Off-camera, HPD Chief Troy Finner labeled the Houston Police Officers Union as a “sideshow.” The union is pushing back.
Finner took his shot during a briefing about the ongoing suspended case scandal. Cameras were not allowed to record. However, reporters were allowed to take notes.
In an online op-ed, Union President Douglas Griffith wrote:
“We see Assistant Chiefs demoted without a fair and impartial investigation. We have a Chief who admitted that he knew about cases being cleared in 2021 without being investigated. What actions did he take to make sure it did not continue? He told an EAC to fix it, but did he call for an investigation? Did he form a special unit to go back and look at old unworked cases? Did he follow up with his EAC’s and confirm that it was fixed? Did he make sure general orders and standard operating procedures were corrected? Real integrity is admitting when you have made a mistake. Many of our officers do this but are not given any grace for having the integrity to admit when they are wrong. They are instead given discipline, and usually heavy-handed discipline. Our Commander in Chief has failed to accept any responsibility for making a mistake. Where is the integrity that is supposed to start at the top? Will this current internal investigation find any fault with the Chief?“
Griffith also talked about the transparency Finner promised in this investigation.
“I have heard several times in press conferences from the department, that we will be totally transparent. HONESTY is TRANSPARENCY! There is no way that our department can research and supplement two hundred and sixty thousand cases. We need to be honest with the public and explain it. I believe that most will understand and respect the transparency from our administration. When it comes to the rank structure, that is a different story. Currently the investigation into the SL clearance code has focused on Commanders and the two demoted Assistant Chiefs. Why would Internal Affairs be asking questions of Commanders and not Assistant Chiefs? Why are Commanders the ones who have been neutered the last few years? Commanders cannot determine the days off for specialized units., They cannot approve anyone going to a method B position without approval of an Assistant Chief. They cannot recommend discipline without approval of an Assistant Chief. It is hard to understand or respect a rank when you have never held that rank.
The working officers of this department deserve to be respected as they go out and do MORE with LESS every day. This is why, I will continue to call out those decisions that are made at the top affecting the morale of the officers in this department.”
In the latest development in the investigation, our TV partner Channel Two reported that a high-ranking civilian employee working out of Finner’s office is now a part of the Internal Affairs investigation.
Jim Jones is the highest-ranked person involved in the investigation.