Spring, TX asked in Criminal Law for Texas

Q: Are police required to report other reporting officer's violation of policy, bad behavior, or criminal behavior?

I was arrested, but the information that I gave to one officer was suppressed, for he removed and handed his body camera to the other officer as the other walked away. The other officer came back and I began to talk to her about what I had said to him, and he violently stopped me from talking. He then took the other officer behind the her car 5 times and yelled at her until she agreed to arrest me. I did nothing wrong, and they both ended up lying on their reports. I'm trying to gauge how bad this is.

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1 Lawyer Answer
Kiele Linroth Pace
Kiele Linroth Pace
Answered
  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Austin, TX
  • Licensed in Texas

A: My guess is that you're asking because you want to know if it will help you get a favorable resolution to your criminal case, not because you're a criminal justice activist.

When "trying to gauge how bad this is" you should start by asking, "Does the prosecution's case rely on the officer's credibility and professional judgment?" If the answer is clearly YES then your attorney will be fighting hard for every bodycam and dashcam recording for every officer listed on the dispatch report and for their disciplinary records too. If the answer is clearly NO then the attorney will be concentrating on other avenues of defense and this will probably be a secondary issue that makes your case more difficult for the state to prosecute but is likely to be a MacGuffin in the storyline of the case.

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