NAACP leaders say Arlington police use deadly force too much and without good reason
City officials need to do more than just write settlement checks to families whose loved ones are killed by Arlington police officers who perceive deadly threats, the NAACP said Saturday.
That’s the view from members of the Arlington branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People who have examined the latest police-involved shooting, which took the life of Margarita “Maggie” Brooks, a 30-year-old homeless woman.
According to police, Brooks’ dog ran toward a rookie police officer who was checking on her welfare after a caller reported she was lying in the grass near Cantor Drive and North Collins Street on Thursday afternoon. The officer fired his service weapon three times. The dog stopped, but after the gunfire ceased, the officer discovered that Brooks had been hit in the chest by one of his bullets.
The police officer in this incident has not been identified.
Arlington NAACP officials have concluded that this is the latest of six unnecessary uses of deadly force that have taken the lives of unarmed people in the past four years.
“What is convincingly clear is that problems exist within the police department,” said Alisa Simmons, president of the Arlington NAACP. “City leadership, including the chief and the city manager have not determined the solutions necessary to curtail what has become the routine and clearly sanctioned use of lethal force. Settlement payouts are not the answer.”
Police declined to comment regarding the NAACP statement Saturday.
In the past four years, the Arlington NAACP has advocated and fought for four families whose loved ones are dead because Arlington officers violated the department’s use-of-force policy, the statement said. Jonathan Paul, Christian Taylor, Tavis Crane and O’Shae Terry were all unarmed when Arlington police officers used lethal force in their encounters with these men, according to Simmons.
In Paul’s case, the city agreed to a $1.24 million settlement with the family. The two jailers found to be involved received sentences of one year on probation after pleading guilty to their roles in the 2015 death. The city agreed to an $850,000 settlement with the Taylor family. The rookie officer involved, Brad Miller, was fired, but not indicted.
Cases involving Tavis Crane and O’Shae Terry are pending, according to Simmons. Craig Roper, the officer involved in the Crane case, was not fired or indicted, while Bau Tran, the Arlington officer involved in the Terry shooting, was fired and indicted on a criminally negligent homicide charge.
“I can guarantee that the four families we have supported would much rather have their loved ones alive,” Simmons said. “Using taxpayer money to pay settlements to these families and the occasional termination of an officer is not the solution. And, if Arlington city leaders are content to take the lazy, cut-the-check route to address the problem that is the growing number of lethal force cases, then we need new leadership.”
‘Inadequate response’ from police
Given the totality of past events, the police response is woefully inadequate, according to NAACP leadership. And to those who have raised questions about the organization’s concerns about the death of a white woman, Simmons said that the NAACP is dedicated to protecting the civil rights of people of all races.
“The mission of the NAACP, in part, includes securing the equality of rights for all persons, regardless of race or ethnicity,” Simmons said in her statement. “Ms. Brooks’ civil rights were violated and the Arlington NAACP stands ready to support this family and to continue our work to improve the quality of life for those that live, work and visit Arlington by fighting injustice.”
Police Chief Will Johnson said Friday at a press conference at the department’s headquarters that everything about the call was an absolute tragedy.
“Our hearts are broken for the Brooks family and the police officer involved,” Johnson said.
The 25-year-old officer graduated from the police academy in February and finished his field training on July 1, Johnson said. Police released a portion of the video recording from the officer’s body camera that shows the shooting. The incident has triggered two separate investigations, one criminal and an internal affairs probe, Johnson said.
The findings from the criminal investigation will be sent to the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office for review and presentation to a grand jury, Johnson said. An internal affairs examination will determine whether any department policies were violated, Johnson said.
“Clearly this is not the outcome that the officer wanted, nor is it the outcome that the department wanted,” Johnson said.
If Arlington leadership cannot do a better job, perhaps they should enlist the help of Arlington residents to assist them, Simmons suggested.
“APD must make a commitment to retain the best outside experts available; to review training policy and processes and then guide the department in implementing an overhaul in areas where training lapses exist,” Simmons said. “A citizen review board must be seriously considered. Finally, the mayor and council must pay attention. Praising and glad-handing the chief after the presentation of his annual report without asking one substantive question, year after year, is dereliction of duty.”
Six who died due to Arlington police use of excessive force, according to local branch NAACP members:
1. Jonathan Paul - March 2015
2. Christian Taylor - August 2015
3. Tavis Crane - February 2017
4. Gabriel Eduardo Olivas - July 2017
5. O’Shae Terry - September 2018
6. Margarita “Maggie” Brooks - Aug. 1, 2019
This story includes information from Star-Telegram archives
This story was originally published August 3, 2019 at 8:43 PM with the headline "NAACP leaders say Arlington police use deadly force too much and without good reason."
