The Federal Justice Department is investigating the Austin Police Department for use of excessive force and "to determine whether APD is systemically violating the Constitution of the United States." After my experience with the APD yesterday, I would have to say they are most certainly violating the Constitution and, if left to their own devices, would proceed to turn this city into a police state. They are certainly well on their way.

Yesterday all Otis and I wanted to do was take Abi to the creek to swim and play and generally get her energy out. We took her to a park I've been taking her to since she was a puppy. She even learned to swim at this park. But when we arrived we were shocked and thoroughly angered to see at least 15 police officers searching people's belongings and writing tickets for whatever they could find. Last time I looked officers had to have probable cause to search someone's belongings for illegal items. Most of the tickets were being written for possession of alcohol, which is not allowed at that particular park. But every person we talked to said they had been searched...even people who had no coolers. Is simply being at a park probable cause for a search? I should hope that we are allowed to hang out at a park with the reasonable expectation that we won't be searched by the police.

I had my own personal run-in with an officer after she saw Abi off her leash. And even though I promptly put her on her leash after the officer asked me to, she very angrily proceeded to ask for my ID, which I did not have with me. She told me to wait around to "finish our discussion" while she (presumably) went to get paperwork to write me a ticket. Since she didn't seem like the kind of person I was going to be able to reason with, Otis and I decided to high tail it out of there and avoid a ticket.

The thing that really bothered me about this officer was her attitude. She was VERY angry with me...for having my dog off the leash and for not having my ID on me when I was wearing nothing but a swimsuit. Abi wasn't hurting anyone and was literally within arms reach of me. I truly believe that if I had given her any attitude at all this officer would not have hesitated to throw me on the ground. She looked like she wanted to beat me. If she is any example of what our venerable Austin police officers are like, no wonder they're being investigated.

Today's news brings yet another story of a man shot and killed outside a night club by an Austin police officer. The clencher? This officer has a history of excessive force and has even been sued in the past. Who is policing our police? Why do we assume that just because these people have badges they are better people than the rest of us? Where are the checks and balances in our law enforcement system? Clearly one is seriously lacking here in Austin.