Texas City Police, Officials Face Harassment Lawsuit

Nine people have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city of Bovina, accusing a former police chief and other city officials of a pattern of harassment and extortion.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Amarillo last Friday alleges police officers and officials unlawfully arrested the residents in 2010 and 2011 to generate revenue for the city, located about 80 miles southwest of Amarillo.

The lawsuit says one man was arrested and paid a $324 fine because a number was not painted on the curb in front of his home even though he didn’t own the property.

The Amarillo Globe-News reported that that no one at Bovina City Hall was available to comment Friday. An attorney for the residents declined to comment on the case.