
VIDEO: Austin Police Detective Suspended Over Facebook Comments
The Austin (TX) Police Department suspended a detective they say posted inappropriate comments on his alias Facebook page about the fatal shooting of a naked unarmed teen.

On or about March 21, the Austin (TX) Police Department says Detective Jason Chiappardi posted inappropriate comments on his alias Facebook page about the fatal shooting of naked unarmed teen David Joseph.
The comment reads: "My family and friends are glad to hear that the high school dropout drug using, neighborhood terrorizing, naked guy will never scare anybody else again." He posted this shortly after Chief Art Acevedo indefinitely suspended Officer Geoffrey Freeman, reports KTBC.
"He and Officer Freeman were friends and I think that he made his comments out of frustration and emotion at that time," said Asst. Chief Brian Manley.
Chiappardi also posted, "It's too (expletive) bad that the boss has no support for his officers. I hope he leaves soon," in reference to Chief Art Acevedo.
"These comments don't reflect the values of this department," said Manley.
In a hearing last week the department punished Chiappardi, a 17-year department veteran, with a three-day suspension without pay starting August 22nd. The Austin Police Association says Chiappardi may appeal.
"We look forward to doing the arbitration. Not because there wasn't an issue with what he said but we're interested in what an arbitrator would say about what First Amendment rights do officers have and not have," said Ken Casaday, president of Austin Police Association.
Chiappardi has since apologized to his boss and the rest of the department. He is scheduled to return to duty with the robbery unit on Aug 25.

The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.
Read More →
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →
Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.
Read More →
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →
Versaterm has acquired Aloft, an FAA-approved Unmanned Service Supplier (USS) that specializes in real-time airspace intelligence and flight authorizations.
Read More →