Their patrol units say "police." So do their uniforms. They carry guns and work for the city of Austin, but they are not part of the Austin Police Department.
Austin Aviation Police, Park Police and City Marshals account for roughly 100 officers who get paid less than Austin police officers. They also receive different training.
"Most of the cities that I've been involved with have one police
agency," Chief Art Acevedo said.
Now the Austin City Council is considering merging the four separate police departments into one.
"From an operational standpoint and a command control standpoint, it makes a lot of sense that you have one law enforcement agency respond to any eventuality here in the city of Austin," Acevedo said.
The proposal sets a three-year timetable to complete the merger at an estimated cost of $7.8 million.
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Combining forces
Austin's four police departments could soon merge together.
 
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"We think ultimately it's going to be a benefit to everyone to have a unified structure within our police department, as opposed to having one big department and four little departments running around the city," council member Mike Martinez said.
If the city council decides to consolidate the Austin Police
Department, it would affect the 100 officers of the three smaller agencies.
Those officers would be able to laterally transfer into APD but they wouldn't be able to keep their rank. They would also have to go through a revised three-month police academy.
The city council will ultimately decide if merging Austin's police departments makes sense economically.
The council will also consider changing the way APD hires outside officers. Currently, officers with other law enforcement experience have to go through the full academy.
