HOUSTON — In a letter to its members, the Houston Police Officers' Union rebuked Chief Art Acevedo’s criticisms of senators and the National Rifle Association.
Acevedo on Monday blasted multiple senators by name for “not getting into a room and having a conference committee with the House and getting the Violence Against Women’s Act (VAWA)" passed, adding "the NRA doesn’t like the fact that we want to take firearms out of the hands of boyfriends who abuse their girlfriends.”
The comments came after the weekend murder of Sgt. Chris Brewster, who was killed while responding to a domestic violence call.
On Monday afternoon, HPOU leaders sent a message to its members criticizing the chief, not just for the political statement but also the timing of the message.
“The fact that Chief Acevedo chose that moment to make a political statement on guns, is nothing short of offensive and inappropriate,” stated the HPOU Executive Board in a letter obtained by KHOU 11. “There is a time and place for every discussion and this was neither the time nor the place.”
Acevedo made the comments as Sgt. Brewster’s remains were being transported to a funeral home. In the same media appearance, the chief also thanked the community for their support.
Here’s the full letter from HPOU:
Dec 9, 2019, 02:14 PM
Members,
By now you have heard Chief Art Acevedo engage in a 5-minute rant on gun control outside the funeral home where fallen Sgt Chris Brewster was taken. The fact that Chief Acevedo chose that moment to make a political statement on guns, is nothing short of offensive and inappropriate. There is a time and place for every discussion and this was neither the time nor the place.
We are all grieving for Chris and the focus should be on him and his family and not on the Chief's agenda. If the Chief would like to make political statements there are plenty of opportunities to run for office, but in running the 5th largest department in the country, instead of his misplaced activism.
By the way, if the Chief wants to have a discussion on guns and crime, maybe he should share the facts that we have provided him that over 1600 people are on deferred for Agg Assault, 1100 people on deferred for Robbery/Agg Robbery and over 300 people on deferred for Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
It is very clear to anyone watching, the Chief owes the entire Houston Police Department an apology for hijacking this somber moment. Chief Acevedo needs to understand, this is about Sgt Chris Brewster and his family...not him! This letter is only going out to the membership of the HPOU, we are not interested in taking anymore attention away from Sgt Brewsterand his family, as the Chief already has. — HPOU Executive Board”