Well doesn't the "FBI" handle investigations of brutality and CORRUPTION????? I think that's where I'd start anyways and maybe if they "dont" they could lead you in the right direction of who you need to speak with.  

To whom it may concern, Please contact Blue Moon Investigations, concerning this incident, we are representing the victims and are collecting as many witness statements as possible from the crime scene. we need any statements and any photographs or videos taken from crime scene. Any help is greatly appreciated. Bobbi Bacha, VP Blue Moon Investigations, Security and Protection 711 W Bay Area Blvd # 200 Webster, Texas 77598 (our office was flooded and is in repair) Best numbers to call: My cell (713) 829-1532 Office (281) 332-1622 email Bobbi@pibluemoon.com

Agent Orange:

 Holy Party Crashers Batman!

 AO is back. We've missed you!!!

GeNa:

 Well doesn't the "FBI" handle investigations of brutality and CORRUPTION????? I think that's where I'd start anyways and maybe if they "dont" they could lead you in the right direction of who you need to speak with.  

 I just heard on the news that the Department of Justice is being called upon to investigate this incident....and they should.

This is nothing new for the Galveston Police Dept. to harass and beat up innocent civilians.  Problem is this time they beat up on a NL baseball player and a FEMA official...so now it is "news."   Just another example of why we need the civilian review board vs an internal investigation.  I don't believe a thing I hear coming out of Chief Wiley's mouth, or these police officers.

And when are we going to get rid of the curfew?  

Welcome to the United States of America 2008.  Believe it or not we're living in a police state and we do not have the rights we used to (prior to 9-11.)

billnict:

Welcome to the United States of America 2008.  Believe it or not we're living in a police state and we do not have the rights we used to (prior to 9-11.)

Agree, we don't have the rights we used to have prior to 9/11; however, well before 9/11 the cops (no matter the city or town) have had free reign to harass, beat up and even kill folks.  It happens all the time, we just heard about this case because Brandon Backe and a FEMA official were involved.

Yeah... There are two sides buddy, but you know...

Connect the fucking dots!  This becoming a HUGE trend in Galveston. Happening way too much to the innocent citizens that live there as well.

Time to FIGHT BACK PEOPLE!

We have rights too. Know your constitutional rights Now.

I agree 100%

I called the FBI and got the run around when I went throught it in Galveston,

But this shouldnt stop us.

WE THE PEOPLE!

But Only a Just job

God bless you for taking the photos. Smart thinkiing as well.

Thank you.

God Bless you for taking the photos and very smart as well.

Awesome!

Well said

 I am a lifelong resident of Galveston County, graduating from LaMarque HIgh School in 1982. I am acquainted with Gil and Trudy and know Cole as well as Amanda.  They are moral and legitamate people of our community. I do not codone so called "bowing up to a police officer" ....nor do I condone the alleged oppression commited by the GPD. When the storm hit us so unmercifully........I was intent on rebuilding(we lost everything) and to continue on as a proud and resilient Galvestonian....However in light of the records of some of the officers on the force and previous scandals, my wife and I have decided to relocate....not solely on this event.....but it sure was a factor. I love my Island but cannot tolerate anarchy from the very civil servants that I pay to protect and serve. So long Galveston.....it is now only a nice place to visit.......but not to live. Good Luck to all affected by this trajic incident and may we get some concrete answers rather than the empty rhetoric i feel is inevitable.

The guy in the white shirt is being tazed and the other guy is on the ground. I did not see any pool of blood he was laying in, but did hear the cries of pain from the burning caused by the pepper spray.  Part of our training in law enforement is to get sprayed and tazed, and I can tell you it is not a fun enjoyable thing... your first reaction is to wipe the pepper spray out.. thats the worst thing you can do and makes it worse, and most likely why the suspect was screaming.  After watching the video a few times.. The Officers at the beginning start to scream because they are being tazed because they have the guy in the white shirt by the arms, he is pulling away and resisting.. I would suspect thats the reason the one officer got a bit trigger happy with the tazer. You can see the guy in white goes down rather quick.. it also looks as if thats when the guy in the black shirt also goes down as well, maybe from being sprayed then.. So the more I watch the video, it appears that the suspects were resisting arrest, and the officers used non-deadly force to bring them under control. But like I said I wish I could see more and know more of what went down. If the City does not invetigate it, the state will. I dont know the whole situation, so I can not make a good judgement call.. I dont think that small 18-20 second video will prove either way in a court of law.

 There wasn't enough in the video to determine if the patrons are resisting arrest. From the eye witness accounts I've read, this incident needs to be investigated by the FBI or Texas Rangers (the law enforcement agency, not the ball team). It sounds to me like a bunch of stressed out cops blew up and went out of control.

Cops are a gang and work with an "Us against Them" gang mentality. I was a cop for three years in the late 60s, so don't try to BS me. Cops back then operated under greater restraint than they do in the Post 9/11 world. Beginning in 1974, police were forced to comply with the open records act. Since 9/11 police reports are harder to get, and the Texas Attorney General helps them evade the law.

The police are above the law, or think that they ARE the law, in the Post 9/11 World.

Have we noticed how fast the Galveston County Daily News has shelved this story? If I was a member of the 4th branch I would be all over this one until the truth comes out.

Internal investigation? We all know how that is going to come out.

But......all I can say is ...... Galveston.

I have been lurking here the past few days, and did not truly feel compelled to participate in the thread until now.  I am not here to condone the actions of the police officers who answered the call, nor am I here to take up for those who were affected by that evening.  I am however, disturbed by some of the "broad statements" being made on police officers as a whole.

First... yes, in many departments, you will find one or a few (depending on department size) who are too "gung-ho" to carry the weapon they wear on their duty belt.  However, stating that "Cops are a gang and work with an 'Us against Them' gang mentality" is a gross over exaggeration of one's own opinion.   History proves that if there were ever a gang mentality involved in law enforcement, it actually took place back when you and others were officers in the 60's and 70's, sir.  In all seriousness, that is when there were no dashboard cameras, no officers wearing microphones on every call so that they would have proof of how things actually took place, and also when more people were "roughed up" on calls and in questioning rooms because they knew they could do it and get away with it.  The good ole boy system was not just in effect; it was public knowledge that it was there.  I am actually quite curious as to why you only remained an officer for 3 years.  I am also curious as to how it somehow qualifies you to so "eloquently" provide others with that first hand depiction. 

Secondly... police reports are public record.  Anyone, either involved in the case or not, can make an appearance at any police department and request a printout of a report.  Do you get every piece of information pertaining to that case?  No.  But that is because parts of the report contain confidential information for the suspects/victims involved.

Last... I have seen numerous posts here about how the IA division of GPD will not do a good job.  I do not know if they will or not.  What I do know is that IA investigators are chosen for a reason.  It takes a special person to have the ability to investigate their co-workers for suspicion of ...fill in the blank..., and do so truthfully.  Quite a few IA investigators are disliked, for how strict they are in IA investigations, by the police officers who work in the same department.  Obviously, they are doing their jobs.  No matter what decision they make, someone is not going to be happy, but that is life.

Honestly, I'm just frustrated at how everyone is so down on police officers.  We still do not know the complete story of what happened at the H2O Bar.  And until it comes out, if it ever does, why banter about it like this?  I know many of you are going on about what you believe are renegade police officers, but come on.  There are some bad eggs in the bunch sometimes, but as a whole, they still protect us and help us live our day to day lives by keeping some order in our hometowns.  Plus, there are bad eggs everywhere - no matter where you work.  Police officers just seem to be easy targets for the public battleground ...in my opinion... and no matter what, I'm not giving up on the group of individuals who protect me while I sleep at night.

Good luck to everyone involved in the case.  I hope everyone comes out of it healed, and I also hope those who were at fault do face consequences.

Also add the mini cameras that they are starting to make Cops have on the guns to record dischaging the weapon. You were a cop in the 1960's.. I was a cop in the 2000's 40 years after you were.. and I can tell you its not the same ball game. We are under so many restrictions these days, criminlas have the edge. If you watch that video over and over the guy in the white shirt is pulling back and away from the officers as they have hold of his arms..that is when the tazer is fired and he goes down. Now I know you all have this thing against me.. but I was open minded in this.. and was not trying to side with anyone on this event as I dont know what took place.. as for second hand knowledge, wont stand up in court... so what you were told by a so called witness has no bearing. It may sway your opinion, but it wont mine. I like the message from the above poster (1citizen ) seems well thought out, fair and honest.

We had super cops on our force too.. some people get elephant idis when they strap on that weapon. Some think they are the law and not just an agent of it. Its a problem in every town, city, metro area. I also wish everyone well on this event.. hope those who deserve it get the punishment to fit the crime, and that everyone comes out of this healed as the posted said above.

1citizen:

First... yes, in many departments, you will find one or a few (depending on department size) who are too "gung-ho" to carry the weapon they wear on their duty belt. 

And good cops are compelled to back-up the bad cops.

 However, stating that "Cops are a gang and work with an 'Us against Them' gang mentality" is a gross over exaggeration of one's own opinion. 

That is not "a gross over exaggeration of one's own opinion" It IS my opinion.

  History proves that if there were ever a gang mentality involved in law enforcement, it actually took place back when you and others were officers in the 60's and 70's, sir.  In all seriousness, that is when there were no dashboard cameras, no officers wearing microphones on every call so that they would have proof of how things actually took place, and also when more people were "roughed up" on calls and in questioning rooms because they knew they could do it and get away with it.  The good ole boy system was not just in effect; it was public knowledge that it was there.  I am actually quite curious as to why you only remained an officer for 3 years.  I am also curious as to how it somehow qualifies you to so "eloquently" provide others with that first hand depiction. 

I was a cop for only three years because I stopped enjoying the job after about two years. Those dashboard cameras and microphones have given us plenty of evidence of the gang mentality's brutality over the years. And, speaking of those microphones, why hasn't the police department released those audios?

Secondly... police reports are public record.  Anyone, either involved in the case or not, can make an appearance at any police department and request a printout of a report.  Do you get every piece of information pertaining to that case?  No.  But that is because parts of the report contain confidential information for the suspects/victims involved.

I was a newspaper reporter for over 15 years and covered police beat quite a bit. Between 1974 and 2001, police departments adhered to the Texas Open Meetings/Open Records Act, and later, the Freedom Of Information Act. Police reports were easily available with little or no redaction. When I went back to work for a newspaper in 2004, I had to practically file a formal Freedom of Information Act request for nearly every report. Texas' current Attorney General closes more records than he forces open.

Last... I have seen numerous posts here about how the IA division of GPD will not do a good job.  I do not know if they will or not.  What I do know is that IA investigators are chosen for a reason.  It takes a special person to have the ability to investigate their co-workers for suspicion of ...fill in the blank..., and do so truthfully.  Quite a few IA investigators are disliked, for how strict they are in IA investigations, by the police officers who work in the same department.  Obviously, they are doing their jobs.  No matter what decision they make, someone is not going to be happy, but that is life.

No agency should ever be allowed to investigate itself. The city really needs to establish a citizens' review board with supoena powers.

Honestly, I'm just frustrated at how everyone is so down on police officers.  We still do not know the complete story of what happened at the H2O Bar.  And until it comes out, if it ever does, why banter about it like this?  I know many of you are going on about what you believe are renegade police officers, but come on.  There are some bad eggs in the bunch sometimes, but as a whole, they still protect us and help us live our day to day lives by keeping some order in our hometowns.  Plus, there are bad eggs everywhere - no matter where you work.  Police officers just seem to be easy targets for the public battleground ...in my opinion... and no matter what, I'm not giving up on the group of individuals who protect me while I sleep at night.

If the good cops would turn in the bad cops, everything would be good. But they don't and they won't. The only time you find cops blowing the whistle on other cops, is after the wistle blower has been busted.

Good luck to everyone involved in the case.  I hope everyone comes out of it healed, and I also hope those who were at fault do face consequences.

 

 My response to 1citizen is in moderation.

Are you kidding me, Muhnay? Cops rarely got away with entrapment back then. They do it all of the time now. What police department did you work on? Were you a reserve? Did you actually do it for a living?

Muhnay, I believe the cops should be under more "restrictions."   And even if they are, the criminals don't have the edge.  The cops are almost always believed and given the benefit of the doubt.....by most Americans.  Not me!  Until you are an innocent person harassed by the cops, or worse falsely accused of a crime and even imprisoned, people don't have a clue.  Have I been falsely accused and imprisoned?  No, but I have been harassed by the cops and do know people that have sat in jail for crimes they did not commit. 

Look at what is going on right now in Harris County with Judge April Walker, who also teaches at TSU.  She was arrested last year, for impersonating a judge, after she deputies came to her home when she reported suscipious activity in her neighborhood.  The deputies did not believe she was a judge, no doubt because she is black, and arrested her!  The charges were dropped and she is now suing Sheriff Tommy Thomas, along with 3 other innocent folks who were harassed by Harris County deputies.   She was arrested a few months ago, for resisting arrest when deputies showed up in her neighborhood.  Those charges have now been dropped.  In Harris County the deputies are out of control....same with the Houston police, same with Galveston police.   They can't be trusted and I won't give them the "benefit of the doubt."  When I was younger, I would, but no more!

 Just an FYI...the guy in the white shirt was told to back up and when he did, he was stopped by the small wall behind him, then they tazered him, and oh yeah hit, kicked and peppered sprayed while he was down..that part does not continue on the short video.

Really.. beating a guy with a phone book until he confessed while handcuffed to a table, was not done back in the 1960's? Turning fire hoses on black people and beating them them to near death was not done by cops in the 1960's? Intrapment.. please cops of the 1960 got away with way more than a cop does these days.

Yes.. I was with the Military Police, DA Police.

I will have to accept your word for that SLP. If that is the case then charges should be brought. I am not condoning police brutality. If there was in fact such a case then the officers should be fired and face charges.

 Military police doesn't count. Military personnel aren't protected by the Bill of Rights. DA police?

Everything you pointed out about the 60s cops is true. And except for the beating and killing of civil rights workers is still happening today. You forgot to include the beatings and killings of war protesters. You forgot the 1968 Chicago Police Riot.

Today, you see the gang mentality at the end of high-speed chases. Vice and narcotics officers use entrapment all of the time now. The War on Drugs/War on Terror have been used and are being used to deprive Americans of our constitutional rights. We are closer now to being a police state then we have been at anytime in my life.

The militarization of police departments is a dangerous thing. It scares me when I see those bastards wearing combat gear. Whenever cops gang up, you have a dangerous situation -- they feed on each other's frustration, anger and fear.

Lurker:

 Whenever cops gang up, you have a dangerous situation -- they feed on each other's frustration, anger and fear.

And when drunk and obnoxious partiers gang together, the same mentality is produced. 

Coastal Dreams:

Lurker:

 Whenever cops gang up, you have a dangerous situation -- they feed on each other's frustration, anger and fear.

 

 And when drunk and obnoxious partiers gang together, the same mentality is produced. 

 

 Drunk and obnoxious partiers can't get away with beating the crap out of a lot of people.

 This is absurd. Altho I'm not a resident, I have visited Galveston 2-3 times a year for the last 40 years. I have never had a problem. We have attended the rally 3 times, and had intended on going again this year. They have changed the dates, and thats fine. I have no desire to go after reading this thread. I dont want to go spend my money where I have to look over my shoulder and watch out for cops. THings are bad enough when you have to look over your shoulder in fear of muggers or thugs, but to visit, or LIVE, in fear of the cops? It's here where I live too folks, and it aint right, and IMO there isnt a damn thing any of us can do about it, I've tried, and got no-where................. ;-(

I feel bad for Galveston, and it's residents. Such a wonderful place to call home, then comes Ike, and now the "cops"...... Wishing the best to all of those innocents that were either hurt, or harassed by the GPD. I wonder how the GPD would feel if it were THEM that were ganged up on and beat half to death?