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4917 cases of alleged sexual assault
A recent HPD audit revealed 4917 cases of alleged sexual assault suspended due to lack of manpower. Houston Police Chief Roy Finner apologized this week, calling this "dereliction" of a fundamental duty "unacceptable" - Finner has assigned 32 investigators to re-examine each and every dormant case.
HOUSTON - Calling it a "dark day" for the department he leads, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner revealed at least 4017 sexual assault cases have been "suspended" over the past eight years for lack of man-power - a colossal number of alleged rapes that were administratively dispatched to investigative purgatory - leaving survivors without justice and perpetrators without accountability.
Calling this dereliction of a fundamental duty "unacceptable" - Finner has assigned 32 investigators to re-examine each and every dormant case.
Fully briefed on the biggest HPD scandal since the deadly Harding Street raid - Mayor John Whitmire offered this reaction, " We will hold people accountable, and the main thing is it won't happen going forward. We are going to emphasize public safety and that means investigating every case. "
I think it's worth noting the eight years of dereliction on sexual assault cases mirror exactly former mayor Sylvester Turner's term of office.
Finner says he first became aware of the "case suspensions due to lack of manpower" back in 2021 and ordered the practice stopped....and yet... It continued.