AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Pending indictments against 17 Austin Police officers for their actions during the summer 2020 social justice protests in downtown Austin will be dismissed, the City of Austin and the Travis County District Attorney's Office announced Monday.
The announcement comes alongside a joint request to the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, asking for a "pattern-or-practice investigation" of the Austin Police Department's actions during the protests, along with department policies and procedures.
Four of the original indictments will continue to be prosecuted. After two cases were dropped earlier this year, a total of 17 officers will be able to return to their full duties.
"This has been a difficult chapter for Austin. I look forward to turning the page. These announcements will allow police officers, whose lives were upended by the indictments, to return to their services to our community,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. "And the request for a targeted third-party performance review is meant to enhance transparency for our community and inform future actions as we continue our focus on building respect and trust for our police."
In addition to the criminal proceedings, the City of Austin has faced a number of civil lawsuits over the APD response. More than $18 million in protest settlements has been approved so far, with eight civil suits still pending.
Since the protests, APD has implemented a number of policy and procedure changes, including discontinuing the use of 12 gauge "bean bag" less-lethal shotgun munitions for crowd management, along with an increased emphasis on de-escalation in all situations.
"No parent should fear that if their child chooses to voice their First Amendment right to assemble peacefully, they will walk away with serious bodily injury caused by the very person called upon to protect them," said Travis County District Attorney José Garza. "We expect the Department of Justice will take our request seriously, and we look forward to working with Mayor Watson, Interim APD Chief Robin Henderson, and City Council to ensure full cooperation with the DOJ investigation. We will also continue to hold law enforcement who break the law accountable."
"I believe it important to note that since the time of the 2020 protests, the City has implemented numerous policy and procedure changes," said Interim City Manager, Jesús Garza. "We welcome a review by the DOJ in that regard to ensure we are moving forward as a community and as a Police Department in the right direction."
Save Austin Now co-founders Matt Mackowiak and Cleo Petricek responded to Monday's announcement, saying the charges should never have been brought in the first place. "These 17 officers were seeking to restore order to our city when the 8th Street bridge was overtaken by an angry mob that was seeking to take over APD headquarters," the statement reads. "District Attorneys have tremendous power to convene a grand jury and seek indictments. In this case, DA Garza abused his power, and he must be held accountable. These officers’ actions were reviewed, and no law or policy was found to have been violated."