Formal complaint: Purpose and scope—Community policing and other policy violations

OF
CITY
OFFICE OF
NOTICE OF FORMAL
POLICE OVERSIGHT
COMPLAINT
ICMS #: 2020-1018
June 17,2020
Complaint: The Office of Police Oversight received an online complaint from
stating as follows:
"I was part of a peaceful protest in front of the
office on
Just before
or SO (time is approximate until Facebook shows more accurately the
start of the linked livestreams, since I couldn't look at my phone until much later), minutes
after we arrived, cops on bikes arrived and started unceremoniously pushing and shoving
protesters with their bikes. Several people's umbrellas were reached for, destroyed, and
discarded by cops simply for being out (there were no threatening movements towards the
cops with them, just attempts to be ready for mace or other chemical irritants). This brings
me to the bulk of my complaint. As I was standing firmly but nonviolently against the line
of cops pushing protesters back (and trying to use my sign as a shield for the protesters I
thought were behind me), a cop two spots to the left of where I was (left from my
perspective) reached for the mace (or a similar chemical irritant) in the bag of his bike and
without prior warning sprays my face, focused on my left side. A fellow protester later told
me that they saw it was Officer
which matches up with what can be seen at the 11
second mark on the imgur link I will attach (when he's reaching for his mace). My face
burned for hours after getting sprayed, even after 20 minutes in a cold shower, and my eyes
are still tired and aching despite the immediate burning being gone. I'm also still having
trouble hearing out of my left ear, the side I got sprayed on, this morning at 10:00 am (14
hours after the incident). Although the red sunburn-like irritation on my skin has faded, the
left side of my face and neck are still more sensitive than normal thanks to the chemical
weapon. Without the quick aid of some medics, I would not have been able to see for a
much longer period of time, and with the volume that I got hit with it's quite possible I
could have suffered permanent vision damage without their quick help, especially since
my eyes have always been sensitive to chemicals and irritants. This was an unprovoked
attack in a situation that held no danger to the officers or even the building (the excuse
I
was given for them pushing us back seconds before I was maced), and on a protest which
was restrained even in its anger until the cops showed up looking for a fight and escalated.
I urge you to investigate quickly and thoroughly, confirm that it was officer who
attacked unprovoked, and put pressure on APD to properly discipline him, as well as all
the other cops who have been abusing their power during these peaceful protests. Clip of
immediate incident: https
Livestream covering the incident,
with cop arrival at the
talks to Officer
who was
immediately in front and to the right of me, starting at
he briefly
interviews me and I explain what I could tell was going on):
https:
Far less useful livestream which may somehow still be useful (cops arrive at 0:05:45):
https://
The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American Disabilities Act.
Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request.