** AUSTIN COPWATCH EMERGES **

   In a city where authorities have consistently validated violent and
racist police abuse with their exoneration of rogue cops, a commited
group of working people have begun foot patrols with an 8mm video
camera on streets known for high incidence of police violence and
harassment.  CopWatch has been spurred to action by outrages like the
$600,000 settlement of the Cedar Ave. police brutality case which
exonerated all officers involved and sidestepped the issues of
brutality and racism.  CopWatch has been spurred to action by a police
chief who finds no policy violation in a cop shooting an unarmed,
fleeing robbery suspect in the back, then takes no less than a year to
clear the suspect of all charges and still takes no disciplinary
action against the cop.

   Asking ourselves who protects us from the cops, knowing that it's
not the city authorities or the courts, we follow the example of
programs like Berkeley CopWatch, Minneapolis CopWatch and others.  We
will observe police interactions and arrests, report police harassment
and brutality to APD's Internal Affairs and anyone else who will
listen, and work to increase the community's awareness of our rights
and our will to ensure that our rights are respected.

   Austin CopWatch welcomes practical advice from others doing the
same work, and of course we welcome donations and legal support.

   For more information, contact
Theresa Gorman                                     
(512) 302-9095
email:  doubylu@usa.net   or,
Adam Seehaver
(512) 451-7586

Send mail to:
Austin CopWatch
5403 Roosevelt Ave.
Austin, TX  78756 

For more information on police brutality in Austin, visit the Austin 
Police Department Hall of Shame

	www.onr.com/user/blackdog

Compiled mainly from official documents obtained from Open Records
requests, and interviews, this site is a great resource.