The Chief of Police in Fort Worth, Texas, suspended joint operations with the Texas Alcohol Beverage Control agency as pressure mounted for an independent investigation of the gay-bar raid on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Two Democratic state legislators have called on the mayor of Fort Worth and Texas Governor Rick Perry to identify an independent agency to conduct a third-party probe of the Rainbow Lounge raid as each agency investigates itself.
Chief Jeff Halstead on Thursday announced a series of actions relating to the early-morning incident Sunday at the Rainbow Lounge on Jennings Street, which has drawn protests from the gay community.
Halstead also said he would conduct a review of "multicultural training" for police officers to ensure that the information is "up to date" on issues that concern the gay community.
A Texas state Senator and a Texas state Representative, seeming to acknowledge the impossibility of fair in-house investigations, have asked that elected officials determine what third agency should conduct an independent probe.
State Rep. Lon Burnam and state Sen. Wendy Davis, both Fort Worth Democrats, said they met with commission officials Wednesday about what happened at the Rainbow Lounge.
"We had more questions than they had answers," Burnam said. "But that’s understandable at this point."
In their joint statement, Davis and Burnam said they thought an independent review of witness accounts and the completed investigative reports of the Fort Worth Police Department and the commission would be the best way to find out the truth.
They have not decided the appropriate agency to conduct the review or how the process might be initiated, Burnam said.
"I’m hoping that Mayor (Mark) Moncrief and the governor will visit and talk about how best to address the need for an outside review," Burnam said.
"Both departments need enough space to complete their own investigations. But because we are already detecting discrepancies in the reports from both agencies, we think we need an independent investigation."
Dallas Voice Instant Tea blog provides some context on these bar operations.
Between Halstead’s move and the TABC’s decision to assign two agents to desk duty, it’s looking more and more like TABC is going to take the brunt of the blame for this one, which doesn’t surprise me. Less than a year ago, the city of Dallas was forced to rein in TABC agents because they were conducting bar inspections in an inappropriate fashion here. The Dallas Tavern Guild, an association of gay and lesbian bars, was involved in putting a stop to these practices. I’m not suggesting that the Fort Worth Police Department is blameless in this, but perhaps the LGBT community needs to start calling for reform at TABC as well, including diversity training and a liaison office
Finally, the injured bar patron, whom TABC now acknowledges was in their custody, has been upgraded to fair condition.
Meanwhile, the man who was hurt, 26-year-old Chad Gibson, was still in fair condition at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth where he was being treated for a head injury.
About 100 people attended a vigil for the still-hospitalized Chad Gibson on Wednesday night, where witnesses gave their reactions to the Dallas Morning News.
Witnesses said officers wrestled Gibson to the ground, causing him to hit his head on the wall. Police said paramedics treated Gibson for alcohol poisoning at the scene. He was later taken to John Peter Smith Hospital.
Sunday’s incident has sent shockwaves through the gay community. Todd Camp, who was at the bar Sunday morning, said he hopes it can spur change.
"It is a huge awakening as to how far we have to go," he said. "It’s unfortunate that it takes something this awful to finally generate discussion. I hope we don’t squander this opportunity."
Eyewitness Accounts of the Rainbow Lounge Raid in Fort Worth
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More sunlight, especially from elected state officials, is a very good thing.
Here is a YouTube from a gay San Francisco law enforcement officer, with advice for folks in Fort Worth
I just watched the video by the San Francisco cop–that was really powerful. Thanks for including it.
The FBI could do this couldn’t they?
Who created TABAC who is pulling their strings? Rick Perry seems the likely candidate what does the Lake’s Texas Bloggers have to say about the local political situation.
Cops don’t turn up the heat this much on any group of people this big anymore without getting political assurances that they won’t feel the heat.
So who gave the word?
Any thoughts that this could be related, not to the Stonewall Anniversary, but to the upcoming major Gay-rights conference planned for Dallas next year? Sort of rolling out the un-welcome mat?
Texans remind us lately that, on issues of police department sensitivity to LGBT, Dallas and Fort Worth are like night and day.