HOUSTON, Texas – Former Houston Police Department Chief Art Acevedo took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to respond to video evidence and testimony played on the fourth day of the Gerald Goines murder trial.
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On Wednesday morning, the defense team requested that the full body camera video from HPD Officer Valeriano Rios be played. The nearly 45-minute video was presented to the jury during Officer Rios’ cross-examination by defense attorney George Secrest.
The defense questioned Rios throughout the video until it abruptly ended just seconds after former HPD Police Chief Art Acevedo was seen and heard ordering Rios to turn off his camera. Rios testified that he followed Chief Acevedo’s orders, even as the active scene continued to unfold for several more hours.
Acevedo responded to KPRC 2′s reporting of the video and testimony on X Wednesday evening, attempting to dispute claims that he did something wrong by telling his officers to turn off their body camera video after the deadly Harding Street raid in 2019, but KPRC 2 Investigates learned that the screenshot he shared of the department’s policy was an updated policy with changes made after the deadly raid.
Hey @KPRC, we know that @KPRC2Mario often engages in sensationalism and lacks journalistic integrity. However, we notice that this behavior continues unchecked. Let me share the @houstonpolice policy below—although it may not fit the narrative often presented by the king of bias… https://t.co/HhFnqU51OR pic.twitter.com/t8jWsEmhld
— Chief Art Acevedo (@ArtAcevedo) September 12, 2024
It’s not clear if Acevedo purposely shared the new policy, but the policy that was in place during the Harding Street raid, when he was chief, was a bit different.
In 2021, KPRC 2 first reported the City of Houston’s change to HPD’s policy on body-worn cameras.
One of several changes included instructions on the deactivation of body-worn cameras. According to the department’s 2021 policy, officers could turn off their body-worn cameras when “approved by a supervisor on extended scenes.” The updated policy added that “extended scenes did not include scenes that had ongoing activity with suspects or when the scene is not fully contained and under control.” It also added that “the inner perimeter of a scene is cordoned off with crime scene tape; a supervisor may permit the deactivation of the BWC for officers within the line perimeter.”
The 2017 policy that was in place during the deadly Harding Street raid, said that “Body Worn Cameras must be turned on when dispatched to priority one or two calls for service or when driving to a priority one or two call.” It also said that “Body Worn Cameras should be deactivated only when (1) all contacts with the public have ended; (2) all arrests have been made and if transporting a prisoner, upon entering the secured jail facility; (3) conferring with undercover officers from investigative divisions regarding tactical operation or briefing; or (4) approved by a supervisor on extended scenes, including guarding a prisoner at a hospital.”
The difference between the two policies? The 2017 policy clearly states a supervisor “approves” turning off body-worn camera videos. It also cleared up what’s not included as an “extended scene.”
Still the fact that Acevedo ordered body cameras turned off according to the testimony officers over the last two days is raising concerns and questions.
“It isn’t a question of could a supervisor order an officer to turn off their body cam, but should they give such an order? Of course, when policy conflicted with his (Acevedo) desires, he would simply say ‘I am policy’ and give an order contrary to the standing general order,” said a senior member of law enforcement who was on the scene the night of the deadly Harding Street raid.
Thursday in court, Officer Steven Bryant testified that he heard Acevedo give the order to turn off the cameras and saw officers comply. Bryant also testified that he believed the cameras should have remained on to capture evidence of the raid’s aftermath.
The senior law enforcement member also told KPRC 2 Investigates that the policy Acevedo highlighted regarding “ongoing activity with suspects or when the scene is not fully contained and under control” is the reason the cameras should have never been ordered to be turned off following the deadly raid.
“There was still a belief the suspect or suspects were barricaded inside the residence when Chief Acevedo ordered Officer Rios to turn off his body cam. Had this actually been the case, critical evidence may have been missed as a result,” said the senior member of law enforcement.
Following the deadly raid, HPD called in SWAT for a couple of hours, operating under the belief that there were still suspects inside.
On Wednesday, video was shown to court with Acevedo ordering an officer to turn off his body cam nearly 45 minutes after the raid and as chaos unfolded around them. The scene was not fully secure as SWAT was still coming into the area, according to sources.
“I’m still very confused as to what the reason was for ordering him to turn off his body cam at that point. It certainly raises some red flags as to his motives,” said the law enforcement source.
Earlier in the day the Houston Police Officers Union President even acknowledged it was a very active scene when Acevedo directed to turn off cameras, “I find it odd that Chief Acevedo had officers turn off cameras in the middle of a scene still considered ‘hot,’ with possible suspects inside the residence. Had a Sergeant or Lieutenant done it they would have been cited and disciplined. But no officer is going to violate an order given the by the Chief of Police,” said Griffith.
It also should be noted the policy of turning off cameras lists, “Approved by a supervisor on extended scenes,” but aside from this scene still being active, the officer never asked Acevedo for approval according to the video. The sharp directive by the former HPD chief was quick and the video then stopped.
Acevedo did send KPRC 2 Investigates a text message Thursday morning saying, “I will be happy to discuss after all court proceedings.” This was in response to Mario Diaz asking the former chief if he had a comment on video or officer testimony.
