CapMetro names police chief of new transit force

AUSTIN (KXAN) — CapMetro announced Monday Eric Robins had officially been approved to serve as chief of police for the transit authority's upcoming police force. Robins had previously been selected to serve as the upcoming force's chief administrator in June 2022.

CapMetro President and CEO Dottie Watkins announced the news during Monday's CapMetro Board of Directors meeting. Watkins confirmed CapMetro received official authority from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to create the department in late May.

Born and raised in Houston, Robins has worked in law enforcement for over 30 years. Prior to his work with CapMetro, he served as chief of police in Sugar Land, Texas.

The path toward CapMetro's own transit police force has been years in the making. The CapMetro Board of Directors first approved the creation of a transit police department in 2021.

Earlier this year, leaders said the transit police department was poised to launch in fiscal year 2025, with the department set to employ 12 officers in its first year of operations.

Once the transit department is officially in operation, officials noted CapMetro will continue working with the Austin Police Department and other partner agencies during major events or larger-scale situations. CapMetro currently hires off-duty APD officers who help respond to situations involving CapMetro facilities.

Alongside its upcoming transit police force, CapMetro's public safety program includes public safety ambassadors and intervention specialists. Those latter two programs are already operational, officials noted in January.

Ambassadors help provide support to customers, employees and overall system public safety, while intervention specialists cater more specifically to "outreach with vulnerable populations on the CapMetro system," per transit authority documents.