Houston police union urges impartiality in Chief Finner's investigation
The Houston Police Officers' Union (HPOU) has demanded an impartial investigation into the practices of the Houston Police Department's Internal Affairs Division, regarding the SL Code. This call comes amidst concerns over conflicts of interest within HPD leadership, particularly Chief Finner, and the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
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A letter from Aaron J. Suder, General Counsel of the HPOU, outlined the union's position, emphasizing the need to transfer the administrative investigation to an independent authority such as the Office of Inspector General.
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The letter asserts that Chief Finner's involvement in supervising the IAD investigation while simultaneously being a key witness compromises the process' fairness and integrity.
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The crux of the matter lies in the alleged widespread use of the SL code to not pursue incident reports within HPD's investigative divisions dating back to 2016. The union highlights discrepancies between Chief Finner's public statements regarding discontinuing this practice and the actual events as evidenced by testimony from their clients.
Critical questions regarding Chief Finner and his Senior Executive Command Staff's knowledge and actions concerning the SL code usage and suspension of cases are central to the investigation. The union demands clarity on whether Chief Finner ordered the discontinuation of the SL code in late 2021 or merely directed its relabeling, thereby concealing the underlying issue of manpower shortages.
In his statement, Suder clarifies that the union is not impugning Finner's character, but is seeking to ensure a fair and impartial investigation without scapegoating lower-level personnel.