HOUSTON – A search warrant filed in Harris County shows HPD Internal Affairs detectives began investigating a veteran Sergeant in July 2021.
Court documents read IAD was investigating whether certain bars in northwest Houston were being allowed to sell liquor after hours, while others bars were getting raided by Vice officers.
Since no criminal charges have been filed at this point, KPRC 2 is not naming the retired officer or any of the other individuals named in the warrant.
In the nine-page affidavit seeking a warrant for the retired officer’s cellular phone data, detectives wrote they initially did surveillance on this sergeant and reported on two occasions he was seen at bars serving liquor after hours.
Court documents read at one location, the sergeant’s presence “did not prevent the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages,” and at another location, investigators reported the sergeant “allowed the illegal activity to occur with impunity.”
The warrant goes further, stating when this sergeant was made part of a planned sting operation, he tried to steer undercover officers toward hitting certain bars while claiming other bars follow the rules.
Investigators wrote on the day of the sting, alcohol was sold after hours at two of the bars the sergeant told fellow officers were establishments that “follow the rules.” Two people were arrested at one of the bars targeted in the sting operation. Court documents read after the sting, the sergeant left his body cam on while talking with another officer and was recorded saying things like vice “didn’t make an arrest at the places I needed them to,” and “I called him, What more do you want? I’m not even supposed to do that.”
State records show the sergeant retired from HPD shortly after a warrant for the data on his phone was issued, and city records show he had been relieved of duty with pay at the time he retired, but no further details were available.
HPD officials would not comment on the warrant or the accusations, except to say it is part of an ongoing investigation.
KPRC 2 will update this story when new details become available.
