A former Marine who once served alongside a Houston police officer helped set off the chain of events that cost the officer her job, after flagging videos that showed the officer using racial slurs, according to civil-service records. That referral spurred an Internal Affairs investigation that led Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. to suspend Officer Ashley Gonzalez in April and later remove her from the force. Gonzalez has appealed and is seeking reinstatement, back pay and benefits while the civil-service process plays out.
Platoon mate alerted HPD
Civil-service records obtained by Click2Houston show that a Chicago police officer identified as M. Bazan, who served with Gonzalez in the U.S. Marine Corps, contacted HPD’s Community Engagement Unit after seeing videos Gonzalez posted to an Instagram story. Bazan told investigators she and other former platoon members were offended and believed Gonzalez was “sharing her hate for people.”
Investigators recovered three videos and photographs from Gonzalez’s Instagram account, the documents state. Gonzalez acknowledged the account, admitted posting the clips and confirmed the materials were hers. A hearing in her case that was originally set for June 5 has since been postponed, according to the records.
Department says videos broke policy
In a formal suspension letter, HPD concluded that Gonzalez violated department rules on professionalism, conduct, discrimination, social media use and Brady/Michael Morton disclosures. “These videos have been widely disseminated on several social media platforms,” Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. wrote in the letter, which alleges Gonzalez used repeated racial slurs and said she would arrest someone because of their race.
Those remarks, the department wrote, damaged public trust and raised serious concerns about Gonzalez’s ability to police impartially, according to Click2Houston.
Appeal and hearing timeline
Gonzalez appealed her discipline three days after she was suspended, seeking to return to duty with full back pay and benefits. Her attorney, Scott Siscoe, filed a notice of appeal and told the Houston Chronicle he expected the case to be set for a hearing in October. City officials say the civil-service schedule remains fluid and could shift as the appeal moves forward.
Training and service record
Records show Gonzalez completed more than 1,600 hours of coursework with the Houston Police Academy and other law-enforcement programs before being sworn in as an HPD officer in 2024. The U.S. Marine Corps confirmed she served from 2019 to 2023 and attained the rank of corporal, according to Police1.
Legal implications
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has its Conviction Integrity Unit reviewing every case that involved Gonzalez to determine whether her conduct could affect prosecutions or trigger disclosure obligations to defense attorneys, the office told ABC13. Prosecutors say they are conducting a thorough, analytical review and will notify defense lawyers if they uncover information relevant to any past or pending cases.
Community reaction and what's next
Mayor John Whitmire publicly blasted the reported comments as “outrageous and reprehensible,” and the Houston NAACP said the footage raised “deeper concerns about public safety and trust,” according to reporting by Fox26. The Houston Police Officers’ Union also condemned the videos, while HPD says it will stick to the civil-service process as the appeal and related reviews continue.
Gonzalez’s case will ultimately be decided by an independent hearing examiner. At the same time, the outcome of the prosecutor’s review and the civil-service calendar will shape when the public next hears official word on her future with the department and on any impact to prior criminal cases.
