HOUSTON – Houston police Officer Steven Bryant filed to go into retirement, a police source confirmed to KPRC on Thursday.
Bryant is under investigation after a Jan. 28 raid at a home on Harding Street in southeast Houston’s Gloverdale neighborhood that ended with two people dead and five officers injured.
Bryant's last day is Friday, the source said. He would still receive his retirement benefits once he retires.
He has been with the department for 23 years.
Bryant filed papers for his retirement earlier this week, the source said.
Attorney Thomas Nixon -- who was an officer with HPD for 11 years -- said Bryant's decision could likely come down to protecting his pension. By retiring now, an officer with Bryant's experience would receive up to 60 percent of the last three years of his salary for the rest of his life.
Nixon said if Bryant remained on the force and if he refused to answer questions from the department's Internal Affairs investigators about the Harding Street case, he could be fired for insubordination and place his benefits in jeopardy.
"Most lawyers will recommend that their client either retire or resign from the department to avoid violating your fifth amendment right not to incriminate yourself," Nixon said.
Nearly 800 of Bryant's cases are under review in addition to more than 1,400 cases tied to Officer Gerald Goines, who was relieved of duty last month.
“We have a duty to the people of Harris County to pursue justice in every instance, no matter how many cases this involves,” Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said in a previous statement. “We are going to thoroughly review each of these cases to ensure that the arrests and convictions were proper.”
