Aransas Pass Police Officer Accused of Beating Suspect

Aransas Pass, Texas

A police officer is under investigation after a cell phone video that appears to show two officers hitting a man surfaced.

The video, which was given to a local TV station, appears to show at least two officers kicking and punching Matias Vera III following a recent vehicle pursuit. Vera was arrested and charged with drug possession, assaulting a public servant and evading arrest.

Captain Roberto Gonzales Jr. said a sergeant who assisted in the arrest told supervisors the next day that he was concerned another officer might have acted inappropriately during the struggle with the suspect.

The officer being investigated, whose name has not yet been released, has not been placed on any kind of administrative leave, Gonzales said. Although the video shows at least two officers involved in the struggle, only one is being investigated.

In addition to the video 6 News brought to the police department's attention, they are also looking at four dash camera videos from police cruisers to get a better idea of what happened.

Dallas City Council Approves $500,000 Settlement for Motorcyclist Whose Beating Was Caught on Police Dash-Cam

Dallas, Texas

The Dallas City Council recently voted to pay $500,000 to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit in the beating by police officers of a motorcyclist.

The incident happened in September 2010, involving a chase between motorcyclist Andrew Collins and Dallas Police. The beating was captured on the dashboard cameras of the responding officers, including Paul Bauer, Henry Duetsch and Kevin Randolph, all of whom were fired after the incident.

The City Council approved the settlement without discussion. A city attorney has declined to comment on the case.

“It was a good resolution to a bad situation,” said Collins’ attorney, Don Tittle. “It was an acknowledgment from the city that Mr. Collins’ civil rights had been seriously violated.”

Criminal charges are pending against the three former officers.

According to police, Bauer and Randolph spotted Collins riding his motorcycle on a South Dallas sidewalk. He fled from them. A police sergeant ordered the officers not to give chase, but they ignored the order, authorities have said.

The chase ended a short distance later when a patrol car clipped Collins’ motorcycle. An offense report written by Randolph did not indicate that the squad car had hit Collins. Instead, it stated that the officers simply found him “wrecked out.”

According to the lawsuit, Collins dropped to the ground and spread his arms and legs and was not resisting when officers tried to take him into custody.

Dash-cam footage showed Randolph striking Collins at least four times with his baton and Bauer hitting him with his fists and knee. The officers accused Collins of resisting arrest and said they hit him to get him under control.

A short time later, Duetsch arrived at the scene. Another car’s video showed Duetsch adjusting a camera, allegedly in an effort to conceal a portion of the arrest.

Austin Police Sergeant Michael Brown Suspended for ‘Neglect of Duty’

Austin, Texas

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo was busy gearing-up for the Memorial Day holiday by distributing a disciplinary memo to a group of officers.

Sergeant Michael Brown was part of that group, who were stationed on Sixth Street last December. Brown apparently told officers not to leave their post to investigate a report of an unconscious and intoxicated person because closing time was approaching.

A lieutenant later told the officers to check it out.

Brown was given an eight-day suspension for “neglect of duty.”

He is allowed to appeal.

All-White Jury Reaches Verdict in Trial of Former Houston Police Officer Andrew Blomberg, Accused of Beating Chad Holley

Andrew Blomberg: Jury Says Not Guilty

Houston Police Officer Joe Fleming Celebrates Mother’s Day: Burglary, Beating and Threatening Ex-Girlfriend With Service Weapon

Houston Police Officer Joe Fleming

Houston, Texas

An off-duty police officer has been arrested and accused of threatening his ex-girlfriend with his service weapon.

Houston Police Officer Joe Fleming, 39, has been charged with second-degree felony burglary of a habitation with intent to commit other felony.

According to Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constables, Fleming celebrated Mother’s Day by burglarizing his ex-girlfriend's home in the 14600 block of Philippine in northwest Harris County.

The couple recently broke up after dating for several years.

Once inside the ex-girlfriend’s home, Detectives say Fleming held his service weapon to the woman's head and threatened to kill her. Authorities also confirm that Fleming slapped the woman in the face several times, causing visible injuries.

Cops say the woman tried to use her cellphone to call for help, but Fleming took it and broke it.

The woman was able to eventually run to a neighbor’s house and contact police.

Fleming was booked into the Harris County Jail, where he is being held without bond.

An emergency protection order barring Fleming from contacting the woman was granted, officials said.

Allegations of Racism Circulating Around Galena Park Police Department and Former Chief

Houston, Texas

Rumors are circulating about racism in the Galena Park Police Department. A local news team has uncovered troubling evidence to suggest the rumors are true, including racist photos, secret tape recordings, and even allegations of a cover-up. One of the photos discovered depicts a white man squirting an African-American boy with a hose, with the caption: “Go be a nig**r somewhere else.” Another image is photo-shopped to show a co-worker in a sombrero, on a donkey, apparently to ridicule Mexicans.

Read more on the story.

Harris County Deputy Constable Henry Williams Arrested for Driving Drunk With Child Inside His Vehicle

Houston, Texas

A Harris County deputy constable has been accused of driving drunk with a child inside his vehicle.

According to police, they were alarmed when they discovered Precinct 3 Deputy Constable Henry Williams slumped over in his pickup truck in the 12400 block of Stonefield Manor near C.E. King Parkway about 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Worried that he might have been suffering from a medical emergency, Williams was transported to a local hospital. As it turns out, he was fine, just drunk.

Williams was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated with a child under 15. He was released from jail after posting $10,000 bond.

Precinct 3 Constable Ken Jones said Williams will remain off-duty pending an investigation.