Crime
Houston police chief apologizes for department’s failure to investigate 264,000 cases people due to staffing problems
“What has happened since 2016 is unacceptable. HPD as a department owns this problem, and as chief, I will make sure we fix it,” says Houston Police Chief Troy Finner
HOUSTON (AP) – Houston’s police chief pledged Thursday to restore public trust in his department after revelations that over the past eight years, more than 264,000 cases, including more than 4,000 involving sexual assault, were dismissed because of lack of staff.
Last month, Chief Troy Finner announced that hundreds of thousands of incident reports, including sexual assault and property crimes, were never forwarded for investigation because officers assigned them an internal code citing a lack of available staff. This figure represents approximately 10% of the 2.8 million incident reports filed over the past eight years.
“I apologize to the victims, their families and our citizens for the use of the code in cases of sexual assault and other violent crimes against persons,” Finner said at a news conference Thursday. “These are not the trauma-informed and victim-centered services they deserve. I’ll say it again: this code should never have been used and will never be used again.”
Finner’s news conference came a day after Mayor John Whitmire announced he would establish an independent panel to review police handling of closed cases, saying the public “wants answers and accountability.”
“How can something like this (code) exist? …I’m shocked by this. This is unacceptable,” Whitmire said.
The internal code, a part of the department’s records management system, was created in 2016, years before Finner took over as chief in April 2021. It was utilized in the 2 administrations that preceded him.
Finner said he first learned of officers’ use of the code in November 2021 and issued an order to stop it. But on February 7 this 12 months, he learned that it was still getting used to dismiss a major variety of adult sexual assault cases.
An internal affairs investigation is looking into why the order to stop using the code was not complied with and the way the code was first used, Finner said.
Two deputy chiefs have already been demoted for their roles within the case. Citing the continued investigation, Finner declined to comment on whether more employees could face disciplinary motion.
He said his department’s top priority is reaching out to people who filed greater than 4,000 sexual assault reports that were suspended. At least 32 officers have been assigned to review these cases, contact people and conduct follow-up interviews.
So far, over 3,000 such cases have been considered and hearings have been scheduled for 133 victims. Police are also working to contact people who’ve filed reports of domestic violence, Finner said.
109,000 reports filed with the essential assault unit and 91,000 for property and financial crimes were also suspended. Finner said 6,537 reports filed with the homicide unit were dismissed, but most of them involved allegations of assault and threats.
Police departments across the country are facing an increasingly urgent staffing crisis as many younger officers retire, older officers retire and the variety of requests for filling vacancies is falling rapidly.
Houston isn’t any exception. Finner said the department, which employs about 5,200 officers, needs a further 2,000 employees to provide enough staff. He added, nevertheless, that this will not be a reason to discontinue a whole bunch of 1000’s of cases.
“What has happened since 2016 is unacceptable. HPD as a department owns this, and as chief, I will make sure we fix it,” Finner said.
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Houston police chief apologizes for department’s failure to investigate 264,000 cases due to staffing problems. First appeared on TheGrio.
Crime
Luigi Mangione, 26, in police custody in connection with the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO
New York authorities have identified 26-year-old Luigi Mangione as an individual of interest in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
According to police, a McDonald’s worker recognized Mangione in a photograph taken by NYPD Crime Stoppers and called authorities to report that he was eating at the restaurant, which led to his arrest.
Police say Mangione was carrying an anti-corporate manifesto, false identification and a ghost gun.
“It fits the description we were looking for,” Mayor Eric Adams said. An early NYPD report drew criticism online for calling the suspect a “light-skinned male” fairly than simply saying he was white.
The New York Post reports that Mangione previously attended the University of Pennsylvania, was valedictorian of the highschool in 2016 and had ties to Towson, Maryland. His social media posts indicate motivation related to dissatisfaction with the health care industry.
The shooting gained national attention because of the lukewarm response to Thompson’s death from many voters, who criticized the high insurance denial rate and greed that contributed to the American loss of life.
NYPD officers will now travel to Pennsylvania to query Mangione. Watch the entire press conference below:
Crime
OJ Simpson’s audio testimony claims have been proven false
Iroc Avelli, OJ Simpson’s former bodyguard, claimed to have a recording of the late NFL player admitting to killing Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. According to .evaluation of the audio recording showed the claim to be false.
In June 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) contacted the Bloomington, Minnesota police department to realize access to thumb drives confiscated during Avelli’s 2022 arrest.
Bloomington Police Department arrested Avelli for alleged assault in 2022; upon arrest, the police seized Avelli’s backpack and obtained an order to gather relevant evidence on the scene. The backpack contained multiple flash drives that the previous security guard said contained Simpson’s confessions.
According to Peasant! News“search warrant filed in Hennepin County requested by Officer George Harms seek for image pendrives in order that “a full forensic examination could possibly be carried out on all of the pendrives to acquire the recording.”
The Bloomington Police Department didn’t return the drives, opting as an alternative to conduct an internal forensic examination. After a digital forensics specialist examined the drives, Bloomington police didn’t disclose any information of “probative value” to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The further investigation into the Simpson and Goldman murders is strange because on October 3, 1995, OJ Simpson was acquitted of all charges. The former San Francisco 49er maintained his innocence until his death from cancer on April 11, 2024.
After his acquittal, OJ Simpson continued to benefit from his fame. In 1996, the Buffalo Bills player published a book titled If I Did It: Confessions of a Killer. Many found the book’s title and content distasteful and criticized it Naked weapon the actor’s constant presence in celebrity culture.
However, many individuals imagine that Simpson’s acquittal ought to be enough to just accept his presence in all spaces. BLACK ENTERPRISES reports on rapper Cam’Ron’s response to criticism after Simpson was invited on his sports show before his death.
The It is what it’s the host and businessman believes that the accusations – proven in court – shouldn’t result in ostracization. Cam’Ron believes that Simpson’s race may have played a job in continuously questioning his innocence throughout his life.
“Look, if he was guilty, we wouldn’t have him on the show,” he said. “You wish to proceed convicting an innocent man. He is innocent. If it was another person, whiter, you’d all say, “Oh, he’s innocent.” TO BE reported.
It appears that the hearings and investigation into Orenthol James Simpson’s role, or lack thereof, in his ex-wife’s murder will proceed even after his death.
Crime
Suspect charged with fatally shooting 3-year-old on Thanksgiving Day
Tatisha Refuge, a 47-year-old New Orleans resident, turned herself in to authorities after the death of 3-year-old Rudy Ratliff. Refuge is charged with “manslaughter by negligence.”
Rudy’s mother, Leshawn Ratliff, lives in Texas but visited Refuge, her foster mother, in the previous few days of Thanksgiving. Nov 8 News.
“I came here on Saturday to pick up my older son. He was here over Thanksgiving break, and I came down on Saturday to pick him up so we could go home on Sunday and they could go back to school on Monday.” Ratliff he said.
While playing UNO, Refuge’s unsecured gun fell from her belt and fired, striking Rudy. Ratliff she recounted how the scene unfolded when she discovered Rudy had been shot.
“I began seeing blood coming out of his chest. That’s once I knew he had been shot. So I called 911.
The mother didn’t wish to wait for 911. Instead, she decided to take Rudy to University Medical Center for treatment. She said that after they arrived at the ability, Rudy seemed to be alive. Unfortunately, 20 minutes later she was informed of his death.
Tatisha Refuge has been charged with negligent homicide within the shooting death of 3-year-old Rudy Ratliff. #Khou11 @AmandaHTV
https://t.co/BFIeGhAHYG— KHOU 11 Houston News (@KHOU) December 4, 2024
Ratliff she nurtured her relationship with Refuge and is torn now that the accusations involve her foster mother.
“It was a random shooting. His grandfather’s gun fell. It wasn’t within the secure. It wasn’t within the gun position. I believe it went into the pocket and fell out and shot my son,” Ratliff said. “I understand it was a mistake. I imagine in my heart that it was a mistake. I just don’t understand. I just don’t understand.
The grieving mother began a GoFundMe and is asking the general public for help with Rudy’s burial. To support the Ratliff family of their time of need, click here.
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