AUSTIN - Texas Criminal Justice Reform Coalition and the ACLU of Texas released a new publication called “Stand Up: What to do if you’re a victim of police abuse in Texas.”
The manual, which is 36 pages long, contains great strategies and research tips for responding to local events of police abuse. It provides advice about filing a complaint, researching prior misconduct by officers, and fighting police abuse in court.

“It gives Texans strategies and tools to respond to human rights abuses by local police and sheriffs,” said author Scott Henson, director of the ACLU of Texas Police Accountability Project. “Most officers never engage in misconduct,” said Henson, “and they're not the subject of this booklet. But inarguably, a small minority of officers indulge in overtly abusive tactics, and people frequently are at a loss what to do when that happens.”
The manual is designed for activists, attorneys, politicians and journalists - anyone willing to stand up against police misconduct.

In the past several years, high profile incidents of Texas police misconduct filled the press, drawing national attention. In Tulia, Hearne, and Wilson County, undercover narcotics agents set up innocent people. In Austin, DNA testing revealed that police coerced confessions from innocents, making national news. The “sheetrock” scandal in Dallas caused 51 falsely accused people to be set free, drawing attention from national media like ABC's Nightline. More recently, in Houston, more than 400 people were arrested for no reason in a K-Mart parking lot, an incident that resulted in more than a dozen officers’ suspensions.
“In all these cases, victims could really have used this manual,” said Eva Owens, coordinator of the Texas Criminal Justice Reform Coalition. “Unfortunately, we believe this publication will speak to a large audience.”

“Most people, when police abuse happens to them, are scared, confused and unsure how to respond. Now they have somewhere to turn. We’re excited to provide this kind of nuts and bolts resource to the people of Texas,” said Owens. The booklet may be ordered by mailing a check for $6 plus $.95 in S&H payable to the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition. Checks should be mailed to TCJRC at 1506 S. 1st St., Austin, TX 78702.