Austin cop fired for using excessive force during prostitution arrest

An Austin police officer is now jobless after using excessive force during an October 2017 arrest, according to media reports.



Scroll through to see other notable cases of police in trouble An Austin police officer is now jobless after using excessive force during an October 2017 arrest, according to media reports.



Scroll through to see other notable cases of police in trouble Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images Image 1 of / 39 Caption Close Austin cop fired for using excessive force during prostitution arrest 1 / 39 Back to Gallery

An Austin police officer is now jobless after using excessive force during an October 2017 arrest, according to media reports.

Robert Mathis and another officer were near Georgian Drive and Powell Lane on Austin's north side Oct. 6 when they spotted a known female prostitute talking with a potential john, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

The two officers approached the john's vehicle and let him off with a warning before confronting the prostitute, the newspaper reported.

As the officers approached the woman, they ordered her walk toward them, according to KXAN-TV. She questioned the officers about why they wanted to speak with her, at which time the two officers grabbed her, according to the TV station.

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The woman still protested her detainment, contending she did nothing wrong. Mathis brought her over to their patrol vehicle, slammed her head on the hood and proceeded to strike her six times with his knee, police told the newspaper.

The officer then pushed her into the back of his vehicle, which is when the woman cut her lip, according to the Statesman.

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"Although the woman was uncooperative and resisted the officers' efforts," interim Police Chief Brian Manely told the TV station, they failed to "initially follow policy, directly resulted in the unnecessary need to use the force that they administered."

Mathis was fired Friday and can appeal the ruling.

Officials with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, which licenses peace officers in Texas, were not available Friday.

Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan.