The relationship between the Travis County District Attorney’s office and the Austin Police Department has been contentious, particularly since José Garza was elected DA in 2020.
Since then, the two entities have faced a series of challenges, including indictments, miscommunications, and problematic prosecutions.
However, since Lisa Davis became the Austin Police Chief last year, there has been a noticeable effort from both sides to repair and mend their relationship.
The root of this conflict can be traced back to Garza’s election as DA in 2020. Running on a progressive platform that sought to address police misconduct, Garza captured nearly 70% of the vote in the Democratic primary.
His campaign coincided with significant social upheaval, particularly following the police killing of Mike Ramos in April 2020.
Ramos, an unarmed Black and Latino man, was shot by APD officers as he attempted to flee arrest, which sparked widespread protests across Austin, reminiscent of those for George Floyd in Minneapolis.
As protests erupted during the summer of 2020, demonstrators drew attention to Ramos’s death while also highlighting instances of police violence against protesters, prompting a larger conversation about police reform and funding.
Even before his election, Garza vowed to prosecute officers involved in serious misconduct, including those who harmed demonstrators and the officer responsible for Ramos’s death, Chris Taylor.
Fast forward nearly five years, Garza has followed through on his promises.
He successfully indicted officers for both excessive force during protests and murder, stirring significant resentment within the ranks of the Austin Police Department.
Austin defense attorney Angelica Cogliano stated that the ongoing conflict stems from a district attorney who seeks to prosecute police officers but must still collaborate with them to handle other crimes.
Garza has indicted 21 officers for excessive force utilized during the 2020 protests, in addition to prosecuting certain officers, including Taylor, for on-duty shootings.
This has generated significant tension within parts of the police department, leading to mistrust on both sides.
Cogliano remarked, “Our DA’s office has prosecuted a lot of police officers, which creates mistrust between the two at the most basic level.”
Such mistrust has contributed to dysfunction, which culminated in an agreement between the DA’s office and the city to drop 17 indictments against officers in 2023, a step aimed at alleviating the turmoil in their relationship.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson emphasized the necessity of this agreement, referring to the relationship as “very broken.”
Watson stated, “One reason we pursued this agreement with the DA was to help us get unstuck. We’re trying to rebuild mutual respect and trust.”
Despite this agreement signaling a step towards healing, tensions linger, two years down the line.
The Austin Police Association, the city’s police union, frequently accuses Garza’s office of contributing to a surge in crime, diminished morale, and increased turnover within the department.
Following Garza’s successful prosecution of Taylor for the fatal shooting of Mauris DeSilva during a mental health call in 2019, the police union’s president urged APD officers to refrain from responding to mental health incidents.
Union president Michael Bullock contended that Taylor acted lawfully, claiming that the DA’s office was providing “sweetheart deals” to individuals accused of violent crimes, thereby exacerbating crime rates.
Bullock declared, “You have declared war upon law enforcement, this approach to freeing criminals, yet bringing the full weight of your office to prosecute officers who acted within their training and the defense of others is reprehensible.”
Amidst these discussions, data shows that Austin’s violent crime rate has been experiencing a decline since 2022, despite a pervasive perception among residents of heightened crime.
State Senator Sarah Eckhardt, a Democrat, pointed out that an Austin American-Statesman investigation revealed Garza’s office neglected to prosecute certain cases, including two murder incidents.
Eckhardt remarked, “There is a pervasive feeling of fear that, I think, when APD and Garza’s office are fighting, it fans that fear. We need to find stability, so that people feel that public safety is working.”
Emphasizing the constitutional obligations of both parties, Eckhardt urged APD and the DA’s office to focus on their respective roles in enforcing and prosecuting crimes rather than engaging in conflicts.
Cogliano raised concerns about the ramifications of the ongoing disputes, noting that miscommunication between the two offices has led to significant complications in court.
She explained, “If they’re not communicating, it causes cases to get jammed up. Very significant evidence can fall through the cracks. Then it never gets fixed, which can really put innocent people at risk and delay justice for victims.”
In a recent joint interview, Davis and Garza expressed their commitment to improving their working relationship and moving forward collaboratively.
Davis shared her goals of enhancing training for APD officers, aiming to advance the ongoing efforts to focus on de-escalation strategies.
She noted that she and Garza engage in discussions at least once a week, underscoring their efforts to understand each other’s perspectives as they navigate the complexities of their respective roles.
“We don’t agree all the time, but I think we know where each other’s coming from,” Davis stated. “And I think there’s importance in that as we do move forward.”
Garza echoed this sentiment, asserting that communication between his office and APD has become more effective than in previous years, leading to productive talks.
“Our dialogue is always respectful, and whatever it is that we’re talking about, whether we agree or disagree, what we’re both moving toward is, ‘OK, what’s the solution here? How do we solve this? How do we make it better?'” he stated, expressing optimism for the future of their working relationship.
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