Seventeen Austin police officers accused of using excessive force during the 2020 George Floyd protests have seen their charges dropped, an announcement from the Travis County District Attorney's office combined with the City of Austin relayed. The move has elicited mixed emotions among the public and led to calls for a federal investigation into the police department's conduct. The decision seeks to guarantee lawful management in prospective protest scenarios, as per the KXAN report.
Originally, charges entangled 21 officers, but only four indictments continue to be pursued after the dismissal. The city has written a letter to the Department of Justice to examine the Austin Police Department's crowd-control tactics, an action whose review by the DOJ remains uncertain. Travis County District Attorney José Garza expressed in a statement obtained by KXAN, "We expect the Department of Justice will take our request seriously."
Austin Police Association's future president, Michael Bullock, praised the decision, claiming, "Our officers were faced with incredible, unprecedented challenges. They acted within the law and upheld their oath to keep our city safe during extremely difficult times." Conversely, Chris Harris of the Austin Justice Coalition labeled the dismissals as "political theater," intended to "hide from the failures that our local institutions have, had in holding police accountable." as reported by KXAN.
Despite the dropped indictments, the city has shelled out upwards of $20 million due to civil lawsuits stemming from the protest response, with an additional eight suits still on the books. According to a report from CNN, many protesters were injured by "less-lethal" ammunition used for crowd control, which included bean bags and rubber bullets. Even with most charges now dismissed, the situation remains tense as the community and local government look forward to the DOJ's decision.
