APD's SOAR Unit Conducts More Than 1,400 Sex Offender Compliance Checks to Date in 2026

The Austin Police (APD) Sex Offender Apprehension and Registration (SOAR) Unit continues to strengthen public safety through proactive compliance checks of registered sex offenders living within the City of Austin. In collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division (TxDPS CID), the unit has conducted multiple coordinated operations throughout 2026 to help ensure registered sex offenders comply with state registration requirements.

Since the beginning of the year, SOAR detectives and their law enforcement partners have conducted three coordinated compliance check operations. The February operation included 320 compliance checks, followed by 479 checks in June and 593 checks in September. In addition to these operations, SOAR detectives have conducted individual compliance checks throughout the year.

As of October 14, 2026, the SOAR Unit has completed a total of 1,481 compliance checks and issued 110 warrants for offenders who failed to comply with registration requirements. Detectives will continue conducting compliance checks throughout the remainder of the year, and the unit expects these numbers to increase by the end of 2026.

Key Achievements of the SOAR Unit in 2026:

• February Operation: Conducted 320 compliance checks.
• June Operation: Conducted 479 compliance checks.
• September Operation: Conducted 593 compliance checks.
• Year-to-Date Total: Completed 1,481 compliance checks as of October 14, 2026.
• Warrants Issued: Issued 110 warrants for offenders who failed to comply with registration requirements.

These efforts reflect APD’s continued commitment to accountability, registration compliance and public safety. Through proactive monitoring and collaboration with local, state and federal law enforcement partners, the SOAR Unit works to help maintain the accuracy and integrity of the sex offender registry and hold registered offenders accountable for meeting their legal obligations.

APD encourages anyone with information regarding a registered sex offender who may not be complying with registration requirements to contact the APD SOAR Unit at (512) 974-6280 or by email at SexOffenderUnit@austintexas.gov.