HOUSTON — On Monday, Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner met with the investigators who are reviewing the roughly 264,000 incident reports that were suspended due to the department's "lack of personnel" code.
More than 100 police officers were packed inside a police gym on Riesner Street, reading through reports, while leaders with the Houston Area Women's Center urged sexual assault survivors to report their experience to police or HAWC staff.
“It is not your fault, and help is available,” said Sonia Corrales, deputy CEO of HAWC.
Mayor Whitmire said he wants answers, accountability, and more resources.
“Some dumb individual said, ‘Well, we can’t get to them, so let’s just say we don’t have the staff,’” said Mayor Whitmire. “Wrong! You sound the alarm, like we are today.”
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Chief Troy Finner said out of the 4,017 reported sexual assaults, more than 3,100 have been reviewed so far, resulting in 752 home visits. However, when asked by reporters, Chief Finner again refused to say who created the code.
“I’m not gonna drip, drip information,” said Chief Finner. “It doesn’t help anyone. Let that investigation go, and I promise transparency.”
On March 7, Governor Greg Abbott weighed in on social media.
On X, the governor wrote, “The state must impose consequences for this neglect & provide solutions to prevent acts like this that allow criminals to go free.”
On Monday, Mayor Whitmire responded.
“This is not easy work, Governor, and it’s way too important to politicize,” said the mayor.
Mayor Whitmire will appoint an independent panel to review HPD’s handling of the suspended cases. A spokesperson told KHOU on Monday that the mayor will reveal its members this week.