City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Contact: Public Information Office 512-974-5017 Email
It is the policy of the Austin Police Department (APD) that video evidence in the Department's possession pertaining to critical incidents involving APD will be released to the public within 60 days of the incident(s), unless the Chief determines that a delay is needed to address investigative, prosecutorial, or privacy interests. The definition of “critical incidents” includes a use of force resulting in serious bodily injury as defined by Section 1.07 of the Texas Penal Code.
On July 15, 2020, the APD notified the community that the video release of the recent protest-related uses of force would not occur during the initial 60-day timeframe because doing so would potentially impact the integrity of the ongoing criminal investigations into the incidents. As of today’s date, the Travis County District Attorney’s Office (TCDA) has not made a final determination on the cases. The cases remain under investigation by the APD in partnership with the TCDA.
Because of this, the videos will not be released until a final decision is made by the TCDA as to whether the cases will be presented to a Grand Jury.