WATCH: Police Video Reveals Councilman Richardson's Initial Confrontation

 

Bill Richardson’s contact with San Angelo police was mostly cordial, with only one time when in a discussion with Officer Alfred Rios was Richardson told to calm down.

According to call notes that accompany these videos released to us by the San Angelo Police Department, Officer Alfred Rios responded to the 100 block of River Oaks St. at 4:39 p.m. on Feb. 18. 2017. Councilman Bill Richardson called 9-1-1 according to the call notes. His complaint was his neighbors were screaming and yelling at him.

WATCH Richardson's interactions with the San Angelo police:

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From the discussion between police and the councilman, as heard in the accompanying video of that incident supplied to us by the San Angelo Police Department, it appears Richardson’s neighbors were concerned about Richardson for either approaching their kids playing basketball in the streets or approaching their property. That is against city ordinance, Richardson informed police, about the children playing basketball in the street. The street was a “city right-of-way” Richardson asserted.

Richardson can be heard name-dropping City Manager Daniel Valenzuela’s name.

Richardson’s neighbors had children visiting from Sonora. The family Richardson is complaining about to police is a Hispanic family. Prior to the police discussion with Richardson, Officer Rios can be heard speaking with a member of the family in Spanish.

Richardson claimed to have pictures from a date previous to the Feb. 18 incident proving the kids were playing in forbidden areas, in the streets. Rios noted later that Richardson claimed there was a basketball hoop in the street.

“You have the pictures. What have you done with the pictures,” an officer asked him.

“I’ve kept them to myself,” Richardson replied.

“That’s what I’m saying. You’re keeping them to yourself, and now you’re bringing them up,” the officer responded.

The police said since Richardson’s pictures were not taken of the particular incident in question and on that date, his evidence cannot be acted upon.

Multiple times, police ask Richardson to call them instead of trying to handle the issue with his neighbors by himself.

“If you want something resolved, you need to call us (the police) when it’s happening,” the police officer said.

The police told Richardson the kids from Sonora likely didn’t know the city ordinances for they are not from San Angelo.

Police warned Richardson not to approach the family’s property again. “If we catch you going over there, you can get arrested for criminal trespassing for going over there,” the police officer warned.

Officer Rios and Officer Chris Morris responded to the call, according to the police notes.

Rios noted in the call notes that he was not submitting a report. “Neighbor dispute,” Rios wrote. “Told [them] to ignore each other.”

After this incident, Councilman Richardson took to social media over the weekend to complain about Hispanic police officers. His posts have created a firestorm of protests from citizens.

Constituents have organized a petition drive to start the process of removing Richardson from office. The former councilman who once sat in Richardson’s seat, Rodney Fleming, said the response has been in large numbers wanting to remove Richardson. “We think we will have all the signatures needed by the weekend,” Fleming said this morning.

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