More than 100 residents concerned about Houston’s growing crime problem attend town hall meeting

HOUSTON - "For the first half of this year, the west side has experienced 31 murders," said HPD Westside Commander David Angelo. "That’s compared to 17 this time last year, that’s an 82% increase in Westside murders."

While crime goes up, so does the number of criminal cases that need to be adjudicated.

"When you have 100,000 cases backed up, 55,000 felony cases, 1,500 murder cases, almost 500 capital murder cases, we have to do something," said Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner.

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Finner says criminal district court judges need to start having court at night and on the weekends.

"Violent criminals, the ones who are in this area and all over our city victimizing our people, killing and shooting them, need to go to jail."

"We’re not holding people accountable for their actions and it starts with the courts," said Houston Police Union President Doug Griffith.

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Griffith told the crowd Thursday night to remember all those judges who repeatedly release violent offenders when it’s time to vote.

"I’m sick and tired of listening to Commissioners Court going on and on saying we can’t do anything about the courts. B.S., that’s their job."

The chief also talked about more than a dozen gang members being arrested that were targeting residents in affluent neighborhoods. He also spoke about a big undercover operation aimed at road rage.