Hold The Force Accountable

Why do police officers who terrorize and brutalize our communities remain protected and employed? What is the justification for keeping officers on the force or retaining the force in its entirety when exactly the opposite of their motto continues to occur? To ‘protect and serve’ who? The only people being protected are police officers, especially criminal officers. Their insidious actions are often swept under the rug with little to no repercussions faced. A prime example here in Texas is Sgt. Roger Rudloff. He was thrust into mainstream media last year during the protests following George Floyd’s murder. Rudloff was witnessed and photographed shooting a protester in the breasts with multiple pepper balls. The pepper ball gun is intended to be shot into the ground in an attempt to gain control of a situation and is not permitted to be used on a person unless they are showing aggressive or malicious intent which this protester was not. This however was not the only time that Rudloff has been involved in a civilian complaint. Along with 18 complaints following the 2020 protest, 13 of which the complainants alleged that Rudloff used racist or abusive language towards them, and 8 others alleged that he used excessive force. In his “career” within the police force, Rudloff has had a record of incidents that he has never faced reprimand for. Many black and brown people have made complaints against him yet he continues to move up in ranking receiving commendations and was appointed as a field trainer to instruct onboarding officers in the same heinous tactics he’s previously enforced. With Rudloff’s flawed record, inhuman tactics, and degrading treatment towards people of color the force allowed him to train new officers, let that sink in. It’s been brought to light that last month Rudloff was found not guilty for the charges brought against him during the 2020 protests. The attorneys involved in the case feel that civil suits will be the only way to truly attain some form of justice. The real justice will be accountability for all of the criminalistic actions that police officers have been permitted to inflict upon communities, especially communities of color.