 "Photo: Chelcey Adami")
Concerned citizens recommended to a citizen review panel examining the death of an East Austin teen that police create stronger policy and disciplinary measures at Austin City Hall Monday night.
The hearing was the next step in a case involving the fatal shooting of Daniel Rocha, 18, by an Austin police officer. Austin Police Department's Internal Affairs Division recently finished its investigation and gave its report to the panel.
Rocha was killed in July in a struggle with officer Julie Shroeder during a drug sting in his neighborhood. Police pulled over Rocha and his friends when they suspected the group of participating in narcotics activity in their East Austin neighborhood.
Family, friends and neighbors of Rocha called for the termination of employment for Schroeder and APD Chief Stanley Knee. Members of the Austin-based group People Organized in the Defense of Earth and her Resources also requested the prosecution of Schroeder for murder, an independent investigation of the incident and a federal inquiry.
"APD has a history of terrorizing people of color," said Ana Villalobos, a member of PODER. "Had this young man been a white male, I believe this would have been handled very differently."
Citizens blamed Schroeder and Knee for the incident that occurred in July and defended Rocha's honor. Friends of Rocha claimed the department tried to characterize him as a violent person.
"There is definitely a cover-up happening here," said Susana Almanza, a PODER member.
Other community members recommended a uniform disciplinary system for officers, where the punishment corresponds with the case, and improving officer training.
Austin Dulling, a volunteer with the American Civil Liberties Union, made specific suggestions that he said would protect citizens as well as police officers.
Video cameras and audio in police vehicles should be controlled independently of the officer and should be on at all times, Dulling said.
Schroeder's in-car camera was not on at the time of the incident.
He also suggested pairing rookie officers with proven veterans.
"By 'proven veteran,' we mean one without a background of suspension, discrimination or excessive use of force," Dulling said.
Panel members included former Austin Mayor Roy Butler, Police Monitor Ashton Cumberbatch and six other Austin citizens.
Butler asked longtime citizens to comment on the progress of life for minorities in Austin.
"We have improved," said state Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, who recently announced his retirement after 35 years in Austin. "But we could do much better."
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