The city of Houston is reeling from the fallout of a shocking revelation that thousands of cases, including sexual assault crimes, were dropped by the police department. Mayor John Whitmire has accepted the retirement of Police Chief Troy Finner as the department investigates the use of a code to dismiss these cases.
Finner, who has been with the Houston police department since 1990 and became chief in 2021, announced the investigation in March after discovering that officers were using an internal code to justify dropping cases due to a lack of personnel. Despite ordering officers to stop using the code in November 2021, Finner learned in February of this year that it was still being used to dismiss a significant number of adult sexual assault cases.
The revelation has sent shockwaves through the community, with many questioning the integrity of the police department and its handling of sensitive cases. Finner has apologized for the oversight, stating that he was not aware of the code’s existence or how it was being applied within the department.
Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite has been appointed as acting chief as the investigation into the dropped cases continues. The City Council is set to discuss Finner’s retirement during a meeting on Wednesday.
The news of the dropped cases has sparked outrage and calls for accountability within the Houston Police Department. As the investigation unfolds, the community is left grappling with the implications of this shocking revelation.