by 12 percent, rape decreased by 9 percent, robbery shrank by 0.3 percent, and aggravated assaults dropped by 3 percent.
Following the national trend, indicators show Hutto and Taylor are also seeing reduced rates of violent crime, though continued media coverage by Austin outlets could be a factor in the perception violence is on the upswing, officials said.
A sampling of recent news stories about Hutto included: •
Oct. 14,
a Hutto man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for shooting 16 rounds at a police officer in Georgetown.
•
Oct. 10,
a person was arrested for selling a lethal dose of fentanyl to a victim in Hutto.
•
Oct. 4,
a man and woman were found dead in a suspected murder-suicide following a domestic dispute in Hutto’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
•
Sept. 4,
Hutto police arrested five teens suspected in a recent crime spree. Taylor also saw sensational news stories this year, with two people in their 60s arrested in a drug sting at an apartment complex for older adults, a man found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in front of the police station, and another operation that resulted in arrests for drugs and human trafficking of a minor.
SAFE CITIES
Despite the spate of high-profile crimes, CrimeGrades.org rates Taylor as safer than 61 percent of U.S. cities and Hutto as being safer than 77 percent of other municipalities.
“Your chance of being a victim of crime in Taylor may be as high as one in 17 in the south neighborhoods, or as low as one in 59 in the northwest part of the city,” CrimeGrades.org says. “Your chance of being a victim of crime in Hutto may be as high as one in 19 in the southeast neighborhoods, or as low as one in 95 in the northeast part of the city.”
The variable in all this data is these crime statistics only count offenses inside city limits. Crimes outside city limits are handled by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, so those figures are not included in the city statistics, even though residential developments are adding thousands of houses and apartments just across the street from in-town neighborhoods.
Offenses committed in the extraterritorial jurisdictions are often reported by news media as happening within the city, though they are not handled by local police departments.
HIGH-TECH
Officials say the fluidity of the greater Austin metroplex can cause a problem for city law-enforcement agencies. Both Taylor and Hutto are combating this with license-plate readers produced by Flock Safety.
The camera system connects to a network of other cameras and provides a live feed, a recorded feed and the ability to search for a particular vehicle as it enters and leaves neighboring towns.
Branson said the cameras began producing results almost immediately after being activated in September.
“Just a few days after installation, we got a hit on a stolen vehicle and were able to make an arrest. It’s a force multiplier for us,” the commander said.
Flock cameras are the tip of the technology iceberg for police departments. Drones, robotic units, enhanced safety equipment and more sophisticated computer hardware and software all play a part in modern policing.
Yet in Taylor and Hutto, officials say the most important element is people.
As of October, both cities reported fully staffed departments – a situation that allows for more policing options.
“When you only have a few officers, you take on the high level or fairly easy cases or crimes against persons that need immediate attention,” said Hutto Police Chief Jeffrey Yarbrough.
He added an understaffed department simply doesn’t have the manpower to investigate all crimes and has to prioritize what will be investigated.
“A lot of those crimes weren’t getting the bandwidth they deserved when we didn’t have a full department,” he said. “With enough officers, those crimes that were previously getting triaged are now getting the full treatment they need.”
Yarbrough said in the last year HPD has been able to not only reestablish its regular criminal investigation unit but also set up a special unit for highlevel investigations such as identifying organized groups like car burglary rings.
The department has also established a Special Response Team trained to handle emergency situations.
“They train weekly, they train with other units, they are well-equipped and have the resources needed for high-risk tactical situations,” the chief said. “Instead of us having to wait for a response from another community, we are able to be independent in that area of expertise and we’re able to respond rapidly and instantly.” Branson said being fully staffed has allowed Taylor to develop new strategies as well. The department is exploring the creation of a problemoriented policing unit that would be assigned to areas of the city where activities exist that concern the department.
OLD SCHOOL STILL WORKS
Taylor also began a new initiative in October to assign an officer specifically to the downtown and parks area, patrolling on foot or bicycle. This will allow police the opportunity to build relationships with business owners and regular shoppers.
Relationships play an important role in both Taylor and Hutto. Community policing harks back to images of TV’s fictional Sheriff Andy Taylor walking the streets of Mayberry talking to neighbors.
Yarbrough and Branson agree that this type of patrolling still has a valid place in modern law enforcement.
“We can have all the tools and all the equipment, but there is very little that compares to the tool of partnerships and relations we have in this community with the citizens and the leadership. People feel like they can call us,” Yarbrough said. “They are calling us for major and also minor things that turn out to be critical to solving cases. They are calling us because they know we are going to respond.”
The public seems responsive. Taylor police answered 718 suspicious persons or suspicious activity calls and 228 suspicious vehicle notifications from January to September of this year.
In Hutto, tips from residents are increasingly leading to arrests. One of those resulted in officers capturing a group of five people from out of town operating a car burglary ring targeting Hutto.
“As you might expect, with more growth that increases everything across the boards,” Branson said. “The growth is bringing development opportunity, but we also have our share of crimes of opportunity. We have to be prepared to handle policing matters today and into the future.”
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