Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales has announced he is creating a Civil Rights Division within the DA's office to handle officer-involved shootings.
“I remain committed to finding the best practices for the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. While Bexar County is not the first to establish a Civil Rights Division, I have spoken to other larger county’s District Attorneys about how they have been able to make the process more independent with their own Civil Rights Divisions. Until the State of Texas establishes a truly independent investigative and prosecutorial process, it is up to local law enforcement and prosecutors to do their best to scrutinize these shootings with as much independence as we can manage,” Gonzales said in a statement.
Gonzales says the team of prosecutors, an investigator and a victim's advocate will respond to shootings moving forward.
The new division will cost the county about $385,000.
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