Texas police release videos after 'Cop Watch' woman arrested, use of force investigated – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Fort Worth police released two videos Wednesday showing the arrest of a woman who says she lost consciousness while recording police.

Following public outcry from citizens and at least one city council member, the department on Wednesday released body camera video and surveillance video obtained from a company that showed the interaction between Carolina Rodriguez and police officers.

The Fort Worth Police Department said Tuesday it was investigating an incident and arrest in which a woman approached officers around 3:30 a.m. Sunday while they were investigating a hit-and-run crash involving a suspected drunk driver. Police said an officer told Rodriguez to cross the street “multiple times” and when she didn't, an officer used force to stop her.

Rodriguez told NBC 5 on Tuesday that moments before her arrest, she was recording a video for her YouTube page where she posted her self-described “police watching” videos.

“What we do is we watch the cops. A bunch of us, we watch the cops. And all we do is film the police while they're doing their job and just to make sure it doesn't violate anyone's rights. That's what we're doing.” We stand up and observe and watch what’s going on,” Rodriguez told NBC 5 on Tuesday.

In Rodriguez's YouTube video, he can be heard yelling at two officers and confronting them before questioning another officer's request to leave the parking lot.

In the surveillance video, which does not include audio, two officers appear to be walking across the parking lot when they are approached by a woman recording on her phone. Another officer steps between them and, a short time later, appears to try to stop the woman before she hits the ground.

The department also shared video from the officer's body camera, which includes audio. In this video, a police officer gets out of his police SUV and says, “Caroline, we're busy. Go across the street.” She replies: “No, I won't. Why? There's no investigation, nothing at all.” The officer told her to go to the other side of the street or get arrested and that he wouldn't warn her again. The woman replied, “What are you talking about?” He again told her to go across the street, and she replied, “Why? Wait. Tell me why first?” The officer then told the woman she was under arrest and told her to put her arm behind her back and turn around. The woman can be heard saying, “No, no, no, no, OK,” as the officer puts his arm behind her back and she falls to the ground. Moments later, as the officer told the woman to stop resisting, snoring was heard and one of the officers said the woman was bleeding.

Rodriguez was taken to the hospital for her injuries. When she was released, police said she was taken into custody and charged with interference with public duties, resisting arrest and/or detention, evading arrest and false alert or false report. Rodriguez was released after posting bonds totaling $4,000. It is unclear whether she has obtained an attorney.

At a rally Tuesday, Rodriguez told NBC 5 she was filming police in the Entertainment District and was trying to ask officers why they were towing vehicles when she was arrested. She said she was not aware of any police investigation into a hit-and-run at the time.

“I had been wandering around for about 15 minutes. Officer Kreuger got out of his vehicle and simply said to me, 'You need to cross the street,'” Rodriguez said.

She said when she tried to ask the officer why she had to move, he said she was under arrest, he threw her to the ground and that was the last thing she remembered.

Rodriguez, along with Nettles, said they wanted to see the police body camera video because she said you couldn't see what the officer did to her in her YouTube video.

In a statement released Monday, Nettles said in Rodriguez's video she approached the officers and asked them why they were towing vehicles. Nettles said seconds later, Rodriguez is knocked to the ground and the camera goes off. In the final seconds of his video, Nettles said Rodriguez lost consciousness and could be heard snoring.

Nettles demanded that the police department immediately release all body camera footage and that the Fort Worth City Council convene an executive session to discuss the incident before the next meeting scheduled for August.

“Due to the injuries sustained by Ms. Carolyn Rodriguez…I request that the FWPD immediately release the body camera footage of her arrest,” Nettles said in a statement. “I further request that a special executive session be called next Tuesday to discuss with legal staff and FWPD command what actually happened on the night in question.”

Nettles also asked the mayor and city council to convene a public comment meeting so residents could share their thoughts or concerns about the arrest.

Rodriguez, whose eye sockets and cheeks were bruised black and yellow, told NBC 5 on Tuesday that she suffered a concussion during her arrest. She said she needed stitches in her lip and her elbow and shoulder were torn. She said she had pain in her neck, arm and back.

“I just really struggled. But I just don't remember it, thank God,” Rodriguez said.

When asked by NBC 5 if she planned litigation following her arrest, Rodriguez nodded and said she needed answers.

“It hurts, it hurts a lot and maybe this will show them that they need to start doing things a little better,” Rodriguez said.

Fort Worth police said Wednesday that the officer's use of force and Rodriguez's actions were being investigated by the Fort Worth Police Department's major cases and internal affairs units. to determine compliance with policies and procedures. Fort Worth police said access to the investigation was also granted to the Office of the Police Comptroller to ensure transparency and accountability.

Although the department did not confirm the officer's name, they confirmed Wednesday that he had been with the Fort Worth Police Department for seven years and had been administratively reassigned away from patrol pending the result of the investigation.

Fort Worth police said they would not make any additional statements until they have an update on the investigation.

WHAT IS A “FIRST AMENDMENT AUDIT” OR “COP WATCH” VIDEO

“First Amendment audits” occur when people exercise their right to record videos in public places while trying to solicit responses from officials.

In some cases, the videos appear provocative in an effort to test whether a public official is violating a person's constitutional rights.

Videos of this type of interaction have become popular on social media, where they can amass millions of views.