The Austin Police Department released a transcript of some controversial instant messages concerning a fire at Midtown Live last month in Northeast Austin.

"Burn baby, Burn."

"I got some extra gasoline if they need it."

"U can smell Midtown from 35. It's the smell of victory."

	Police calls to nightclubs
The following public record information was provided by the Austin Police Department for dates ranging from May 19, 2004 to Feb. 24, 2005. Name of club, address, total calls, reports written 1., Club Central, 2237 E. Riverside Dr., 164, 80 2., Paradox, 311 E. Fifth St., 156, 44 3., Extreme, 2538 Belmont Dr., 138, 49 4., Club Latino, 1907 E. Riverside, 139, 56 5., Midtown, 7408 Cameron Rd., 129, 50 6., Club Kaos, 2003 E. Riverside Dr., 98, 44 7., Dallas, 7115 Burnet Rd., 81, 24 8., Midnight Rodeo, 2201 E. Ben White Blvd., 59, 28 9., Anderson Mill Tavern, 10401 Anderson Mill Rd., 54, 12 10., Spiro’s, 611 Red River St., 45, 28 11., About Time Bar, 9601 N. Interstate 35 Northbound Service Road, 34, 16 See a breakdown of 911 calls from the same time period in the box below the transcript.

These comments from Austin Police Department officers and staff shocked the community.

"My daughter was there and she was afraid for her life because it was such a tragic thing to go through," concerned citizen Deanna Mobley said.

"People lost jobs. Some people, that was their only job. Two weeks later, bills had to be paid for some people. Some people may not have rent," former Midtown employee Dominique Guidry, said.

Guidry was there when the fire broke out and when the APD messaging began.

"People need to grow up, they're not in high school anymore. You just have to grow up at some point," he said.

Six officers and four communication personnel were disciplined for the comments. Their punishment ranges from 15 days without pay to a written reprimand.

"Fifteen days is like a vacation. A lot of people get two-week, three-week vacations. What about the people who lost their jobs?" concerned citizen Sherman Collins said.

		WATCH THE VIDEO
	Internal investigation Six officers and four communications personnel face consequences for inappropriate internal messages.

"They all realize their remarks were wrong and insensitive. They did not offer or try to give excuses for their actions," Austin Police Chief Stan Knee said.

The city of Austin released a statement through the Police Monitor saying it's pleased by Knee's quick response to the incident.

The statement also said the suspensions and written reprimands are the first steps for repairing the breach created by the six officers' actions.

	History of the phrase
Read a 24-page essay by Jonathan J. Bean on the etymology of the phrase “Burn, Baby, Burn.”

But some feel the messages make community relations with African Americans even more tense.

"What's been said and done just shows the community how the APD feels about the black community," Mobley said.

Knee said the comments don't reflect the department's feelings.

"This department cannot and will not tolerate such action," he said.

The patrol officers must also attend sensitivity training before returning to work.

Transcript of text messages
The following public record was provided by the Austin Police Department. The grammar, spelling and punctuation errors appear as they were typed by the officers or dispatchers.

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to E404: Burn baby, burn

E404 Martinez, Josue, AP3640 to E408: Hey…LOL…Those were my exact thoughts….

E404 Martinez, Josue, AP3640 to E408: Less call load…

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to E103: Burn baby, burn

E404 Martinez, Josue, AP3640 to E403: Yesss…

E403 Espinoza, Christina, APAP5200 to E408: Can I be 76 to Midowbn if Im waiting on SS? I’ve been waiting an hour?

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to E403: Yup

MC39 Rhoden, Alvin, AP4064 to IDA: Can U advise AFD Engine 30 that their left headlight is out…just saw them Code3 76 to a call from the Braker Ln station…

Cannon, Sara, AP5077 to MC39: Yes I will send them a message…Midtown is on fire

5502 Mabe, Richard, AP3354 to 5509 What’s up…U C that fire in Edwd?

Mojica, Tammera, AP5029 to E406: I guess everyone for a going out party
Negron, Susan to E706: Midtown on fire .. Yeeeeeeeeeeah

E701 White, William, AP4822 to E408: Is Midtown burning?

I504: Sanders, Matthew, AP4679 to 1704: Look up E404’s cal. Midtown is on fire.

E406 Duprey, Shane AP4519 to E408: How many people ya;ll need?

Negron, Susan to E706: I hate that place they hire from there .. They cant read or write its and I thought that kind of thing only went on hin third world countries

Mojica, Tammera, AP5029 to E406: 4R they said … Berkman/Regan Hill Blk NB Berkman from Reagan Hill is what they asked

E406 Duprey, Shane AP4519 to Mojica: How many units on this?/

Mojica, Tammera, AP5029 to E406: 13

Greenwalt, Amanda, AP5212, Greenwalt to APD 56: What up with the media comment @ 19:57:04?

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to E701: Oh yes! Burn baby burn

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to 5518: Ohhhhh Midtown is burning

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to 5518: Yup …as far as I can see…we’re all out here blocking off stuff

E706 Babyak, Brian, AP 2555 to E702: My thought exactly

E701 White, William, AP4822 to E408: My nite is made. I just had a lady ask me if it was burning. I said yep. She was upset. I was enthralled.

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to 5518: Ok … I M Y and I L Y and can’t wait till 42 ;)

E706 Babyak, Brian, AP2555 to E702: 480 needs a scene management course.

E702 Hitzelberg, John, AP3759 to E706: Needs a hole in the head

E406 Duprey, Shane AP4519 to E408: Its got to be better than this

E702 Hitzelberg, John, AP3759 to E703: Are there hoses in the way

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to E406: Wish I were supervisor

E406 Duprey, Shane AP4519 to E408: I don’t know why im blocking North Berkman if Sid has Coronado closed off?

E703 Krippner, Steven, AP5115 to E702: Neg knowledge on that … I figure U can maneuver in there somewhere from NB to SB since that’s what was causing 408 all his grief till I blocked it off, 10-12

E406 Duprey, Shane AP4519 to E408: 13 units

E701 White, William, AP4822 to E706: John confirms Midtown is burning…There is a God.

E702 Hitzelberg, John, AP3759 to E706: Bunch of knuckle heads out of here

Williams, Kathy, AP2668 to G404: That’s OK…Did you hear about Midtown burning down?

E406 Duprey, Shane AP4519 to E408: North N South blocked Cameron?

E406 Duprey, Shane AP4519 to E408: Why is the whole road closed 4 lanes? I was thinking use North Cameron lanes for north and south

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to E406: There are like 8 engines out here with hoses crossing all 4 lanes

E406 Duprey, Shane AP4519 to E408: Oh my that’s a cluster

E408 Lengefeld, John, AP3640 to E406: Like I said…If I were a sgt things would be different/corrected

E701 White, William, AP4822 to E706: U can smell Midtown from 35. It’s the smell of victory

E703 Krippner, Steven, AP5115 to E705: Man, didn’t know what I was getting into till now… Midtown got it and looks like arson investigation and all… What a loss…… Ha!

5515 to 5521: Fun stuff, they always shootin or stabbin eac other in this little area…..Larosa got sucked into a guy W a knife call last night in Henry

E703 Krippner, Steven, AP5115 to E705: Man I forgot my cell phone in my car:( But I’m getting no unending amt of joy listening to 701 work his rear off … Sorry it’s getting U too and every one else. At least Midtown is no longer an issue and 600S should be out soon.

E701 White, William, AP4822 to E408: Well I didn’t mean the other businesses of course. Just Midtown...They can all go U know where Ha Ha Ha

E703 Krippner, Steven, AP5115 to E703: Man what a nitemare … But Midtown is no longer a prob…. Doin traf detail at SB Cam/Anderson…

E703 Krippner, Steven, AP5115 to E603: Man what a nitemare…. But Midtown is no longer a prob…. Doin traf detail at SB Cam/Anderson…

C410 King, Christopher, AP4695 to C406: Well since U had to go save the Midtown, We have til 1100 to think about it

	Police calls to the Midtown nightclub
The following public record information was provided by the Austin Police Department for dates ranging from May 19, 2004 to Feb. 24, 2005. Disturbance: violent, 19 Disturbance: other, 10 Alarm: burglary, 8 Directed patrol, 7 Collision, 6 Assault: with injury, 5 Assist complaintent, 5 Traffic stop, 5 Noise, 5 Aggravated assault, 3 Criminal trespass, 3 Discharge of gun or shots fired, 3 Disturbance: verbal: 3 Family disturbance, 3 Follow up investigation, 3 On-site incident, 3 Public intoxication, 3 Transfer to EMS, 3 Assist EMS: non-emergency, 2 Checking area, 2 Disturbance: with a gun, 2 Evading arrest, 2 Misdial, 2 Suspicious vehicle, 2 Transfer: information call, 2 Alarm, 1 Assault, 1 Assault: by contact, 1 Assist AFD: non-emergency, 1 Auto theft, 1 Child in need of supervision, 1 Fighting, 1 Flagged down, 1 Hangup: payhone, 1 Hangup: business, 1 Person down, 1 Possession of marijuana, 1 Possession of a controlled substance, 1 Request to apprehend, 1 Robbery, 1 Special assignment, 1 Stabbing, 1 Structure fire, 1 Subject stop, 1 Suspicious: threat, 1 Theft from person, 1 Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, 1 Unknown suspicious activity, 1

	Related Stories
2/22/05 APD's new sensitivity training to help community relations 2/21/05 Patrol car message leads to APD internal investigation 2/19/05 Nightclub destroyed by fire