The Houston Police Department (HPD) released a report on Wednesday addressing its most significant scandal in recent history. The report revealed that over 264,000 cases filed by crime victims since 2016 were marked as “Suspended – Lack of Personnel” due to inadequate staffing. This label halted investigations, including more than 4,000 sexual assault cases.
HPD Acting Chief Larry Satterwhite presented the findings to the Houston City Council. He described the major failure as a lack of awareness and effort to rectify the situation.
The 41-page report resulted from months of internal investigation and highlighted eight key findings. The use of the “SL code” began in 2016, with 98% of the cases occurring after 2018. Investigators were reportedly using the code as directed without clear guidelines based on the nature of the crimes. The report also criticized the outdated records management system, which is set to be replaced in March 2025, and highlighted chronic understaffing issues that have persisted since 2014.
Following the report’s release, HPD is expected to implement “critical” changes to improve its investigation processes. The scandal has led to significant fallout, including the retirement of former Police Chief Troy Finner, who claimed he was unaware of the code’s use until November 2021. However, an email from July 20, 2018, indicates he knew about the coding earlier than he stated.
As HPD undergoes leadership changes, there are questions about who will be the new permanent chief. City leaders previously promised to announce a new chief by the end of July, and the deadline is approaching. plans to question Mayor John Whitmire about the decision on Wednesday.
