The city of Houston has a new interim police chief after the former police chief abruptly announced his resignation earlier this week amid a scandal related to the suspension of an unusually large number of criminal investigations.
In February, then-Secretary Troy Finner acknowledged that the department had abused an internal policy of “understaffing” to hold cases back. As previously reported by Blaze News, the code has been used approximately 264,000 times since 2016.
“This is unacceptable. Please investigate and follow up.”
Finner claimed that he first learned of the apparent misuse of the code in November 2021, approximately eight months after the code was exploited. appointed chiefHe immediately ordered the station to suspend its use. This order must have been largely ignored, as cases continued to be put on hold due to “lack of staffing,” resulting in approximately 4,000 adult sexual assault reports never being investigated.
The scandal in the pending case has been plaguing Mr. Finner since February, and things reached a climax on Tuesday. Kou He disclosed that he was involved in an email conversation that mentioned the code in July 2018, more than three years before Mr. Finner claimed to have heard about it.
In an email dated July 20, 2018, then-Chief of Staff George Mixon said that even though the report included “a complete description of the license plate and suspect,” A police officer wrote that he used this code in a hit-and-run incident. Mr. Finner, then executive assistant chief, responded: ”[Vehicular Crimes Division Commander Kevin Deese], this is unacceptable. Please investigate and follow up. ”
When asked about the email on Tuesday, Finner claimed he had no recollection of it. “Do you think anyone can remember the entire contents of every email that is sent to them? That’s completely, completely irrational,” he said.
Finner also said the email did not damage his reputation or affect his status as chief. “If you try to connect that to, like, I’m not being true or anything like that, it’s not going to work,” he said.
Around 7 p.m., the department’s X account shared its official account. statement A comment from Mr. Finner said, “While this 2018 email included the phrase ‘temporary staffing shortage,’ its existence as a norm and how it is applied within the department is unclear. There was nothing to warn me about it.”
But Houston Mayor John Whitmire called for an independent commission to investigate the matter, suggesting Mr. Finner’s job would likely be in jeopardy.
At approximately 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Whitmire announced that Finner had decided to retire effective immediately. Whitmire then appointed Chief of Staff Larry Satterwhite as acting police chief.
“This decision places full confidence in Acting Chief Satterwhite’s ability to lead our department and maintain high standards,” the mayor’s statement said.
Whitmire addressed the personnel changes during Wednesday morning’s City Council meeting. “I would like to thank Secretary Finner for his many years of public service,” he said.
“There will be more details to say about how this incident occurred, which will likely be released to the press. But providing public safety for all Houstonians is It’s my responsibility, and the decision has been made.”
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