History of Austin Police Department in Timeline

The Austin Police Department (APD) is the primary law enforcement agency for Austin, Texas. With a budget of $527.9 million for fiscal year 2026, it employs approximately 2,457 personnel, including around 1,819 officers. The department also uses specialized units, including 24 K-9 police dogs and 16 horses. Lisa Davis is the current chief of police, as of 2025.

1921: Traffic Laws Established

In 1921, a new ordinance was written to establish traffic laws, and the Austin Police Department was given the responsibility of enforcing them due to the increasing number of automobiles.

1924: Dissolution of the Marshal System

In 1924, the Marshal system was officially dissolved, and the position of Chief of Police transitioned from an elected role to one appointed by the mayor.

1950: First Female Police Officer Joins APD

In 1950, Maybelle Stout became the first female police officer to join the Austin Police Department.

1989: First Female Lieutenant Appointed

In 1989, Bobby Owens was appointed as the first female lieutenant in the Austin Police Department.

1992: First Female Chief of APD Appointed

In 1992, Elizabeth Watson became the first female chief of the Austin Police Department.

2008: Dustin Paul Lee Fired

According to KVUE, Dustin Paul Lee was fired by the Austin Police Department in 2008 for making inappropriate sexual comments to a female coworker.

2009: Dustin Paul Lee Reinstated

According to KVUE, Dustin Paul Lee was fired by the Austin Police Department in 2008 and was reinstated in 2009 with a demotion in rank.

2018: Lawsuit References Austin-American Statesman Article

In 2018, An Austin-American Statesman article revealed a former cadet stating that instructors told cadets they would punch them in the face if they said they wanted to be officers to help people. This was referenced in the lawsuit.

2018: Complaint of Racially Biased Harassment

In 2018, Austin's Office of Police Oversight received a complaint of racially biased harassment against Officer Michael Hewitt, who ticketed a Black man for loitering while ignoring a white driver engaging in similar behavior. However, Hewitt was not disciplined after the investigation.

2018: Audit of Case Classifications

In 2018, a Texas Department of Public Safety audit revealed that Austin police detectives often improperly classified their closed cases as "cleared" when that category didn't apply, leading to subsequent retraining.

2019: Lieutenant Dustin Paul Lee Arrested

In 2019, APD Lieutenant Dustin Paul Lee, then 47, was arrested and booked into Williamson County Jail on a charge of sexual assault of a child with bail set at $150,000. The APD placed Lee on restricted duty following the arrest.

2019: Yarger Reprimanded for Unprofessional Comments

In 2019, Officer Yarger was formally reprimanded for making unprofessional comments while interacting with the public.

April 24, 2020: Shooting of Michael Ramos

On April 24, 2020, Officer Christopher Taylor and other officers responded to a report of drug dealing. Responding officers stated Michael Ramos ignored commands and a bean bag projectile before he got into his car and attempted to flee. Taylor shot Ramos, who was unarmed, and he was later pronounced dead.

August 2020: Austin City Council reduces APD budget

In August 2020, the Austin City Council voted to reduce the Austin Police Department's budget by approximately $150 million. This included reallocating $21.5 million to social services, eliminating 150 vacant officer positions, and declining to add 30 new officer positions.

2020: APD Sex Crimes Unit Analysis

An analysis from the Police Executive Research Forum in 2020, found that the APD Sex Crimes Unit does not require detectives to respond to the scene of the assault or the hospital in most cases, and from 2013 to 2020, detectives only did so 17% of the time.

2020: Criticism of Sexual Assault Case Prosecution

In 2020, sexual assault victims' advocates criticized the Travis County district attorney's office for prosecuting only a small number of the hundreds of sexual assault cases it receives each year, making it a major theme in the district attorney campaign.

2020: APA Claim of Contract Violation

In 2020, the Austin Police Association claimed that the Office of Police Oversight violated the union's labor contract by investigating citizen complaints, contacting witnesses, and directing internal affairs detectives during officer interviews.

2020: Indictments and Lawsuit Payouts

In 2020, twenty-one APD officers were indicted for actions taken during the protests and the city of Austin paid out over $17 million in lawsuits related to APD shootings of protesters.

2020: Protests Following Ramos and Floyd Deaths

In the summer of 2020, the death of Michael Ramos and George Floyd led to weeks of protests in Austin. During the protests, several demonstrators were severely injured by officers deploying less-lethal munitions.

2020: APD Amended Annual Budget

The Austin Police Department’s Amended annual budget for 2020-21 was $309,706,558.

January 2021: Road Rage Shooting Incident

In January 2021, off-duty Officer Gabriel Gutierrez was involved in a "road rage incident" where he shot into Alexander Gonzales' vehicle, non-fatally wounding Gonzales and his girlfriend, Jessica Arellano.

January 2021: Alexander Gonzales Shooting

In June 2025, Alexander Gonzales, Sr. and Elizabeth Gonzales brought a civil suit against Officer Gabriel Gutierrez for the wrongful death of their son, Alexander Gonzales, who was shot “following a road rage incident” in January 2021.

October 1, 2021: APD non-emergency call policy

On October 1, 2021, the Austin Police Department implemented a policy, recommended by the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force, where officers would no longer respond to non-emergency calls. This policy change, due to severe staffing shortages, applied to burglaries no longer in progress, vehicle thefts, and vehicle collisions without injuries, directing people to 311 or iReportAustin.com for reporting.

October 2021: Simone Griffith Arrested

In October 2021, Simone Griffith was arrested by two unidentified APD officers for trespassing and resisting arrest after she was found sleeping in front of a strip mall. The officers allegedly threw her against a wall, kneed her, and punched her multiple times. The APD stated the officers did not call the Department's Crisis Intervention Team.

October 2021: Non-emergency call response policy

In October 2021, chief Joseph Chacon announced that due to severe staffing shortages and at the recommendation of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force, officers would no longer respond to non-emergency calls, directing people to 311 or iReportAustin.com for reporting. The policy took effect October 1, 2021, and applies to burglaries no longer in progress, vehicle thefts, and vehicle collisions without injuries.

November 2021: Charges Against Griffith Dropped

In November 2021, the Travis County Attorney's Office dropped the charges against Simone Griffith.

2021: APD Officer Departures

In 2021, 210 Austin police officers left the department, exceeding the combined total from the previous two years.

2021: Taylor Indicted for Murder

In 2021, Travis County district attorney Jose Garza brought the shooting before a grand jury. The grand jury returned a true bill of indictment against Officer Christopher Taylor for murder in the shooting death of Michael Ramos.

January 2022: KXAN Releases Bystander Video

In January 2022, KXAN-TV released bystander video footage of the assault on Simone Griffith. APD refused to release police body camera footage or the internal investigation report, stating the incident was being re-reviewed.

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2022: Dustin Paul Lee Pled Guilty

In 2022, Dustin Paul Lee pled guilty to sexually assaulting a child and received deferred adjudication, 10 years of probation, and community supervision.

2022: Griffith Presses Charges Against Officers and City

In 2022, Simone Griffith filed charges in federal court against officers Rodriguez and Escamilla, and the city of Austin, alleging violations of her fourth and fourteenth amendment rights due to the 2021 arrest incident. Her attorney, Rebecca Webber, criticized APD's policies.

2022: Grand Jury Declines to Indict

In 2022, a grand jury declined to indict either Officer Gutierrez or Serrato on criminal charges related to the shooting incident that occurred in January 2021.

2022: Settlements in Sexual Assault Complaints

In 2022, the city of Austin reportedly paid more than $825,000 to settle lawsuits from more than a dozen women who claimed the APD did not take their sexual assault complaints seriously.

2022: Yarger Suspended for Group Text Threads

In late 2022, Officer Yarger was suspended after an Internal Affairs investigation revealed that he created group text threads to exclude and/or "shit-talk" subordinate officers.

May 2023: Austin Police Oversight Act ("Prop A") Passed

In May 2023, Austin voters approved the Austin Police Oversight Act, also known as "Prop A," which mandated the release of previously confidential APD "G files" containing unsubstantiated misconduct complaints to the public.

May 2023: Mistrial Declared in Christopher Taylor Case

In May 2023, a judge declared a mistrial in the case of Officer Christopher Taylor, who was charged with murder in the shooting of Michael Ramos, due to issues with jury selection. The trial was reset for October 2023.

October 2023: Christopher Taylor's Trial Reset

In May 2023, a judge declared a mistrial in Christopher Taylor's murder case. The judge reset the trial for October 2023.

December 2023: Equity Action Files Lawsuit for APOA Implementation

In December 2023, the non-profit Equity Action filed a lawsuit demanding immediate implementation of all measures in the Austin Police Oversight Act (APOA), specifically seeking to unseal the G files.

2023: Jonathan Kringen Arrested and Fired

In 2023, Jonathan Kringen, APD's chief data officer, was arrested on domestic violence charges and subsequently fired from his position.

2023: No Disciplinary Action Taken

In 2023, then Austin police chief Joseph Chacon declined to discipline either officer involved in the January 2021 road rage shooting.

2023: Equity Action Challenges Police Contract

In October 2024, police oversight advocacy group Equity Action requested intervention from the district court because the new contract with the Austin Police Association would potentially allow the dismantling of Austin's civilian police oversight system, directly interfering with the Austin Police Oversight Act passed by popular vote in 2023.

June 2, 2024: Yarger's Use of Force Under Review

On June 2, 2024, during a traffic stop in east Austin, Officer Yarger attempted to disperse a crowd, and the APD's Force Review Unit determined that his claims of being reached for his holster did not align with body camera footage.

July 24, 2024: Yarger Responds to Verbal Altercation

On July 24, 2024, Officer Yarger responded to a verbal altercation on Trinity Street, deploying a stun gun and performing a leg-sweep takedown. He reportedly delivered a palm heel strike, kneed the individual, and knelt on his head and neck to restrain him.

September 2024: G Files Made Accessible to the Public

In September 2024, the G files containing unsubstantiated misconduct complaints against active duty police officers were made accessible to the public. This followed a lawsuit filed in December 2023 by Equity Action, demanding implementation of the APOA, and a court ruling that keeping the files sealed was unlawful.

October 5, 2024: Christopher Taylor Found Guilty

On October 5, 2024, a jury in Travis County found Officer Christopher Taylor guilty of deadly conduct in the shooting of Michael Ramos. He was later sentenced to 2 years in prison.

October 2024: Request to Block New Police Contract

In October 2024, Equity Action requested intervention from the district court to block the approval of a new long-term contract with the Austin Police Association. The group argued that the contract could dismantle Austin's civilian police oversight system and interfere with the Austin Police Oversight Act passed in 2023.

2024: Kringen's Appeal Denied

In 2024, Jonathan Kringen's appeal of his termination was denied by the Municipal Civil Service Commission (MCSC).

2024: Officer Joshua Lugo Arrested

In 2024, Officer Joshua Lugo was arrested by New Braunfels police and charged with assault causing bodily injury to a family member. He was later released on bail and placed on restricted duty with pay by the APD.

2024: Yarger Resigns and Pleads Guilty

In 2024, Officer Yarger resigned in lieu of a disciplinary hearing and dismissal, and later pleaded guilty to assault charges related to incidents from that year. He received a 12-month deferred adjudication probation sentence and was required to surrender his peace officer license.

2024: City of Austin 2024-25 Budget

The City of Austin's approved 2024-25 budget shows the Austin Police Department’s approved budget is $496,601,181.

March 26, 2025: Lugo Placed on Indefinite Suspension

On March 26, 2025, police chief Lisa Davis filed an APD memorandum stating that Officer Joshua Lugo was placed on "indefinite suspension." The memorandum provides partially-redacted details of the alleged offense.

May 13, 2025: House Bill 2486 Postponed in the House

On May 13, 2025, House Bill 2486, introduced by state House Representative Cole Hefner, which aimed to require police departments in Texas to maintain personnel records of alleged misconduct, was marked as postponed in the House.

May 19, 2025: Senate Bill 781 Passed in the Senate

On May 19, 2025, Senate Bill 781, introduced by Republican Texas state Senator Phil King, was passed in the Senate. The bill requires police departments in Texas to maintain personnel records of alleged misconduct, potentially bypassing the APOA.

June 2025: Civil Suit Filed Against Officer Gutierrez

In June 2025, Alexander Gonzales, Sr. and Elizabeth Gonzales filed a civil suit against Officer Gabriel Gutierrez for the wrongful death of their son, Alexander Gonzales, who was shot in January 2021 following a road rage incident. The suit also names the city of Austin as a defendant for the alleged inadequate investigation.

June 2025: License Plate Reader Program

In June 2025, it was reported that up to 20% of searches during the pilot period of the APD's automated license plate reader program were performed without a documented reason. Later that month, the Austin City Council declined to renew the program, allowing the contract with Flock Safety to expire.

2025: Lisa Davis named Chief of Police in 2025

In 2025, Lisa Davis became the chief of police for the Austin Police Department.

2025: Arellano's Suit Settled Out of Court

In May 2025, Jessica Arellano's lawsuit, who was Gonzales' girlfriend, was settled out of court. Arellano was injured in the same shooting as Gonzales. The settlement details have not been disclosed.

2025: City of Austin 2025-26 Planned Budget

The City of Austin's 2025-26 planned budget shows the Austin Police Department’s planned budget is $503,699,330.

2026: APD Fiscal Year 2026 Budget and Personnel

As of fiscal year 2026, the Austin Police Department's annual budget was $527.9 million. The agency employed around 2,457 personnel, including approximately 1,819 officers, 24 K-9 police dogs, and 16 horses.

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