Austin asks Justice to investigate police

AUSTIN, Texas – A month after police officers and dispatchers traded e-mails joking about a $1.1 million fire at a nightclub popular among black residents, officials asked the Justice Department to investigate the police department.

A letter from the city manager and police chief to U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton cited the “unprofessional messages” sent over the department’s mobile computer system during the Feb. 18 fire.

The letter cited articles last year in the Austin American-Statesman showing officers used force against minorities at higher rates than against whites.

During the fire at the Midtown Live nightclub, 10 police officers and dispatchers traded e-mails that said, among other things, “burn baby, burn” and “I got some extra gasoline if they need it.”

“As you know, trust is the cornerstone of building a solid community policing program,” the letter states. “These incidents have created tension, and in some instances have eroded our trust within the community. … An independent review of the Austin Police Department would help the department continue to improve while rebuilding community trust.”