THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HANDLED A RECORD NUMBE OF 27,237 INDEX CRIMES IN 1979. UNLIKE 1978, THE INCREASE WAS IN PROPERTY CRIMES. BURGLARY, THEFT, AND MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT INCREASED 10 PERCENT, WHILE CRIMINAL HOMICIDE, RAPE, ROBBERY, AND AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS ONLY INCREASED 1 PERCENT. NATIONALLY, VIOLENT CRIME WAS UP 10 PERCENT AND PROPERTY CRIME UP 8 PERCENT. THE TOTAL NATIONAL CRIME INDEX WAS UP 9 PERCENT. THE MAIN REASON FOR THE SMALL INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME WAS THE 9 PERCENT DECREASE IN ROBBERY. (NATIONALLY, ROBBERY WAS UP 13 PERCENT). IN ORDER TO REDUCE INDEX CRIME, WEEKLY MEETINGS OF THE CRIME REDUCTION COMMITTREE WERE INSTITUTED WITH REPRESENTATION FROM ALL OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT. USING INFORMATION OBTAINED BY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, CRIME ANALYSIS AND CRIME PREVENTION, OFFICERS WERE STRATEGICALLY LOCATED IN SELECT AREAS OF THE CITY DURING TIME PERIODS WHEN CRIMES, PARTICULARY ROBBERY, WERE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR. THIS STRATEGY, TOGETHER WITH THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF CAREER CRIMIANL IDENTIFICATION AND PROSECUTION, WERE MAJOR FACTORS IN THE DECREASE. THE DEPARTMENT WAS REORGANIZED IN ORDER TO CREATE A BETTER BALANCE OF WORK AND SUPERVISION WITHIN THE BUREAUS AND DIVISIONS AND TO INCREASE OVERALL EFFICIENCY. A NEW POLICE ACADEMY AND POLICE BUILDING ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. A MAP, STATISTICAL TABLES AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHARTS ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)