The police accountability group in Houston had been calling for Police Chief Troy Finner’s resignation after discovering that numerous cases, including serious offenses like sexual assault, were dropped due to a lack of personnel. Finner announced his retirement, effective immediately, a move that surprised even his critics. While some are relieved by his departure, community activists stress the need for continued accountability regarding the dropped cases, urging for support for survivors and preventing such incidents in the future.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire stated that Finner’s retirement was influenced by the scandal engulfing the department, which had become a significant distraction. He cited the impact on operation at HPD as a key reason for accepting Finner’s decision to retire after a long career. This situation led to the demotion of two assistant chiefs and the resignation of a third, as part of an internal investigation launched by Finner. The sudden departure of Finner as police chief has left concerns unresolved, with many calling for further accountability efforts to address the dropped cases.
Finner had initially been promoted to police chief in 2021, but the dropped cases dated back to 2016 with the use of the “suspended: lack of personnel” (SL) code to dismiss incident reports. Despite Finner’s directive to stop using the code in November 2021, it was still applied to sexual assault cases as recently as February 2023. An internal review revealed that around 264,000 incident reports were suspended in the past eight years due to staffing issues, with approximately 4,000 related to adult sex crimes. The department has been investigating these reports to ensure proper handling and pursuing charges against suspects where necessary.
The revelation that Finner was aware of the “SL” code in a 2018 email chain contradicted his previous claims of learning about it in 2021. While Finner maintained that he did not intend to mislead anyone and was unaware of the code’s internal use at the time, this disclosure was considered the “final straw” leading to his retirement. The ongoing scrutiny highlights the need for transparency and thorough investigation to restore public trust in the Houston Police Department, particularly in cases involving violent crimes and public safety threats.
Addressing staffing challenges remains a core issue within the Houston Police Department, which has seen a decrease in officers despite a growing population in the city. The need for more officers to patrol streets and conduct investigations is crucial for effective law enforcement, but recruiting and retaining personnel in a profession under increasing scrutiny poses challenges. Efforts to rebuild department morale and public trust, along with transparency in handling federal grant money for hiring officers, are emphasized by community activists like Hai Bui. Ensuring clarity on spending and recruitment from such grants is essential for accountability and public safety.
The fallout from the controversy surrounding dropped cases underlines the responsibility to deliver justice to victims and survivors of crimes while preventing similar incidents in the future. Advocates like Sonia Corrales from the Houston Area Women’s Center stress the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to support survivors and ensure no one is left unaware of the status of their case. The involvement of community activists, ongoing transparency efforts, and continued accountability measures are crucial in addressing the aftermath of the scandal and rebuilding trust in the Houston Police Department.
