HPD Chief Art Acevedo explains crime tweets targeting county court

HOUSTON – Over the weekend, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo sent a trio of seemingly unsolicited tweets regarding crime and punishment in Harris County. KPRC caught up with the chief on Monday to ask why he sent the tweets.

What prompted The Tweets?

“Well, I'm starting to get information back from my police officers and other individuals,” Acevedo said. “There appears to be a troubling pattern."

The chief said he is concerned about the number of felons his officers say they are seeing back on the streets in short order.

"I think it’s important for the community to know what's happening in the courtrooms," Acevedo said.

Were the tweets directed at one particular person or group?

“That's to everybody who has control over this issue,” Acevedo said.

In another of his tweets, however, Acevedo doesn't mask his displeasure of violent felons getting probation.

"These are not low-level drug offenders, people that just have a little addiction problem. These are people that are perpetuating violent crimes against this community,” he said.

Do you have any specific cases?

That question comes from what seem to be specific examples hinted at in the chief’s third tweet.

Acevedo said he is still gathering information about specific cases and will soon release his findings to the public.

“I have a moral obligation and duty to make sure this community is aware of it, and the judges need to know that we're paying attention,” Acevedo said.

Calls to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and the administrative judge of the criminal courts for comment have not yet been returned.


About the Author:

Award winning investigative journalist who joined KPRC 2 in July 2000. Husband and father of the Master of Disaster and Chaos Gremlin. “I don’t drink coffee to wake up, I wake up to drink coffee.”