HOUSTON — As of 10:31 p.m., Tuesday, HPD Chief Troy Finner submitted his retirement and his temporary replacement was announced.
KHOU 11 News obtained a copy of the email in which Houston Mayor John Whitmire addressed Finner's retirement.
“Good evening, I have accepted the retirement of Troy Finner as Chief of Police, and have appointed Larry Satterwhite Acting Chief of Police effective 10:31 p.m. tonight [May 8].
"The decision comes with full confidence in Acting Chief Satterwhite’s abilities to lead and uphold the high standards of our department.
"I ask everyone to extend their full cooperation and support to Acting Chief Satterwhite during this transitional period.
"Thank you for what you do on behalf of Houstonians every day. Thank you for standing the watch.
"Be safe,
"Mayor Whitmire”
The announcement came 12 hours after the KHOU 11 Investigates team obtained another email showing Finner knew about cases being suspended, using a "lack of personnel" code in 2018.
Finner repeatedly claimed he first learned about the code in 2021.
“There is untruthfulness and there's intent, OK. Did anybody, was trying to perceive or miss, you know, misrepresent anything? No. It's something that I didn't know about and I definitely didn't remember that," Finner said in a news conference announcing his retirement.
KHOU 11 anchor Len Cannon spoke to Finner on Wednesday morning. Finner told him he was not ready to comment.
Timeline:
Finner’s retirement ends the former chief’s 34-year career with the Houston Police Department.
- 1990: Finner joined the Houston Police Department working as a patrol officer for 12 years.
- 2002: Finner was promoted to sergeant and spent five years in the role.
- 2007: Finner was promoted to lieutenant.
- 2014: Finner becomes assistant chief.
- When former Chief Art Acevedo arrived at HPD, Finner was selected as one of the chief's two top subordinates.
- 2021: Finner took the title of police chief when former Mayor Sylvester Turner appointed him.
At Wednesday's Houston City Council meeting, Whitmire said he intends to discuss how the retirement took place during a press briefing at a later time.
"I want to thank Chief Finner for his many years of public service," the mayor said at the meeting. "It's my responsibility to provide public safety for all Houstonians and the decision was made."
Background of 'lack of personnel' code
- May 7: KHOU 11 Investigates: HPD email shows Chief Finner knew about suspended cases code earlier than he claimed
- April 30: 45 suspects charged in HPD's review of suspended incident reports due to 'lack of personnel' code, Finner says
- April 18: ‘We remain laser-focused’ | HPD says all 4,000+ suspended adult sex crime reports have been reviewed
- April 11: KHOU 11 Investigates: 30 charges filed in HPD suspended cases
- April 8: HPD had named suspects in dozens of sex crime cases that were shelved
- April 2: Some charges filed as HPD continues to review cases suspended under department's 'lack of personnel' code, Finner says
- March 20: Independent review committee begins reviewing HPD's handling of suspended cases
- March 19: Police union calls for Houston Police Chief Troy Finner’s recusal in suspended case probe
- March 8: How does the statute of limitations impact HPD's suspended cases due to 'lack of personnel' code?
- March 7: Assaults top list of HPD cases suspended for lack of personnel
- March 7: Houston mayor calls for outside review into HPD after thousands of cases were suspended
- March 1: 2 HPD assistant chiefs demoted after hundreds of thousands of reported crimes were suspended, police officers' union says
- February 28: 'Things need to change' | Sexual assault survivors want voices to be heard
- February 28: 'I don't want to leave any victim behind' | HPD chief vows to clean up system that allowed 264,000 reported crimes to be suspended
- February 22: 'We owe them an apology' | HPD to thoroughly investigate 'suspended' sexual assault cases
- February 19: Mayor Whitmire weighs in on sexual assault cases that were suspended by Houston Police Department
- February 16: 'Should have never happened' | Houston police to review sexual assault cases that had been suspended