An Austin Police Department (APD) officer has been suspended for 10 days for using a harmful stereotype to describe a #BlackLivesMatter protester in May, according to a disciplinary memo from APD Chief Brian Manley.
Officer Ryan Seweryn, who will serve his suspension until Dec. 5, was disciplined after an internal investigation found he referred to a protester as “that gay dude with the short shorts in the black shirt,” while describing the person to fellow officers.
Seweryn began serving his suspension on Nov. 26 at the conclusion of the investigation. Seweryn’s body-worn camera captured his description of the protester, according to the memo.