A Houston Police Department officer under investigation for allegedly assisting a suspected criminal has returned to active duty after serving a 16-day suspension.
Keith E. Roy Jr. was placed on leave last August pending an internal affairs investigation. The probe was initiated after a text message from Roy’s phone number was discovered on the phone of a suspect involved in an auto theft ring.
According to a search warrant affidavit, the suspect sent a photo of a vehicle and its license plate to Roy, who responded affirmatively and later sent a picture of the vehicle registration from a computer inside an HPD patrol car.
The accusation raised concerns about potential criminal involvement and violations of law enforcement policies. In January, Chief Troy Finner imposed a suspension.
Former HPD officer-turned-attorney Tom Nixon explained that while such actions could warrant termination, suspension is also a viable disciplinary measure.
Roy was found to have violated two HPD policies related to computer use and handling sensitive information. His suspension letter, signed by Finner, indicated that Roy shared personally identifiable information with unauthorized individuals, a direct violation of departmental policy.
Roy’s union attorney did not respond to inquiries from , and Roy himself could not be reached for comment. An HPD spokesperson referred to the suspension paperwork when asked for a statement.
As part of the suspension agreement, Roy accepted a 16-day suspension, with the option to use eight days of personal time off to receive pay, as permitted by a recent labor agreement. He served the suspension from Jan. 24 to Feb. 8, as outlined in a “positive discipline approval notice” included in his personnel file.
Nixon, though unrelated to the case, suggested that Roy’s suspension indicates that criminal prosecution is unlikely and that investigators could not establish a pattern of misconduct beyond the incident in question. He emphasized that repeated infractions would likely result in termination rather than suspension.
