With the return of the Austin City Limits Music Festival, a special treatment has been rolled out to ensure the safety of the expected hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers in Zilker Park. Law enforcement officials, as per an announcement relayed by KVUE, have shared that a special reserve unit, composed of retired Austin police officers, has been deployed to focus exclusively on the event. This measure aims to provide additional security without detracting from other police services in the city.
Austin Police Lieutenant J.J. Schmidt told KVUE, "We have a separate set of officers that work specifically for the festival, that deal with the patrons inside and, again, help provide that safe environment for them." Schmidt emphasized the intent not only to readily safeguard festival attendees but to manage to not divert officers from their regular patrolling duties.
In light of the pleasant anticipation that oftentimes clouds concerns for personal safety, festivalgoers are advised by KVUE to secure their belongings, separate their IDs from phones, avoid carrying phones in back pockets, and to stay hydrated. Schmidt suggests keeping a record of serial numbers for valuable items, which can assist in retrieving lost or stolen possessions.
Adding to personal safety concerns, there's heightened vigilance against pickpocketing as well as health risks due to the higher-than-normal temperatures. CBS Austin reported that extra police, EMS, and Homeland Security personnel are to be stationed around Zilker Park. Within their coverage, Austin Police Corporal Jose Mendez expressed, "We will have uniformed officers in and around all of these areas. And we encourage you, if you need something, if you wish to report something, please flag down one of these officers so that you can report your issue, your concern, That's what we are here for."
While ACL is a bastion for music entertainment over 20 years strong, Texas heat remains an ever-present concern. Captain Christa Stedman with Austin-Travis County EMS urged festival visitors, particularly those from cooler climes, to be prepared for the heat. In her statement to CBS Austin, she elucidated, "Heat related illness is a real thing, and it does not discriminate. It can get anybody." With extra safety measures in place, festival authorities hope to ensure ACL remains a joyous event, unmarred by preventable mishaps or ailments.
