Notice of complaint related to 2022-0944

OF
CLASS
OFFICE OF
POLICE OVERSIGHT
NOTICE OF COMPLAINT
October 21, 2022
ICMS #: 2022-0944
On October 18, 2022, the OPO received an online complaint.
The complainant alleges: At around
on
,
both my boyfriend and I heard
someone yell from the parking garage of the
apartment complex
We were startled by the sudden sound SO late at night, figuring it was
someone messing with us, SO we began to walk away from the scene. However, about 30
seconds later, we heard a college-aged girl scream from the parking garage, "Help me!
Help me!" At least eight people heard the screams. They were shrieks of terror like none I
have ever heard before. It was the scream of someone desperate for help. Then, some
people also heard banging coming from the garage. A person in the group of us who heard
the yells, proceeded to call 911. About ten minutes after the first shrieks were heard, I,
along with two other people, heard sobbing coming from the parking garage. The
individual was unresponsive to any attempt we made to call out to her. When the police
finally pulled up, I told him the situation, and then he proceeded to drive away and never
come back. Then, several minutes later, two other officers pulled up. They were anything
but concerned and told us that there was essentially nothing they could do because "Only
two people called 911." I was unaware that there had to be a minimum number of 911 calls
to be taken seriously. After I told the officers that we definitely heard shrieks coming from
the garage, they went inside and drove around for a few minutes. After driving around,
they told us that they found nothing, and that it was "Halloween time" and that people pull
pranks. They also said it was probably a "crazy transient." I can assure you that the screams
we heard were real. They were of someone terrified for their safety. I truly believe we were
not taken seriously because we were a group of college-aged students. A 911 call should
always be taken seriously and investigated. If it had been one of the officers" daughters
screaming for help, I'm sure they would have taken it much more seriously. I have lost any
feelings of safety I previously had in Austin because now I do not trust that APD can protect
me. What's the point of calling 911 if they can do nothing to help me?
OF
CITY
OFFICE OF
POLICE OVERSIGHT
FOUNDED
NOTICE OF COMPLAINT
This notice of complaint is a request for Internal Affairs to initiate an investigation to
determine if the employee conduct is within compliance of APD policy, Civil Service
Rules, and Municipal Civil Service Rules.