Thread by @daustinsanders

There's been drama between Council Member Alison Alter and APD Chief Brian Manley brewing this week that boiled over today when the Austin Police Association sent out a press release blasting Alter for "clearing being against" APD employees

Why? Here's a thread. #atxcouncil 1/20

Earlier this week, Alter emailed Manley asking that he:

1) "Proactively investigate" whether any APD employees participated in the Jan. 6 insurrection, as other LEOs, including one in Houston, did.
2) Send a department-wide communication condemnding the involvement of LEOs. 2/20

Manley refused both requests. They got on the phone and talked it out for about an hour.

Then another email from Alter: "I am dismayed by your refusal to proactively investigate" if APD personnel participated in the insurrection, she wrote. She Manley again to send a memo 3/20

As chief, Alter wrote, "you have an opportunity to unmistakably set the tone for the department...I suggest that you make clear to every officer and staff member where our department leadership stands"

She links to a CNN article where the Joint Chiefs issue a similar memo 4/20

Manley responds in an email that includes other, unnamed recipients. "We do not open investigations into our officers to prove they did not engage in conduct that nobody has alleged they did," Manley wrote.

To do so would tie up resources and impact officer morale, he said. 5/20

Manley writes that an investigation would require APD "prove (officers) did not go to DC and commit a crime instead of trusting in the character they have demonstrated in their service to our community"

FBI assured him he will be notified if an APD officer becomes a suspect 6/20

As for the request that Manley condemn police participation in the insurrection to his staff: "I regularly put out messages or videos and this may be covered in a future communication," Manley wrote, "but ... the men and women of APD know where I stand on law and order." 7/20

Alter responds in an attempt to "return to the substance" of her original email. "Many other leaders in our country and city have chosen to straightforwardly call out the events of January 6th and the participants for what they are," she writes.

Now the tone has shifted. 8/20

What's the worst that could come from sending an APD-wide email, Alter asks? "As an educator and as a parent, it has been my experience that you look for teachable moments to encourage desired behavior..." she writes.

This line really annoyed the police union 9/20

Alter adds that convos she's had with APD staff suggests the "clarity you assume, is not always present as one moves down the chain of command."

Again, she asks Manley to share his "views and expectations" on the events in D.C. "I frankly do not understand the hesitancy." 10/20

She concludes the email by plainly reiterating her request:

"I ask that you send a strong message to all members of APD explaining the values and expectations for their conduct in light of the recent events at the U.S. Capitol." 11/20

"As requested," Manley begins his final email, "I am sending an email to my organization..."

He reiterates: "I find the riots, violence, and insurrection that took place at our US Capitol last week reprehensible, illegal, and an affront to our democratic principles. 12/20

"I also stated I know the heart of my organization and that those feelings and beliefs are shared among my personnel," Manley continues, "since we have all either sworn an oath or joined an organization that stands for defending the constitution and rule of law." 13/20

Following that preamble recapping his conversation with Alter, Manley writes his message to the department, which I will share in full via a screenshot. 14/20

It took several emails and an hour-long phone conversation to compel a 270 word message out of the Police Chief. "I should not have to ask our Police of Chief to communicate our values when our democracy is under threat," Alter told me earlier this afternoon. 15/20

She says her intent was not to assume blame among any officers, rather, "we need to reaffirm our values in this time of crisis. The absence of doing that says something, too."

Of course, the police union saw the push from Alter differently. 16/20

"Alison has made it clear by her repetitive actions and statements she is clearly against the employees of the Austin Police Department and holds them in contempt," the union wrote in their press release.

They say it's because APA endorsed her opponent, Jennifer Virden. 17/20

They call Alter an "activist council member" (lol) and point out that it was a retired firefighter who allegedly beat one of the D.C. cops on Jan. 6. They ask if she made a similar request to other department heads (AFAIK, the answer is no). 18/20

APA accuses Alter of trying to intimidate APD officers. But as Alter told me, she was to try and get Manley to be proactive about "what where we stand as a community." She said sending a message reiterating the department's values would have achieved that. 19/20

Instead, it became a tug-of-war between Council & the Chief, a dynamic that's played out repeatedly over the past year. Manley did send a message condemning police participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection. But it appears he isn't investigating if APD officers were involved 20/20

I have to add one more thing, because I didn't make it clear in my thread.

When Manley finally emailed the full department, he did so by forwarding his exchange with Alter and tacking his condemnation on there.

You've got to respect the pettiness lol.

The typos...you must ignore them...This is why I have an editor when I write a real story lol

Here’s the full press release from APA

https://twitter.com/ATXPOA/status/1350217180730826753