Democrat Lawmaker Who Defunded the Austin Police Department Requests Enhanced Patrols Around His House

 

Texas Rep. Gregorio “Greg” Casar, who helped to defund the Austin Police Department during his time on the city council in 2020, has requested enhanced patrols around his home.

The lawmaker also wrote a letter to the Department of Justice asking them to investigate the Austin Police Department just last week.

In the letter, the congressman accused the department of a “pattern and practice of utilizing excessive force against people of color and people with mental health conditions.”

“A federal pattern-or-practice investigation into civil rights violations by the Austin Police Department, particularly of the department’s policing of communities of color, people with mental health conditions, and those exercising their First Amendment rights, is both necessary and long overdue,” the hypocritical lawmaker wrote, “I look forward to working with you to improve public safety and civil rights protections in Austin.”

We did it!! Austin City Council just reduced APD’s budget by over $100 million *and* reinvested resources into our community’s safety and well-being. Tens of thousands of you have called, emailed, and testified. You made the impossible into a reality. #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/trrYSDEOK6

— Greg Casar (@GregCasar) August 13, 2020

 

Just days after Rep. Casar sent the letter, he was put on blast by the Austin Police Retired Officers Association.

“It’s come to our attention that Anti police king of the defund movement in Austin @GregCasar who only last week called APD an agency with racist practices has requested enhanced patrols around his house for the next week. We want everyone in Austin to feel safe,” the association wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

But this seems to us as the height of hypocrisy from the congressman. Maybe he should hire private security like his fellow squad members do. Sure seems like he wants the police in his neighborhood just not yours.

— Austin Police Retired Officers Association (@APROA01) December 19, 2023

The association continued, “this seems to us as the height of hypocrisy from the congressman. Maybe he should hire private security like his fellow squad members do. Sure seems like he wants the police in his neighborhood just not yours.”

APROA president Dennis Farris spoke to Fox News about the absurdity, saying, “A week ago, he was calling the Austin Police Department a racist department that targeted Black and brown people, and this week he’s asking the exact same department to do enhanced patrols around his house.”

“It doesn’t matter what political party they’re in. If they ask us for our help, we will give it to them,” Farris continued. “The last thing we want is something happening to them. My issue with it and the issue that most of my members are going to have with it is the fact that this guy, you know, it’s the whole squad thing, right? It’s the whole, ‘We hate the cops, we hate the cops, we hate the cops. Oh, please, come help us now.’ He is the architect. He is the architect of defund the cops in Austin. He started this whole mess.”

The Austin Police Department confirmed to the network that they are “aware of the request made by Representative Greg Casar” and “following the same protocol and assessment we would as with all requests.”

“Our agency takes all public safety concerns seriously. Our priority is having a secure and safe community for everyone to feel protected while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information,” the spokesperson for the department continued.

Casar’s office told Fox it does “not comment on active security matters related to the Congressman.”

“Our office has not been in communication with the Austin Police Department on this matter because these issues are handled by the United States Sergeant at Arms, who then works with U.S. Capitol Police and local law enforcement agencies,” the lawmaker’s office continued.

The congressman’s office then pointed to a statement from U.S. House Sergeant at Arms William McFarland, which stated:

“The Sergeant at Arms takes the safety of Members of Congress very seriously. We ask the public and law enforcement agencies to not comment on specific security measures or active cases because doing so exposes potential vulnerabilities.”

Sergeant at Arms, who then works with U.S. Capitol Police and local law enforcement agencies.” Who did he think the USCP was going to call to do the patrols?

— Austin Police Retired Officers Association (@APROA01) December 20, 2023

The Austin Police Retired Officers Association mocked the response, writing, “Sergeant at Arms, who then works with U.S. Capitol Police and local law enforcement agencies.” Who did he think the USCP was going to call to do the patrols?”