FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation

01/27/2023 | Press release | Archived content

FBI Dallas Conducts Federal Civil Rights Training with San Angelo-Area Law Enforcement

SAN ANGELO, TX-The FBI Dallas Field Office and FBI San Angelo Resident Agency partnered with the San Angelo Police Department (SAPD) to serve as the host for federal civil rights training for regional law enforcement this week.

The interactive training explains how federal criminal statutes related to law enforcement misconduct applies to local and state agencies and outlines the roles of the FBI and Department of Justice. Presentation materials include body camera footage, viewing and discussion of various law enforcement contact scenarios, and a case study review.

"Law enforcement officers have been given tremendous power by local, state, and federal government agencies. Preventing abuse of this authority is necessary for the health of our nation's democracy," said Dallas FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge James J. Dwyer. "Training is critical to educating our law enforcement population to recognize and prevent potential civil rights violations. We are grateful for San Angelo Police Department's commitment to host this training for regional law enforcement, and thank them for their continued partnership."

The FBI is the primary federal agency responsible for investigating allegations regarding violations of federal civil rights statutes. The FBI works closely with its partners to prevent and address hate crimes, color of law violations, and other civil rights offenses to protect the civil rights of all persons.

"The San Angelo Police Department was proud to host the FBI's training and welcome regional departments to participate. Officers and agency leaders recognize the importance of this training and will be able to apply what they learned immediately," said San Angelo Police Chief Frank Carter. "Our area law enforcement efforts are collaborative, and the ability to train together on the same material allows us to best support our communities with outstanding outcomes."

More than 70 law enforcement officers from six departments participated.

For additional information on the FBI's Civil Rights program please visit https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights.