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."
It is time to sound the alarm and ensure the people who we are all sworn to serve and protect know exactly what's going on in our Court system. Decisions on Bond and sentencing need to be risk based.
— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) November 11, 2017
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.
We have a lot of innocent people being wounded & killed by criminals in our city & too many instances of the judiciary giving bad actors slaps on the wrist. This leniency is placing our community & Officers at risk. We will let the public know what’s going on in the courts soon. https://t.co/KVLNubhZzx
— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) November 11, 2017
"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.