HOUSTON – Mayor John Whitmire’s Independent Review Committee has released findings on the Houston Police Department’s suspension of nearly 269,000 cases, including over 4,400 involving sexual assault.
On Wednesday morning, city council members received the report from Chair Ellen Cohen and her team. Much of the report had already been reported by KPRC 2 Investigates.
Mayor Whitmire noted that the report aligns with Acting Chief Larry Satterwhite’s public statements and adds further context.
MORE: Key takeaways from Houston Police Department’s suspended cases report
Since the investigation, HPD has seen an overall within the department starting with the police chief and many key members of Troy Finner’s inner circle.
The committee reviewed 268,920 suspended reports dating back to 2016. They explained that the “Suspended - Lack of Personnel” or “SL Code” was introduced in March 2016 to categorize cases with workable leads that couldn’t be assigned due to manpower shortages.
Understaffing was identified as a major issue, particularly in the Special Victims Division and the Major Assault/Family Violence Division, which had high numbers of suspended cases.
As KPRC 2 Investigates previously revealed, the report highlighted significant variations in how different divisions utilized the code and managed suspended cases, with no standardized procedures in place.
The Special Victims Division was notably impacted, with 9,106 incident reports suspended using the SL Code, directly affecting the investigation of sexual assault cases.
The report also pointed to a lack of training for newly promoted assistant chiefs, contributing to inconsistency in leadership and management practices.
Another key issue discussed during the council meeting was the need for a new reporting management system. KPRC 2 Investigates first reported that a new system is expected to go online around April 2025.
When asked about the current system’s shortcomings, committee member Christina Nowak explained, “The current system is not user-friendly. It is very difficult to navigate, and for patrol officers trying to complete a report at the scene, if it takes 50 steps to do a report, I understand why things are sometimes not as accurate as they should be.”
The committee emphasized the need for standardized case management procedures, which HPD is currently working on. Among them include the following:
- Create and maintain comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures for all divisions.
- Enhance RMS Capabilities: Ensure the new RMS supports advanced case management and data analysis.
- Increase Civilian Staff: Streamline the hiring process and increase civilian staff to support administrative tasks.
- Implement Career Path Structure: Develop career progression plans for both classified and civilian personnel.
- Provide Leadership Training: Offer consistent supervisory and leadership training at all ranks.
- Foster Multiagency Collaboration: Increase collaborative training with outside agencies including but not limited to the Houston Forensic Science Center, Houston Area Women’s Center, and Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
- Improve Crime Analysis: Ensure each division has a dedicated crime analyst and standardize crime analysis practices.
- Conduct Staffing Analysis: Perform a third-party performance-based staffing analysis. 5 9. Present Resource Needs to City Council: Regularly present to City Council and the Mayor on how resource constraints impact public safety.
- Present Resource Needs to City Council: Regularly present to City Council and the Mayor on how resource constraints impact public safety.
The report also stated that “any subsequent action taken or not taken by a member of HPD after the alleged directive by Chief Finner is the subject of the ongoing Internal Affairs Department (‘IAD’) investigation and not part of the committee’s review and assessment.”
This refers to the Chandra Hatcher letter, which KPRC 2 Investigates’ Mario Diaz first reported in May. At the time, Hatcher was an Executive Assistant Chief to Finner. She claimed to have attended a November 2021 meeting that she was later found to have missed. Hatcher was allowed time by the acting chief to evaluate her future.
MORE: Officer Hatcher no longer on the Houston Police Executive Team
Council Member Abbie Kamin requested, “Mayor, it would be very helpful at some point if that investigation concludes to have a breakdown of what specifically was done after Finner’s directive to stop using this code.”
Another critical issue is staffing. While sympathetic to the council members, Nowak remarked, “We know as we’ve mentioned here, the bottom line is we need more personnel. It doesn’t mean that this will solve the problem, but it will certainly go a long way in helping. But where are we going to get the money?”
The report suggests boosting civilian staff and conducting a third-party performance staffing analysis as part of the solution.