A group of Austin police officers left for Houston Thursday morning as part of Hurricane Ike relief efforts. The group will help Houston officers focus on some of the worst damaged areas in Houston -- areas where crime is now a concern and curfew hours are still in effect.

A convoy of about 40 patrol cars with officers, commanders and communications personnel left from the Austin Police Training Academy near ABIA around 11:30 a.m. The men and women are from different departments within APD; each one volunteered for the mission

The group is expected to assist HPD with general law enforcement calls, patrol duty, and other relief efforts.

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he decided to send the group to Houston when the city said it needed help in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

"The City of Houston, as everybody understands, is in desperate straits," said David Carter, APD chief of staff. "Anytime you're without power for that amount of time, people become tense, emotions are afraid, people become fearful, so that's why the Austin Police Department is stepping up to do its part to go down and assist the Houston Police Department."

The group will be gone through October 3. While they're away, the police chief says emergency response in Austin won't be affected.

“We want to ensure that our community and visiting guests that safety is our main priority and will continue to be as we provide assistance to the City of Houston,” said Chief Acevedo in a written statement.

He's made sure to keep the same number of officers patrolling Austin streets by cancelling all vacations during the time the officers are away.

Austin isn't the only department that answered Houston's call for help. Convoys from Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio are also expected to help out in Houston.