Austin Police Department - Arkansas

05/04/2026

On behalf of the City of Austin and the Austin Police Department, we would like to give a big thank-you to Red River Ford of Cabot Mobile Service for the professional and efficient work they provide in servicing our city vehicles.

We appreciate their team’s reliability, responsiveness, and continued support in helping keep our fleet ready to serve the Austin community.

04/13/2026

One swipe can lead to a ticket, an injury or worse. Keep your eyes on the road. Put the Phone Away or Pay. 📵

04/10/2026

Please see the attached flier. Last seen April 9 midday walking across W Main Street towards the woods in the direction of Weathering.

04/03/2026

Be advised that there is another message going around, pretending to be the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) ⚠️ This is a scam designed to steal your personal and financial information. A screenshot of the text is below.

📵 Do NOT click any links. Do NOT respond.

The DFA has made it clear that they will never text you seeking your bank account details or card information. These scammers are updating their messages and tactics frequently, so please stay alert and help protect others by sharing this warning with friends and family.

REMEMBER that government agencies will not ask for personal banking/card information info via text. If in doubt, contact the agency directly through their official website or phone number.

Let’s work together to make sure not one dollar ends up in the hands of these criminals. Stay safe, Austin!

04/03/2026

Just FYI for those who may travel through the area!

UPDATE: Light is back operational. Thanks for your patience!

Be advised that the Hwy 38/367 intersection will act as a four-way stop through the evening and morning school hours.

Teams have been working tirelessly on a resolution and will continue to work to resolve the issue.

Please use caution and avoid the area if possible.

03/31/2026

Update: Thursday, April 2 - Both lanes are back open. Thank you for your patience.

The road construction company working at the new Dollar General Store in front of Cabot Pre-K North on Highway 305 (West Main) in Austin will be closing one lane of traffic. This traffic pattern is expected to continue through Thursday.

Drivers are encouraged to use caution, reduce speed, and be prepared for delays in the area. This roadway will be monitored by our department.

Please drive safely and watch for workers, equipment, pedestrians, and traffic control devices.

03/27/2026

The Austin Police Department would like to thank our law enforcement partners and the public for their assistance during a recent incident on Thursday, March 26.

At approximately 4:00 p.m., an Austin Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop for a traffic violation near Madeleine Circle and Oak Ridge Drive. During the stop, one male fled from the scene on foot. Two additional individuals in the vehicle were detained during the investigation.

The fleeing subject was identified as Carlos Manuel Guachiac Tzoc, who was found to have multiple active violent felony warrants, as well as misdemeanor warrants from other jurisdictions.

Following a coordinated search, the subject was located at approximately 8:05 p.m. inside a newly constructed residence and was taken into custody without incident. He was transported to the detention facility on new felony and misdemeanor charges and will also be held on his outstanding warrants from other agencies.

We are glad to report that there were no injuries to the suspect, officers, or any members of the public.

We want to thank the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, Cabot Police Department, Ward Police Department, Arkansas State Police, along with additional assisting agencies and federal partners, for their support and teamwork in safely apprehending this subject.

We also want to thank the public for sharing information and remaining vigilant. The cooperation between law enforcement and the community plays an important role in keeping everyone safe.

03/26/2026

🚨 Public Safety Alert – Weathering Drive Area 🚨

The Austin Police Department is currently searching for one outstanding individual who ran from one of our officers.

Suspect: Carlos Manuel Guachiac Tzoc
Age: 33
Height/Weight: 5’2”, 130 lbs

The photo we have available is attached to this post!

Please use caution. If you see this individual, do not approach and call 911 immediately. Any non-emergency information can be provided to the dispatch center at: 501-566-1223

Residents can expect a heightened law enforcement presence in the Weathering Drive area while this search continues.

We appreciate your assistance and will provide updates as more information becomes available.

03/20/2026

Edited at 10:30am: The individuals have been identified and the parents were notified. We appreciate everyone’s assistance. This was simply for the safety of the individuals.

02/18/2026

Scams happen year-round, and we want our Austin residents to stay alert and vigilant. Scammers are constantly changing tactics, but their goal is always the same...to get your money or personal information.

We are sharing the following important tips from Attorney General of Arkansas, Tim Griffin:
⚠️Don’t answer a call from a number you don’t know. If it is a legitimate call, they will leave a voice message. However, scammers leave voicemails, too.
⚠️ If it is a scam call or a robocall, it’s likely an attempt to verify that it is a working number.
⚠️ If you answer, you could receive other scam calls. If you don’t answer, eventually they will stop calling because they cannot confirm it’s a working number.
⚠️ If you answer a call that turns out to be a robocall or a scam, hang up.
⚠️ Don’t press any buttons or give any information.
⚠️ If the caller is a real person, tell them to remove you from their calling list – and HANG UP without another word. They want to gather as much information as possible about you.
⚠️ Wiring money is like giving cash away. If you wire money, there is no protection for you if you later learn that the recipient is not who they claimed to be.
⚠️ Never give out personal or banking information in response to a phone, email, or mail inquiry. Contact the entity requesting the information directly through a different method to verify that it is a reputable company with which you have an existing relationship.
⚠️ Never send money to someone you do not know and haven’t met in person.
⚠️ It is ALWAYS a scam if they ask you to wire money or pay with a prepaid credit card or gift card.
⚠️ When purchasing items or services online, make sure you research the seller and know their physical location.
⚠️Most importantly, if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Investigate the offer before accepting or paying any money.

Scams can be reported to the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office:
📧 [email protected]
📞 (800) 482-8982
🌐 https://arkansasag.gov/current-scams/

If you have questions or need to report suspicious activity locally, please contact the Austin Police Department non-emergency dispatch at 501-566-1223.

Let’s work together to protect our community.