May 2016

In this issue:

Thank You Notes to the HPOU

Tom Kennedy

HPOU, Thank you for the large plant in memory of our son. We appreciate your thoughtfulness. The Sterlings HPOU, Thank you all so much for the beautiful plant sent for Mother’s service. The support you’ve all shown is truly remarkable and reminds me that we are family. Thank you all, Veronica & Bert McDonough HPOU, Read More Read more

May 2016 Obituaries of HPD Family Members

Tom Kennedy

BERTRAM Retired Police Officer Ernest G. Bertram passed away on Saturday, March 5, 2016. He joined Police Academy Class No. 20 on December 29, 1958, and retired on March 31, 1988. Officer Bertram is survived by his wife of nearly 64 years, Mrs. Irene Bertram. Services were held March 9 with burial in South Park Read More Read more

Psych Services: Got Stress? Here’s some advice

SONIA BURLINGAME

Perhaps you have been struggling with your marriage, have been grieving a loss, have been worried about your child, or have been concerned about your mood. If so, you may have considered coming to Psychological Services for help but felt unsure or unclear of how it all works, and were reluctant to ask. For that Read More Read more

Fallen Heroes: William Edwin DeLeon

Nelson Zoch

March 29, 1982 William Edwin DeLeon was born on October 3, 1946 in Nacogdoches. His family moved to Houston and he attended schools in the Aldine area and graduated from Aldine High School. He then attended South Texas Junior College. He joined the Houston Police Department by entering Police Cadet Class No. 39 on August Read More Read more

CEASE Network Award – Law Enforcement Innovation for Vice Division, Houston PD

Vice Division Staff

On March 10, 2016, the Houston P.D. Vice Division received the “Law Enforcement Innovation Award” from CEASE Network. (CEASE = Cites Empowered Against Sexual Exploitation) The CEASE Network is a collaboration of pioneering cities committed to reducing sex-buying by 20 percent in two years. This action-oriented network is dedicated to innovating, testing, and sharing strategies Read More Read more

HPOU joins the Texas Narcotics Officers Association to conduct advanced undercover training sessions

Mike Ybanez

From Feb. 22 to March 4 students from around the United States reported to Houston, the epicenter of narcotics activity in the Southwest United States, to attend unique training classes designed to provide undercover officers with the techniques and survival tactics necessary to develop or compliment their present undercover experience. The courses were broken down Read More Read more

Book Review: New book about HPD ‘career cases’ makes for good read

M. D. Beale

Blood Trails Across Texas (Texas True Crime, Volume 1) By Sgt. Brian Foster (HPD Homicide, Retired) Black Dog Swamp Publishing Company, LLC. $12.95 www.texastruecrime.com I really liked this book. It was a quick read for me. It was like sitting in on a “bull session” with these officers telling their stories. The thought that came Read More Read more

A history of HPD’s ever-popular, hard-working K9 corps

Earl Musick

As police officers we learned very quickly that the most dangerous people in society are individuals who believe they have nothing to lose. Because we are called upon daily to deal with these types of individuals, it is important to know who will have your back when the storm hits. One’s own life often depends Read More Read more

HPOU honors Officers Flores and Tafhurt For their ‘shatter’ work while on patrol

Tom Kennedy

The Houston Police Officers Union honored Westside Officers Xavier Flores and Nicole Tafhurt as Patrol Officers of the Month at the March general membership meeting. Lt. M. J. Faulhaber described Flores and Tafhurt as “pro-active officers that have identified and addressed a hot spot area along the Interstate 10 corridor that has resulted in several Read More Read more

HPOU honors Vice undercover officer Patterson for his work saving 4-year-old from sex predator

Tom Kennedy

The Union honored Vice Officer Justin Patterson as Investigator of the Month in the March general membership meeting. Patterson, who works undercover, was surfing online adult websites used in prostitution investigations when he was able to make an appointment to allegedly have sex with a four-year-old girl for $1,000. Vice Lt. Catherine Richards outlined what Read More Read more

HPD Calf Scramble Posse members turn out to be matchmakers by ‘performing’ real marriage between two successful scramblers

Tom Kennedy

The HPD Calf Scramble Posse – whose annual job is preparing nightly calf scramblers for their undaunted tasks – has officially gotten into the marriage business. Two scramblers that Posse members “matched” three years ago at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo have actually tied the knot. Well, the Posse theoretically “married” them – even Read More Read more

Veteran prosecutor Bill Exley working with police officers To put felony teeth in what he terms ‘Predatory Theft’ law

Tom Kennedy

Bank juggers have too much incentive. They commit frequent crimes that have big rewards – sometimes as much as $150,000 – with little risk. Investigators and prosecutors believe arrest and conviction usually net little jail time, enabling them to return to free society and repeat the offense numerous times with little fear of being caught. Read More Read more

Northeast Tact takes lead in continuous battle Against low-risk, high-reward bank juggers

Tom Kennedy

Nothing angers and frustrates a dedicated police officer more than an increase in the number of crimes that offer a high reward with little if any risk. Even if caught in the act the jail time for a convicted suspect can be termed minimal at best. Investigators across the state of Texas are angered and Read More Read more

Editorial: HPD’s Tact teams got out front fighting bank juggin’ Operations, now hoping for new ‘Predatory Theft’ law

Tom Kennedy

ONCE AGAIN WE SEE THE TREND-SETTING capabilities officers of the Houston Police Department. Recently the Badge & Gun featured the national recognition bestowed on the HPD Homeless Outreach Team, whose practices used to deal with big-city homeless problems are being studied and copied by other police departments throughout the nation. It was but one example Read More Read more

The Presidents Message

Houston, we STILL have a public safety funding problem And STILL need changes that result in increased revenues

First, I want to applaud Mayor Turner for instructing his management team to find money for a fifth academy class this coming year.

Each class holds around 70 cadets, which will result in approximately 350 new officers in the next year. Hopefully this will be significantly less than the number of officer who retire during that same period. But I am fearful we will simply keep up with attrition.

In 2003, HPD had 5,373 sworn officers. As of this writing, we have 5,184, which includes 129 probationary police officers. Since 2003, calls for service have increased and Houston’s square miles have increased while our force has decreased.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that we have a problem. This is not only a problem for citizens, it’s also a problem for the safety of our officers, who frequently arrive alone on dangerous calls.

Last month on one particular non-holiday, one station had eight units for the entire shift while the minimum staffing on holidays for that station is 12. One officer had been sent to eight calls when he contacted me and was only able to arrive on three of them before being preempted for higher priority calls.

Few su