Black woman receives apology over arrest

Police chief calls officers’ actions ‘disturbing’

• A black Texas teacher thrown violently to the ground by a white officer during a traffic stop, then told by another white officer on the way to jail that blacks have “violent tendencies,” said Friday she is grateful the police chief has publicly apologized.

But Breaion King said Austin police still have culture changes to make and called on the U.S. to come together after patrol car video of her arrest heightened national attention and tension over police treatment of black people.

Newly released footage of her June 15, 2015, arrest is the latest in a string of videos showing tense encounters between police and blacks across the country.

Officer Bryan Richter nearly threw King into an adjacent truck in the parking lot of a Wendy’s after pulling her over for going 25 km/h over the speed limit.

After a struggle, the woman was handcuffed and driven to jail by Officer Patrick Spradlin, who told her “I don’t blame” whites for being afraid because of violence in the black community.

Both officers have been placed on desk duty and prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Richter’s actions.

“If something is wrong, everyone needs to be held accountable,” King said. “So for me, I feel we’re starting to take the necessary steps for us to be able to come together as a community and the nation.”

The elementary school teacher did not file a complaint after her arrest and said Friday she didn’t know she had that option at the time.

“I was embarrassed and I was ashamed and I did not know what I needed to do,” King said.

“So through everything, honestly, what I did was I waited. I prayed . ... And everything comes together when it’s time.”

Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo condemned both officers’ actions and has called comments on the video “disturbing.”

He said he had been unaware of the stop or the video until the Austin American-Statesman obtained a copy and began asking about it, and was critical of his chain of command for not alerting him at the time of the arrest.

Acevedo said the investigation of the officers will include their conduct in the year since the incident. He said the traffic stop had been originally classified as a level three use of force, which Acevedo said means there was no serious injury or complaint.

In one of two videos, Spradlin is heard asking King, “Why are so many people afraid of black people?”

King replies that she is also trying to figure that out.

“I can give you a really good idea why it might be that way,” he said. “Violent tendencies.”

Spradlin goes on to say, “Some of them, because of their appearance and whatnot, some of them are very intimidating.”

IF SOMETHING IS WRONG, EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.