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HPOU calling on city's crime lab leader to resign
FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace has more on the announcement made by the HPOU.
HOUSTON - "I am calling for the resignation and or termination of Dr. Peter Stout from the Forensic Science Center," said Doug Griffith President of the Houston Police Officers Union.
According to the Union, some criminals are seeing their cases dismissed because the Forensic Center is taking too long to test evidence.
"It's either gross mismanagement or incompetence," Griffith said. "This is allowing violent offenders to go free every day in this city," said Griffith. "I've got a real problem with that."
The Union points to 38 cases dismissed involving large amounts of marijuana confiscated at Hobby Airport.
"We've got people who pled guilty to narcotics, but yet their narcotics haven't been tested," Griffith said. "That's a problem."
The Union says according to the forensic center's own website, on average it takes 306 days to test a rape kit.
"There could be rapists out there still committing these crimes day after day," said Griffith. "306 days is way too long to wait for that kind of information,"
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The forensic center website states it takes 215 days to have a weapon tested.
"And it says right now, if we received a gun today used in a crime and wanted a priority test, it would be February to March 2025. That's a year and nine months to test a weapon used in a homicide."
In a statement to FOX 26, HFSC Board Chair Dr. Stacey Mitchell said, "HFSC was recently informed of statements by members of the Houston Police Officers' Union calling for the resignation of HFSC's President and CEO, Dr. Peter Stout.
We understand the concerns raised this afternoon and will continue working to provide reliable and timely forensic services to the City of Houston. In response to ongoing challenges in staff turnover and increasing requests for services, HFSC has outsourced casework (where available), made process improvements, and solicited input from stakeholders to effectively prioritize our work.
Under Dr. Stout's leadership, we have always worked closely with our stakeholders to address issues of this nature, and we welcome the opportunity to sit down with HPOU to discuss their concerns."