Austin police officer Jermaine Hopkins has been suspended for eight days after improperly arresting a woman this yea. According to the memo, Hopkins was trying to handcuff a man later charged with public intoxication and furnishing alcohol to a minor on May 18 when a woman approached.
Hopkins told her not to come toward him and she took a few steps and stopped, the memo says. Hopkins’ dashboard camera shows that she stopped about 20 to 30 feet away from him, and Hopkins told her she was detained and said several times for her to sit on the curb.
She eventually did, the memo says, and then took out her cell phone to call her husband. Hopkins told her to hang up the phone and when she failed to do so, Hopkins walked over to her and grabbed her around the wrist. When she pulled away from him, he put her on the ground to handcuff her, and arrested her for interference with public duties and resisting arrest.
Hopkins’ chain of command had concerns about how Hopkins handled the situation, the memo says, and contacted the county attorney’s office to request the charges against the woman be dropped.
Hopkins violated two department rules, according to the memo: responsibility to know and comply and neglect of duty. Hopkins told internal affairs investigators that he would not have handled the situation differently, the memo says, and that he thinks the charges filed against the woman are valid.
Hopkins told her not to come toward him and she took a few steps and stopped, the memo says. Hopkins’ dashboard camera shows that she stopped about 20 to 30 feet away from him, and Hopkins told her she was detained and said several times for her to sit on the curb.
She eventually did, the memo says, and then took out her cell phone to call her husband. Hopkins told her to hang up the phone and when she failed to do so, Hopkins walked over to her and grabbed her around the wrist. When she pulled away from him, he put her on the ground to handcuff her, and arrested her for interference with public duties and resisting arrest.
Hopkins’ chain of command had concerns about how Hopkins handled the situation, the memo says, and contacted the county attorney’s office to request the charges against the woman be dropped.
Hopkins violated two department rules, according to the memo: responsibility to know and comply and neglect of duty. Hopkins told internal affairs investigators that he would not have handled the situation differently, the memo says, and that he thinks the charges filed against the woman are valid.
