HOUSTON – A new investigation has been launched into two members of the Houston Police Department’s leadership.
Multiple sources have confirmed the investigation centers around the commander that former police chief Troy Finner had in charge of leading the investigation into the suspension of thousands of sexual assault cases.
The allegations are being made by an HPD commander, and they are being levied against an HPD assistant chief and commander. Commander Donna Crawford is the HPD’s former head of internal affairs, while Milton “Wyatt” Martin is the assistant chief named in the complaint according to multiple officials.
In February of this year, then-Chief Finner told Houstonians that he first found out about sexual assault cases being suspended by the department in the fall of 2021. However, an email surfaced in May that confirmed Finner knew of the suspended cases as far back as 2018.
It was this past spring that KPRC 2 Investigates also reported that children’s cases had been included in some of the over 4,000 suspended cases. One of Finner’s executive assistant chiefs, Chandra Hatcher, helped launch this investigation with a letter that was not truthful according to multiple HPD and city sources.
After these issues came to light, along with Finner’s email showing that he was aware of the suspended cases much earlier than he claimed, the chief abruptly resigned. However, sources say the commander who identified Finner as being involved as far back as 2018 was retaliated against by Crawford as she was heading up the investigation at the time. Martin is alleged to have been a part of the retaliation as well according to sources.
“I can’t speak concerning something that I haven’t even seen or read about,” Whitmire said, “I got a phone call this morning that there was a new complaint, and we’re going to create an environment in HPD that truthfulness and hard work pays off,” said the mayor on Thursday afternoon.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire was not the only one to speak with KPRC 2 Investigates. Houston Police Officers Union President Doug Griffith also spoke with KPRC 2′s Mario Diaz about allegations involving members of HPD leadership under Finner.
“They are usually placed on restricted duty while and investigation is being conducted,” Griffith said.
Mayor Whitmire also added that the full report on the investigation on suspended sexual assault cases should be completed next week.
