Tag Archives: HPD

Council approves bond deal for firefighter back pay

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a big component of the firefighter pay deal, just not the whole thing. Houston City Council approved Wednesday a historic bond deal, estimated to cost taxpayers over $1 billion, to spread $650 million in backpay to firefighters over … Continue reading →

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Hollins not ready to certify firefighters’ deal

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Welp. The proposed $1.5 billion settlement and labor contract with the Houston firefighters union appears unlikely to be certified in time for Wednesday’s scheduled City Council vote because a lengthy list of questions Controller Chris Hollins sent Mayor John Whitmire … Continue reading →

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Mayor Whitmire wants to get rid of ShotSpotter

Posted on June 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Fine by me. Mayor John Whitmire revealed plans to scrap the city’s $3.5 million ShotSpotter program, positioning Houston as the latest city government to abandon the controversial gunshot detection technology after a brief experiment. “I think it is a gimmick,” … Continue reading →

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Firefighter deal details released

Posted on June 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Just in time for the start of budget talks. A proposed settlement between Mayor John Whitmire and the city’s firefighters union could result in major changes to the Houston Fire Department beyond the deal’s $1.5 billion cost. Under the terms … Continue reading →

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Harris County seeks a new direction for HART

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Hopefully a solid reset and restart. Possibly even with the same vendor, if they can make the best offer and no other questions come up. Harris County officials on Tuesday began making new plans to extend a program that sends … Continue reading →

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Last Astroworld wrongful death suit settled

Posted on May 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not unexpected, at least to me. The family of the youngest concertgoer killed at the 2021 Astroworld Festival has settled with rapper Travis Scott, Apple, LiveNation and other companies on the heels of similar agreements in other fatality lawsuits, a … Continue reading →

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HART trouble

Posted on May 25, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not great. Harris County paused its Holistic Assistance Response Teams on Wednesday after Commissioners Court failed to reach an agreement on whether to pay the vendor operating the program. At issue is a $270,000 payment to Disaster Emergency Medical Assistance … Continue reading →

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Last Astroworld wrongful death lawsuit set for September trial

Posted on May 18, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll see if there’s a settlement in this one at some point. The civil trial over the death of a 9-year-old boy killed at the 2021 Astroworld festival is scheduled to begin in September. Harris County 11th District Court Judge … Continue reading →

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Mayor’s committee on HPD dropped cases provides its report

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Up to Council and HPD to take action now. The independent panel reviewing the ongoing Houston Police Department scandal over suspended cases identified an interim police chief as the one who ordered the creation of the “SL” lack of personnel … Continue reading →

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Is this an opportunity for cooperative cost savings?

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Reading through this story about how Harris County is spending the public safety portion of its 2022 bond funds, I have a question. New Harris County law enforcement facilities are one step closer to breaking ground after Commissioners Court earlier … Continue reading →

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Mayor Whitmire unveils his first budget

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Here ya go. Amid Houston’s strained financial outlook, Mayor John Whitmire unveiled a $6.7 billion budget proposal on Tuesday, announcing he does not intend to raise taxes or significantly cut city services during the fiscal year starting in July. The … Continue reading →

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More on the Finner departure

Posted on May 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

That email was the final straw. After months of controversy surrounding the Houston Police Department’s practice of suspending cases due to short staffing, the revelation Tuesday that Chief Troy Finner was on an email discussing one such case in 2018 … Continue reading →

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HPD Chief Finner retires

Posted on May 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This came suddenly. Troy Finner has stepped down as chief of the Houston Police Department, Mayor John Whitmire announced in a late-night, four-paragraph email to city employees Tuesday. “I have accepted the retirement of Troy Finner as Chief of Police, … Continue reading →

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All but one of the Astroworld wrongful death lawsuits have been settled

Posted on May 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A big day in court yesterday. Nine of the 10 wrongful death lawsuits filed after a deadly crowd surge at the 2021 Astroworld music festival have been settled, including one that was set to go to trial this week, an … Continue reading →

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Apple appeal delays Astroworld trial

Posted on May 4, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This may take awhile. The start of the first civil trial stemming from the 2021 Astroworld Festival, at which 10 people were killed in a crowd surge, has been delayed. Jury selection had been set to begin Tuesday, May 7 … Continue reading →

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On increasing ridership at Metro

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I’m open to hearing more. The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County is under new leadership, but the goal of increasing ridership remains the same. While the number of riders steadily has increased across the system since the peak of … Continue reading →

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Travis Scott remains in the Astroworld lawsuit

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

All of the motions to get out have been decided. A Harris County District Court judge denied rapper Travis Scott’s bid to be removed from the upcoming civil trial over the deaths and injuries that occurred at the 2021 Astroworld … Continue reading →

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Travis Scott makes his argument to get out of the Astroworld lawsuit

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

He has a reasonable case. Not saying I’d buy it, but it’s not ridiculous. Superstar rapper Travis Scott should not be held responsible for planning failures before the 2021 Astroworld tragedy or the delayed process of ending the show as … Continue reading →

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City workers gear up for their next contract

Posted on April 16, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Believe it or not, the city has employees who are not with the police or the fire department, and they like earning a decent salary, too. Houston’s municipal employees union, HOPE AFSCME Local 123, is expected to begin its contract … Continue reading →

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Astroworld lawsuit update

Posted on April 14, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Drake got himself removed as a defendant. A Harris County district court judge on Wednesday dismissed Drake from the sprawling civil lawsuit over the deadly Astroworld concert. The Canadian rapper was a guest performer at the November 2021 concert, appearing … Continue reading →

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Some of those dropped HPD cases were connected to other cases

Posted on April 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Shocking, I know. Of the suspended sex crime incident reports submitted by the Houston Police Department to the Houston Forensic Science Center, nearly 100 came back with links to other cases, Chief Troy Finner said Monday evening. […] In HPD’s … Continue reading →

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Travis Scott wants out of Astroworld lawsuit

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I would too if I were him. Whether he should or he will is another matter. Houston-born rapper Travis Scott said he should not be held personally responsible for the deaths of 10 people who died in the crushing crowds … Continue reading →

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Some AstroWorld defendants try to get out

Posted on March 26, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Lots going on here. Apple, Drake and other defendants targeted have asked a Harris County court to dismiss them from a sprawling lawsuit filed by victims of the 2021 Astroworld disaster. A flood of new motions and documents filed in … Continue reading →

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Here’s your committee to investigate the HPD dropped cases situation

Posted on March 17, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I wish them luck. Mayor John Whitmire on Wednesday named the five people who will run an independent investigation into the Houston Police Department’s handling of over 264,000 suspended incident reports. The committee will be led by a former state … Continue reading →

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In which I learn about our use of “Dataminr”

Posted on March 11, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this. The Houston Police Department will stay in the ranks of law enforcement agencies around the country using software to monitor social media for information on criminal activity following a City Council vote … Continue reading →

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More on the HPD dropped cases

Posted on March 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Mayor Whitmire wants some answers. Houston Mayor John Whitmire on Wednesday called for an independent investigation into the Houston Police Department over how and why more than 264,000 cases were declared suspended for lack of personnel. “I trust and believe … Continue reading →

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It’s budget cut proposal time

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

A familiar ritual. Facing a projected budget shortfall and costly settlement with the firefighters union, Mayor John Whitmire has directed most city departments to identify potential 5% budget cuts for the coming fiscal year. Finance Director Melissa Dubowski said Wednesday … Continue reading →

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The HPD suspended cases situation

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what to make of this. A review of sex crimes cases suspended with an internal code citing a lack of personnel has expanded department-wide to include more than 264,000 cases, Police Chief Troy Finner said Monday. The … Continue reading →

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So what happened with the original Woodfill investigation?

Posted on February 24, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Good question. Five years ago, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg appeared poised to prosecute Jared Woodfill, a prominent local attorney and Republican activist, for serious financial crimes. Ogg’s office received a judge’s permission to conduct a raid of his … Continue reading →

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Yes, please do investigate Jared Woodfill

Posted on February 10, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Is there a petition I can sign for this? A former client of Houston attorney and Texas House candidate Jared Woodfill is asking state and federal investigators to give fresh scrutiny to a 2017 investigation into allegations that he misappropriated … Continue reading →

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On hiring more cops

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Not as easy to do as you might think. Halfway through his inaugural speech, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said the city made it far too hard for people to join the Houston Police Department. As an example, Whitmire pointed out … Continue reading →

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Mayor Whitmire wants to add Metro cops to HPD

Posted on January 20, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

On its face this makes sense. Mayor John Whitmire said he’s negotiating with Metro to combine its almost 400 public safety employees with Houston’s Police Department under Chief Troy Finner. The transit group’s police department, with a budget in 2024 … Continue reading →

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Chris Hollins begins his term as Controller

Posted on January 6, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

Lots of potential for action here. Houston Controller Chris Hollins knows that following Tuesday’s inaugural celebration comes the hard work. But the 37-year-old former Harris County Clerk says he is up to the task. “The people of Houston put (me) … Continue reading →

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On solving the crimes

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Charles Kuffner

This is a nice profile of Precinct One Deputy Constable Joe Bowden, who is good at his job. His specialty is solving bike thefts, and I want to highlight this bit that shows him in action, and then share some … Continue reading →

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