In August 1997, Interim Chief Bruce Mills named Captain Juan Gonzalez head of the APD Internal Affairs Unit. An unpopular choice within and outside the department, Gonzalez had been involved in an "excessive force" incident the previous year, and had been suspended in 1987 for using department resources to service clients who'd hired him as a private investigator. Despite these problems, though, he appears to have ingratiated himself to APD's top brass, even as he's alienated some in the rank and file.

Officer Gonzalez's excessive force charge stemmed from an incident while he worked as an off-duty security guard at a Southeast Austin bar. Gonzalez hit a man on the head with a flashlight, who complained to Internal Affairs. Internal Affairs investigators found that Gonzalez had used excessive force, but the incident was kept off his disciplinary record by high-level intervention from then-Police Chief Elizabeth Watson and Assistant Chief Michael McDonald. Gonzalez twice received counseling from the assistant chief, and was forced to undergo additional training on the use of force, but he received neither an oral nor written reprimand.

In the news article announcing Gonzalez's appointment, McDonald tried to downplay Gonzalez's excessive force incident by claiming he'd really hit the man "by accident." However, given the relative few instances where internal affairs investigators actually find officers to have used excessive force, it seems highly unlikely that Internal Affairs would have called the attack "excessive" if there were any conceivable way to construe the blow to the head as unintentional.

In addition, Gonzalez was suspended for 20 days in 1987 for using police department computers and other police resources to perform paid work for a law firm who employed him as a part time private investigator. Far from being the actions of a callow youth, the infraction came while Gonzalez was supervisor of the homicide detail. But Assistant Chief McDonald told the newspaper, "I don't think it's fair to judge somebody on mistakes they made in the past." This is an incredible statement. What does McDonald think police do when they run criminal records to develop suspect lists, or when they attempt to assault the character of the youths who were victimized by the Cedar Avenue Valentines Police Riot?

Several days before his appointment, Gonzalez was named in a whistleblower lawsuit filed by a lieutenant who said Gonzalez retaliated against him. (details from lawsuit to come.)

by Scott Henson, July 1998

Source: Austin American Statesman, 8-22-97

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