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Many of y'all know I've been kinda tuned out of the specifics of what's going on. But I want to explain why this upsets me so much.
Earlier this month Adrian Medearis was killed by an HPD officer. Ac*vedo held a press conference before meeting with the family (see the tweet from the family). His tweets only talk about how he won't release anything publicly. https://twitter.com/AudrickMedearis/status/1259928216887799809
"There have been six officer-involved shooting deaths involving the Houston Police Department since mid-April."
Search his timeline for statements in solidarity with any of those victims or families. https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/05/28/fbi-is-looking-into-controversial-deadly-officer-involved-shooting-of-man-on-his-knees-acevedo-says/
Search his timeline for statements in solidarity with any of those victims or families. https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2020/05/28/fbi-is-looking-into-controversial-deadly-officer-involved-shooting-of-man-on-his-knees-acevedo-says/
A month ago, Nicholas Chavez was killed by HPD while on his knees after "a call reporting a suicidal man brandishing what was later found out to be a piece of rebar."
No results found.
No results found.
And we're still in the aftermath of the Gerald Goines and Steven Bryant case where they lied about the pecan park raid and where two people died.
"69 convicted solely on disgraced ex-Houston cop's 'evidence' could see new trials, DA says" https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/DA-Goines-conviction-prison-HPD-cop-Pecan-Park-15085554.php
"69 convicted solely on disgraced ex-Houston cop's 'evidence' could see new trials, DA says" https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/DA-Goines-conviction-prison-HPD-cop-Pecan-Park-15085554.php
"In an affidavit Goines used to obtain a search warrant for the Harding raid, he allegedly lied about using a confidential informant to buy drugs, bringing the HPD’s narcotics division under intense scrutiny in one of the worst scandals to hit HPD in decades."
"Homeowners Rhogena Nicholas and Dennis Tuttle were killed and five officers injured. Police found small amounts of cocaine and marijuana but no heroin." https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/deadly-Houston-misconduct-botched-raid-police-14850548.php
"HPD Chief Art Acevedo maintains the problems with the operation and deaths of Tuttle & Nicholas were the work of a pair of rogue officers.
However, a Hou Chron review of police records reveals a fuller picture of misconduct by Goines & past problems in the narcotics division."
However, a Hou Chron review of police records reveals a fuller picture of misconduct by Goines & past problems in the narcotics division."
Acevedo in Friday's op-ed: There must be zero tolerance for dishonesty, as well as consequences for officers who fail to follow their training. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/29/police-chief-i-see-minneapolis-crucial-test-our-profession-heres-how-we-can-avoid-failing/
Reality: there's a list of police officers in Harris County who have been found to provide unreliable testimony that advocates are still fighting to have released. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zG5OhM8ocMFfvkkDJVxMOkZUA4499wgrARA7ngcdc4A/edit
“Under this policy, the District Attorney’s office would identify police officers who have violated the public trust by lying, falsifying evidence, or making racist or violent statements" seems pretty reasonable, right?
Strange that I don't see it in his article about trust.
Strange that I don't see it in his article about trust.
I'm all for giving credit where it's due. I won't give credit for HPD and Acevedo changing their profile pictures and "speaking up" when that's inconsistent with their daily practice as a city agency.
Just remembered: people love solutions. Many of you are thinking "not all officers are bad. What can the good ones do to address these problems?"
First: redirect funds from policing infrastructure to stuff that makes us safer: education, housing, mental health, public transit.
First: redirect funds from policing infrastructure to stuff that makes us safer: education, housing, mental health, public transit.
If you're not on the #DefundThePolice train yet, no problem. There are many research-based practices that you can advocate for when talking to police and politicians. Here's a great thread from @samswey (who you should follow if you're into this thread). https://twitter.com/samswey/status/1180655701271732224
