In a bid to quell the violence in Northeast Austin, the Austin Police Department (APD) has kicked off a new crime reduction strategy focused on 900 E. Braker Lane, a known hotbed for violent crime ranging from weapons violations to sex crimes. According to the APD’s announcement, the so-called Place Network Investigation (PNI) aims to target crime concentrations that stubbornly persist despite ongoing police action.
Rooted in detailed data analysis and research spanning several months, the initiative saw Austin Police getting trained on PNI tactics to take down these resilient crime patterns. A coalition of partner agencies came together under the direction of the Northeast Area Command to form a united front against the illegal activities plaguing the community. This coordinated effort reached a climax on September 26, 2025, with a major operation delivering tangible results.
The operation itself was a large-scale affair, featuring units from the Austin Police’s various divisions, including SWAT and Victim Services, alongside Austin Fire, the Fire Marshal’s Office, and federal agencies like the FBI. This multi-agency task force descended on Diablos and Michelobos establishments, where they carried out a search and issued multiple citations. At Diablos, the search warrant led to the seizure of items like illegal gaming machines and unlicensed alcohol, alongside three arrests connected with the warrant…