BY JOSHUA FECHTER
The Austin Police Department
has apologized after a video posted to YouTube showed two of its officers
making rape jokes while in a patrol car. The May 24 video, posted on Oct. 30 by
Austin lawyer Drew Gibbs, who told Austin TV station KXAN he obtained the
footage via an open records request. In the dashcam video, officers are heard
saying that if they "ride out for a week, crime is gonna be on the run and
(expletive) non-existent. (Expletive) would get real for the bad guys. The
world would be at peace for a week." One officer then says, "Look at
the girl over there," before blowing a whistle. The second officer is
heard saying, "Go ahead and call the cops. They can't unrape you."
The Austin Police Department
has briefly suspended two officers shown in a video posted to YouTube making
rape jokes while in a patrol car.
Officers Mark Lyttle and
Michael Castillo have been suspended for three and five days, respectively, the
Austin American-Statesmanreported Wednesday. Each must participate in training
with a community group that works with victims of sexual assault, according to
the American-Statesman.
Following a disciplinary
hearing Wednesday, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said the department has
audited each contact the two officers have had with sexual assault victims and
that the officers have been empathetic and professional, according to the
American-Statesman.
However, Acevedo said the officers'
"cavalier attitude" and "gallows humor" is
"embarrassing, inappropriate and absolutely is not going to be tolerated
by this department," he said.
