HOUSTON – Police Chief Troy Finner called on local, state and federal agencies to continue working together to reduce violent crime in Houston.
“Why now?” Finner asked during a law enforcement summit Wednesday. “It’s a good time.”
Finner said the agencies convened to share intelligence and discuss hotspots. He also said they plan on targeting the “most violent individuals” who are causing havoc in the community, including those who have been arrested, charged, and waiting to go to court, and those who have been charged, but not arrested.
“We’re going after them,” Finner said. “We’re going to use the strong arm of a combined law enforcement team, regardless of the agency. Everybody that’s here, working this area, we’re gonna work together.”
Finner said law enforcement leaders expressed the frustrations of the frontline officers and deputies who believe the court system is not moving fast enough.
The slowness is allowing many violent offenders to remain in the streets, and in some cases, commit more crimes when they should be in jail, according to Finner. He said there are 1,500 murder cases awaiting trial, including 500 for capital murder.
“If we’re arresting people, but they’re not going to prison when they need to, that’s a problem,” he said.
See the full press conference below: