They have a plain clothes police force that show up to places that serve alcohol to find and fine infractions.

Their reputation is such that the gay clubs in austin priority hire retired and moonlighting police because they're able to recognize the other police doing tabc enforcement and warn their managers every time they show up like it's a speak easy during prohibition.

They're on guard for the officers manipulating clueless patrons into violating the liquor laws so that they can fine and then ultimately de-liqour-licensd that bar if it has enough infractions for a period of time. I was a favorite target of theirs and the plain clothes police force of tabc is almost completely unknown outside of austin's gay clubs and bars; or at least not a concern in Texas' gayborhoods outside of austin.