The Houston Police Department is under scrutiny after a heap of incident reports, nearly 10% dating back as far as 2016, was found to be suspended because of lack of personnel. This has kicked up a duststorm over the actual crime rate in the city, with Mayor John Whitmire asserting that crime is much worse than reported. However, a Houston Chronicle analysis suggests that the suspended reports might not significantly skew the city’s crime stats as over 70% of them had been accounted for in the department’s numbers.
Chief Troy Finner has delayed discussions on department clearance rates until a clear picture emerges. Amid the unfolding scandal, Mayor Whitmire appointed an independent panel to probe the so-called "terrible mistake." This panel's credibility, however, is being questioned by Attorney Randall Kallinen and community activists, as reported by Houston Chronicle. Critics contend the panel members, who include a former council member and a city attorney, are too close to the HPD, while Houston Police Officers' Union President Doug Griffith calls for an outside investigation.
The independent review committee commenced its work unraveling the extent to which policies and practices contributed to the suspension of potentially thousands of incident reports. Among the incidents omitted from the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) logs were a wealth of reports tagged as Failures to Stop and Give Information and a surprising number of cases earmarked as investigations, including some for serious crimes like homicide and rape.
A sizable chunk, roughly 39%, of the suspended cases omitted were cases dog-eared as investigations that did not result in criminal charges. "It’s kind of funny, we kind of become the catch-all division for patrol officers,” Christopher Hassig, commander of the department’s homicide division, told the Houston Chronicle. "The joke is, when in doubt, label something ‘Investigation – Homicide.’"
As the committee marches forward with its expeditions, Houstonians await clear answers and reforms. Whitmire has directed the panel to carry out a comprehensive review without a strict timeline. "I have confidence in each and every one of them," he said, signaling his trust in the group's judgment to conclude the investigation at their discretion.
