Citizens and non-citizens of Keller, Texas are calling for the Keller Police Department to fire/remove Sgt. Blake Shimanek from public service.

On August 15th, 2020, Sgt. Shimanek pulled over and handcuffed 22 year-old Dillon Puente for “making a wide right turn.” Subsequent body-cam footage shows Shimanek tackle, pepper-spray and arrest Dillon’s father, Marco Puente. Marco witnessed his son’s arrest from his own vehicle, as the two were traveling to a relative’s house. The video, which has since gone viral, shows the father recording his son’s unconstitutional arrest, before being arrested himself.

Following the incident, Sgt. Shimanek was not fired. Instead, Shimanek was merely demoted. To make matters worse, this is not the first time Shimanek has been under investigation. Journalist Alex Rozier of WFAA 8 recently wrote,

“In 2016, an Internal Affairs review found that he entered a home without a search warrant and without approval from the homeowner. 

In 2018, Shimanek's discipline file shows that he was reprimanded after he made a comment in reference to "women not carrying guns because they would not be able to protect the children during a school shooting."   

Now, in this 2020 incident, another Internal Affairs review has found misconduct. This time, it is has led to Shimanek's demotion from his rank as a sergeant to officer.”

The Keller Police Department, who is currently being sued by the Puente family, has thus far failed to enact meaningful change and right their own wrongs. Instead, they have done the bare minimum and slapped a few wrists. 

Many people will call this incident an example of ‘bad apples.’ However, as the complete saying goes, ‘a few bad apples spoils the entire barrel.’