The Houston Police Department (HPD) is grappling with a significant backlog of cases, with 10% of all incidents filed in the last eight years being suspended due to staffing shortages. The disclosure was made by Houston Police Chief Troy Finner on Monday, revealing a department-wide total of roughly 264,000 suspended incident reports since 2016. This figure includes around 100,000 property crimes, while the rest are crimes against persons such as robbery and assault, as reported by KHOU.
Amid the concerns over this systemic lapse, Art Acevedo, who served as HPD's chief from November 2016 through April 2021, has remained silent, not wishing to speak publicly about the findings. Tackling the issue head-on, Chief Finner highlighted that 4,017 adult sexual assault cases were among those suspended due to the lack of personnel. Chief Finner, who claimed to have instructed HPD's Special Victims' Division to stop using the "lack of personnel" code in November 2021, found that the practice persisted into the current year, as reported by KTRK.
With the aim of restoring trust and ensuring justice for victims, Chief Finner has announced the reallocation of manpower, hoping to reinvigorate the investigation of these suspended reports, particularly those involving crimes against persons. This comes after Houston Mayor John Whitmire expressed serious concern over the backlog, instructing Chief Finner to prioritize transparency and a swift review. Mayor Whitmire's convictions surrounding public safety being his highest priority were echoed in a statement he made on Monday night, which was provided to KHOU.
Victims and advocates alike are troubled by the suspended cases, with Andy Kahan of Crime Stoppers Houston expressing he is at a loss for words after the reveal. "It's disturbing on all facets and it hits home for us particularly in victims community or advocacy," Kahan saidz. He raises pertinent questions about the status of victims whose cases have been affected by this coding practice and potential statute of limitations on particular property crimes. Those Houstonians who suspect their case was insufficiently handled are urged to contact the Houston Police Department. A news conference is expected in the coming days, where Chief Finner will provide further details on this unsettling discovery, as he told KHOU.
