Houston Police Chief Troy Finner has disclosed that in addition to the thousands of adult sex crime cases left unsolved due to staffing shortages, other divisions within the department have suspended tens of thousands more investigations for the same reason.
Finner revealed that approximately 264,000 cases since 2016 were suspended department-wide due to a “lack of personnel” coding. This figure represents about 10% of the 2.8 million incidents reported to Houston police over the past eight years.
Former HPD Chief Art Acevedo, who served from November 2016 to April 2021, declined to comment publicly on the findings.
Of the 264,000 suspended cases, around 100,000 were related to property crimes, while the remaining 164,000 involved crimes against individuals, such as robbery and assault, all halted with the click of a checkbox.
Douglas Griffith, president of the Houston Police Officers’ Union, expressed concern over the situation, emphasizing the impact on victims and the erosion of public trust. He hopes for resolution over time.
Mayor John Whitmire expressed deep concern over the alarming statistic, emphasizing the need for transparency and ongoing review as a top priority for public safety.
Chief Finner stated that over 4,000 sexual assault cases were among those suspended due to staffing shortages over the eight-year period.
Finner mentioned that he initially halted the use of the labeling code in November 2021 but recently discovered its continued use. He intends to address questions in a forthcoming press conference.
The Neighborhood Safety Tracker provides data on robbery, auto theft, and burglary dating back to 2019, covering five of the eight years mentioned in the department’s internal review.
