A man, who claims he is a victim of
police brutality, is launching a project to arm 100 citizens with video cameras.
He's even started training sessions.
If you search APD on YouTube you will
find all sorts of videos.
In one clip officers are breaking up
a fight on 6th Street. One of them uses their taser on a guy.
In another video in East Austin the
photographer gets so close an officer asks, "Would you mind stepping back
sir?"
One of the more recent additions
shows a man named Antonio Buehler getting put in handcuffs at a 7-Eleven.
"I feel so blessed that there
was a random citizen across the street that night," Buehler said.
He told us by phone that early New
Year's Day he was filling up when he saw two APD officers being rough with a
woman on a DWI stop. He reached for his phone and started snapping pictures.
"I reached for my camera because
I felt there was nothing else I could do for her other than document it,"
said Buehler.
APD stands by the officers' actions.
According to the arrest affidavit, it was Buehler who was in the wrong.
Officers stated he was "verbally aggressive," in an officer's face,
and spit on one of them.
A person across the street happened
to get video of the arrest which Buehler thinks will clear him of the felony
charge of harassment of a public servant.
"Now when I see a cop
interacting with someone I pull out my camera," Buehler said.
In addition to purchasing a video
camera, he has since created the group Peaceful Streets.
In a video he states his goal is to
raise $10,000 to purchase 100 video cameras and distribute them to activists
throughout the city.
On July 14, he will hold a training session.
"All we want is to level the
playing field. We want people to be able to protect each other against police
abuse," Buehler said.
Assistant Chief David Carter isn't
worried.
"I think the police department
is absolutely okay with that in the sense that we recognize people are filming
us each and every day," Carter said.
All that he asks is that those doing
the filming don't get too close.
"The officer may be in some
danger, the public may be in some danger. I think if people want to film.
That's fine. All we would ask is to keep a reasonable distance away,"
Carter said.
"A good cop can be honored, but
we have to get the bad cops off the streets because until the bad cops are off
the streets there is not going to be respect for the good cops that are out
there," Buehler said.
Buehler did file a complaint with the office of the police
monitor against the officers in that video. The case is still under internal
review. He is due for court later this month.