[Press Conference: “HPD Update on Internal Review”]
[00:00:20]
UH, I WANNA FIRST, UH, SAY AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE TO VICTIMS, THEIR FAMILIES, OUR CITIZENS, UH, FOR THE USE OF THE CODES SUSPENDED, LACK OF PERSONNEL AND SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENTS AND OTHER VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS.
THIS IS NOT THE TRAUMA-INFORMED, VICTIM CENTRIC SERVICES THEY DESERVE.
AGAIN, THIS CODE SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN USED AND IT NEVER WILL BE USED AGAIN.
ON FEBRUARY 22ND, I ANNOUNCED AN INTERNAL REVIEW, UH, WAS UNDERWAY AFTER IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION ON FEBRUARY 7TH, THAT THERE WERE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF ADULT SEX CRIME INCIDENT REPORTS WITH THE LACK OF PERSONNEL CODE BEING USED IN OUR SPECIAL VICTIMS' DIVISION.
DESPITE MY DIRECTIVE, USING THAT CODE TO STOP USING THAT CODE IN NOVEMBER OF 2021, WE DISCOVERED THERE WERE 4,017 ADULT SEX CRIME INCIDENT REPORTS WITH THIS CODE FILED SINCE 2016.
AS I STATED, THOSE REPORTS ARE OUR TOP PRIORITY, AND THAT REMAINS THE CASE.
THIS IS WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR.
AN ADDITIONAL 32 INVESTIGATORS AND SUPERVISORS ARE REVIEWING INCIDENT REPORTS, ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT VICTIMS AND SCHEDULE AND SCHEDULE, UH, FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS IF NEEDED.
OUT OF THE 4,017 ADULT SEX CRIME INCIDENT REPORTS 3010, AND THIS IS, AS OF THIS MORNING, HAVE BEEN REVIEWED.
THIS INCLUDES READING THE REPORTS, ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT A, UH, VICTIM, I'M SORRY, ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE VICTIM BY PHONE, TEXT, OR EMAIL, AND SCHEDULING FOLLOW FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS WHEN NEEDED.
AGAIN, OUR INVESTIGATORS HAVE SCHEDULED, UM, 133 INTERVIEW INTERVIEWS THUS FAR WITH VICTIMS. ANOTHER PRIORITY WE'RE FOCUSING ON IS FAMILY VIOLENCE INCIDENT REPORTS.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING THOSE VICTIMS AS WELL FOR THOSE ADULT CRIMES AND FAMILY VIOLENCE, UH, VICTIMS THAT WE COULD NOT CONTACT BY PHONE, TEXT, OR EMAIL.
BEGINNING LAST THURSDAY, WE SENT MORE THAN A HUNDRED OFFICERS FROM OUR DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAMS AND OUR COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TO ATTEMPT TO LOCATE, UH, THOSE VICTIMS AT THE LAST KNOWN ADDRESS.
AS OF THIS MORNING, WE'VE MADE, UH, 698 VISITS, AND AS WE SPEAK, THOSE VISITS ARE INCREASING.
WE HAVE PEOPLE OUT, UH, TRYING TO LOCATE, UH, VICTIMS. UH, RIGHT NOW WE CONTINUE TO ASK VIC VICTIMS WHO MAY HAVE CHANGED, UH, CONTACT INFORMATION SINCE FOLLOWING THE REPORT, UH, SINCE, UH, 2016.
PLEASE EMAIL US AND WE'LL POST THAT UP.
IT'S UP, IT'S UP AT SPECIAL VICTIMS REPORT@HOUSTONPOLICE.ORG, OR CALL 7 1 3 3 0 8 11 80.
WE ALSO CONTINUE TO ASK OUR MEDIA PARTNERS, PLEASE HELP US DEPARTMENT WIDE USE OF THE CODE.
DURING THE REVIEW PROCESS OF ADULT SEX CRIME INCIDENT REPORTS, WE EXPANDED THE REVIEW TO ANY OTHER DIVISIONS USING LACK OF PERSONNEL CODE.
WE FOUND THAT THERE WERE 264,000 INCIDENTS FILE DEPARTMENT-WIDE USING THIS CODE SINCE 2016.
UH, ONE THING THAT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT INCIDENT REPORTS, NOT THE NUMBER OF INVESTIGATIVE CASES.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE BREAKS INTO YOUR CAR, THERE'S NO EVIDENCE, NO VIDEO.
THAT INCIDENT REPORT WILL NOT BE ASSIGNED TO AN INVESTIGATOR.
WE ARE SEEING A LOT OF INCIDENTS IN THE SYSTEM LIKE THAT.
AND ALSO, NOT EVERY REPORTED, UH, NOT EVERY INCIDENT REPORTED ALLEGES A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED.
UH, SOME REPORTS ARE FILED FOR INSURANCE AND CIVIL PURPOSE MATTERS.
PART OF THE REVIEW IS PROPERLY LABELING AND ENCODING THESE REPORTS, WE DO NOT, AND I WANT TO STRESS ON IT, DO NOT HAVE THE STAFFING TO INVESTIGATE EVERY INCIDENT.
HOWEVER, VIOLENCE CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS MUST BE THE PRIORITY.
[00:05:02]
AS I SHARED PREVIOUSLY.SOME INDIVIDUALS ALSO FILED MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THE SIX, THE TWO THOU, THE 264,000, SORRY, INCIDENT REPORTS, MAJOR ASSAULTS DIVISION MAKE UP ABOUT 109,000 OF THOSE REPORTS, AND 91,000 ARE FILED BY PROPERTY AND FIN FINANCIAL CRIMES DIVISION.
WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED 6,537 INCIDENT REPORTS ASSIGNED TO THE HOMICIDE DIVISION.
THE MAJORITY OF THOSE INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED, UM, ASSAULTS AND THREATS BEFORE 2018 WHEN MAJOR ASSAULT UNITS WAS IN WITHIN THE HOMICIDE DIVISION.
THE MAJOR ASSAULT AND FAMILY VIOLENCE DIVISION WAS CREATED IN 2018, UH, TO WORK ASSAULTS, THREATS AND FAMILY VIOLENCE INCIDENTS, TRIAL MEDIA PARTNERS, WE, WE WILL BE DISTRIBUTING A SPREADSHEET WITH ALL 264,000 INCIDENT REPORTS AND TITLES.
AFTER SOMETIME AFTER THIS NEWS CONFERENCE, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF.
UH, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS THAT ARE MISLABELED AND MISTITLED.
ONE CONCERN OF MINE AS WE GO THROUGH THE INCIDENT REPORTS IS, HAS THE STATUTE OF LIMITATION EXPIRED? HOW MANY? WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL THE REVIEW IS COMPLETED.
WE DO KNOW, HOWEVER, ADULT SEX, UH, I'M SORRY, ADULT SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENTS DATING BACK TO 2016 WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BECAUSE THE STATUTE OF LIMITATION IS AT LEAST 10 YEARS OR LONGER FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS.
THAT'S ANOTHER REASON I GOT A PRIORITY ON THAT.
LET ME ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS OF WHEN I KNEW ABOUT THE LACK OF PERSONNEL CODE AND, AND THE ACCIDENT I TOOK.
FIRST OF ALL, FOR SOME HISTORY, THIS CODE WAS CREATED AGAIN IN 2016, AND HAS IT BEEN USED IN TWO PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS PRIOR TO ME BEING NAMED CHIEF IN APRIL OF 2021.
AS I STATED, TWO WEEKS AGO, NOVEMBER 21ST, I'M SORRY, NOVEMBER, 2021 WAS THE FIRST TIME I WAS MADE AWARE OF THIS CODE BEING USED IN A BRIEFING BY SPECIAL VICTIMS DIVISION.
AT THAT TIME, I TOLD THEM THE CODE WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND NEVER USE IT AGAIN.
I WAS INFORMED THAT THOSE REPORTS IN QUESTION, THOSE INCIDENT REPORTS IN QUESTION, WERE NOT SEXUAL ASSAULT INCIDENTS.
I PROVIDED THEM WITH THIS WITH ADDITIONAL STAFFING AND TOLD THEM TO REVIEW ALL OF THOSE REPORTS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T MISS ANY VICTIMS. FINALLY, I TOLD 'EM, IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL STAFFING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
I ISSUED A DIRECTIVE VERBALLY TO SENIOR MEMBERS OF MY LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND THAT DIRECTIVE WAS NOT CARRIED OUT.
AS I'VE STATED, THE LACK OF FOLLOWING MY DIRECTIVE IS CURRENTLY A PART OF THE ONGOING ID INVESTIGATION.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE 2016 IS UNACCEPTABLE, AND HPD AS A DEPARTMENT OWNS IT, AND I'M COMMITTED AS CHIEF TO MAKING SURE THAT WE FIX IT.
OUR MEDIA OUTLETS, ONE OF OUR MEDIA OUTLETS REPORTED THAT I SIGNED OFF ON A MAJOR ASSAULTS DIVISION STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE WE REFER TO AS SOP IN DECEMBER, 2023.
THAT'S NOT ACCURATE, NOR FACTUAL SOPS ARE DRAFTED AT A DIVISIONAL LEVEL AND APPROVED BY ASSISTANT CHIEF.
MOVING FORWARD, I'VE CHANGED THAT POLICY TO HAVE A SECOND LEVEL OF REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
UP UNTIL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT CHIEF, LET'S TALK ABOUT STAFFING.
WHILE OUR CITY POPULATION HAS GROWN APPROXIMATELY HALF MILLION, UH, WE ARE DEPARTMENT HAS DECREASED BY HUNDREDS OF OFFICERS.
IT'S NO SECRET THAT WE'RE DRASTICALLY UNDERSTAFFED.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE LESS THAN 5,200 OFFICERS.
AGAIN, THAT'S HUNDREDS OF OFFICERS SHY OF WHERE WE WERE 25 YEARS AGO.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR CIVILIAN STAFFS.
WE SLASHED THEM MORE THAN HALF.
THE ONE TIME WE HAD OVER 20, OVER 2000 CIVILIANS.
[00:10:01]
UNDER 900.WE NEED ADDITIONAL 2000 OFFICERS TO PROPERLY PATROL OUR STREETS AND CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS IN THIS CITY.
I'M NOT THE FIRST CHIEF AT HPD TO SOUND AN ALARM ON STAFFING CHALLENGES.
I KNOW WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITH SUCH LOW NUMBERS OF PERSONNELS TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH ALL THE SERVICES IT DESERVES.
WE NEED OUR CITIZENS, OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SUPPORT MAYOR WHITMEYER WHEN HE ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES TO HELP US WITH STAFFING IN THIS CITY.
THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE A FUND, UH, FUNDING THROUGHOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, IN PARTICULAR, MORE FUNDING TO CRIME LABS.
ONCE A VIOLENT OFFENDER OFFENDERS ARE ARRESTED, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE LET OUT ON OUR STREETS.
THEY NEED TO BE TRIED AND IF FOUND GUILTY SENT TO PRISON.
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE'RE FACING IS THE RMS SYSTEM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT HOUSES EVERYTHING.
ALL OF OUR REPORTS, ALL OF OUR STATS.
IT'S AT THE END OF THE LIFE CYCLE.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, OUR POLITICAL LEADERS, OUR COUNCIL FOR PROVING THE FUNDING FOR THAT.
BUT THAT SYSTEM DON'T COME IN UNTIL, UH, NEXT YEAR SOMETIME.
THE SYSTEM THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, EVEN GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THE CODE, WHY WAS THE CODE NOT REMOVED? IT'S HARDWIRED TO THAT SYSTEM, AND IF WE TRY TO REMOVE THAT CODE, THEN OUR SYSTEM CRASHES.
IT'S STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THAT HAPPENS.
IT'S OUTDATED AND IT LIMITED US, AND IT MAKES, TAKES MORE TIME WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND SEARCH AND, AND, AND FIND OUT DIFFERENT THINGS.
IN CONCLUSION, WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES TO FISH TO FIX THE ISSUE.
THIS ISSUE OF, UH, SUSPENDING INCIDENTS, REPORTS, I'M SORRY, SUSPENDED INCIDENT REPORTS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS TODAY.
A REVIEW OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL TAKE MONTHS.
I WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR MEDIA PARTNERS AS WE, AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS REVIEW.
AS THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, THERE WILL BE AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY REVIEW OF OUR HANDLING OF THE SUSPENDED INCIDENT REPORTS.
I THINK IT LENDS CREDIBILITY AND IT ANSWERS TO A LOT OF CRITICS, UM, THAT WE HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE LOOKING AT IT.
WE HAVE A SOPHISTICATED COMMUNITY, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
I KNOW THAT THERE'S DISAPPOINTMENT AND PAIN, THOUGH DAMAGED.
THERE'S STILL A LEVEL OF TRUST IN OUR CITY, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT, AND I KNOW WE GOT A LOT TO DO TO REPAIR IT, BUT IT'S STILL THERE.
AND THAT'S UNLIKE ANY OTHER CITY.
AND THAT'S WHY I LOVE THIS CITY.
I WANT THE SURVIVORS, THE FAMILY MEMBERS, OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA FIX THIS.
WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THROUGH PAIN COMES IMPROVEMENT.
AND THROUGH OUR PAIN, OUR DEPARTMENT, THE CHIEF, EVERYONE, WE'RE GONNA FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WE'RE GONNA BE A BETTER DEPARTMENT MOVING FORWARD.
AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA CALL UP, UH, COMMANDER GARCIA, COME UP AND TRANSLATE IN SPANISH, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS.
AN INCIDENT AGGRESSION, SEXUAL INCIDENT
[00:15:43]
INCIDENT, SPECIAL VICTIMS REPORT@HOUSTONPOLICE.ORG.[00:20:03]
PERSONAS, THE WHITMEYER.I KNOW WE HAD A LOT PACKED IN, UM, SPEAKING POINTS, BUT IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, THAT OUR SPANISH SPEAKERS, UH, UM, HERE AS WELL.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I STAND HERE AND SUPPORT, UH, EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY IS, IS IMPORTANT.
SO LET'S START WITH, UH, UH, QUESTIONS AND WE'LL START ON, ON THIS SIDE.
TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU THINK THIS CODE IS REFLECTIVE OF CASES THAT WERE INSUFFICIENTLY INVESTIGATED AND WHAT EXTENT THE NATURAL FUNCTION OF THE FACT THAT YOU, AS WITH A LOT OF OTHER POLICE AGENCIES, JUST DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER OF STAFFING MOTIVE TO INVESTIGATE EACH.
STAFFING IS AN ISSUE, BUT AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE EXCUSE FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT TYPE OF, UH, INCIDENT REPORTS AND INVESTIGATIONS AND, AND OTHER, UM, UH, CRIMES AGAINST, UH, VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS.
UM, BUT I'M ALSO NOT COMFORTABLE RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE CLEAN THIS.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, 264,000 POSSIBLY MISLABELED, POSSIBLY MISCODED, UM, A NUMBER OF THINGS UNTIL WE CLEAN THAT, I'M GONNA BE, FIRST TO SAY I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH ANY OF THE STATISTICS.
UH, THE GOOD THING, THE NIVAN SYSTEM THAT WE USE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE REPORTING TO EVERY MONTH AFTER THE 10TH.
ANYTHING THAT WE GET IN THERE AND WE CORRECT, IT'S GONNA SELF-CORRECT.
SO, UM, ONCE WE GET THROUGH WITH THIS PROCESS, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THOSE NUMBERS GOING FORWARD, FORWARD, AND EVEN IN PAST YEARS.
UM, THAT'S WHEN I'LL FEEL COMFORTABLE.
IS THERE A PARTICULAR LOCATION, UH, FOR THE CASES OF PARTICULAR CONCENTRATION, UH, CONCENTRATED AREA OR LOCATION THAT YOU'VE NOTICED THAT MOST OF THE, NO ANALYSIS ON THAT, UM, YET? UM, HOWEVER, UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S IT'S LOCATION SPECIFIC.
UH, I I JUST THINK, UM, IT'S A LOT OF MS. COLE AND NOT A LOT OF MISLABELING.
WE NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT CODE, UM, FOR, UM, UH, VIOLENT CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS.
AND, UM, THAT'S GONNA BE ALL A PART OF THAT PROCESS WE WANT TO LOOK AT THAT WE WANT TO DIVE IN INTO.
AND ALSO, WELCOME TO THE THIRD PARTY.
UM, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, WITH MAYOR WHITMEYER THIS MORNING, AND, UM, JUST SOME THINGS THAT WE WANT DISCUSSED AND REVIEWED, UM, BY NOW OUTSIDE PANEL, IT'S ALL ABOUT US GETTING BETTER AS A AGENCY, LEARNING FROM THIS ADMITTING TO WE HAVE A PROBLEM TELLING PEOPLE HOW WE GONNA FIX IT AND PROMISING THOSE SURVIVORS THAT IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.
PART OF THE CODE SAYS THAT THE, UM, REPORTS THAT WERE LABELED WITH THIS CODE NEEDED TO GO BACK, BE REVIEWED, AND IF POSSIBLE, REDISTRIBUTED OUT TO INVESTIGATORS.
WAS THAT PART OF THE CODE HAPPENING? THIS IS, ANSWER THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME.
SO, UH, WHAT WE SAW IN THE HANDBOOK OR THE SOP, IT SAYS THAT IF THESE CASES WERE LABELED WITH THE SL CODE, OKAY.
THAT PERIODICALLY THEY NEEDED TO
[00:25:01]
BE GO BACK, RE-REVIEW THESE CASES THAT WERE LABELED THAT WAY AND ABLE TO REDISTRIBUTE THEM TO INVESTIGATORS.BUT WERE, WERE THEY BEING REDISTRIBUTED? YEAH, I'M NOT SURE THAT'S PART OF THE, THE REVIEW, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, UH, A FRONT END PROBLEM THAT, THAT I SEE NOW, UM, WHEN YOU GOT SO MANY OF 'EM COMING IN THE PROPER WAY IS TO DEAL WITH THAT, HAVE A PROPER MANAGEMENT, CASE MANAGEMENT, UH, POLICY AND SYSTEM UP FRONT.
UH, YOU DON'T PUT IT ANYWHERE.
UM, NOW I'LL BE ALSO WANT TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC.
WE GET, UM, SO MANY REPORTS IN, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE EVERYTHING AND, AND LOOK AT EVERYTHING, BUT WE'RE SURE GONNA TRY.
BUT I THINK WHERE YOU LOSE RESPECT OKAY.
AND TRUST WITH THE PUBLIC IS IF IT'S A CRIME OF VIOLENCE, WE HAVE TO, AND I DON'T CARE IF WE ARE 2000 OR 3000.
BUT THE SAME WAY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO NOT CHIEF FINNER MY, MY TEAM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, IN JUST A FEW WEEKS, REACH AND TOUCH THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND GET 'EM THE RESPECT AND THE LOVE THAT THEY DESERVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY WENT THROUGH SOMETHING AS, AS TRAUMATIC AS SOME OF OUR, OUR VICTIMS. SO, UM, THAT'S PART OF OUR PROCESS AND WORKING OUT, UH, UM, NEW PROCESSES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER STAFF.
IF I GOTTA TAKE DOWN, UH, DIVISIONS LIKE COMMUNITY SERVICE OR SOME OTHER VI UH, DIVISIONS, THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO DOING.
WE WANT TO SERVE OUR CITIZENS, UH, UM, THE BEST WAY WE CAN WITH THE STAFFING THAT WE HAVE.
BUT AGAIN, A CALL TO OUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS IS ALSO A STAFFING ISSUE.
UH, CHIEF, YOU SAID THE MAJORITY IN THE HOMICIDE DIVISION WERE ASSAULTS AND KIND OF THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WERE THERE ANY HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS? I'M NOT, I'M NOT, UM, COMFORTABLE IN SAYING THAT.
I'VE, I'VE HEARD OF A, A FEW CA CASES.
UM, AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, AND WHEN I SAY WE'RE GONNA KEEP Y'ALL INFORMED AS AS WE GO, UM, IT'S A LOT PACKED IN THIS, THIS, THIS PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY.
AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL NAIL DOWN ON SPECIFICS.
IF YOU HAVE SOME CASE NUMBERS OR SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT US TO LOOK, LOOK AT, UM, SEND IT TO US.
SHE, THE SL CODE WAS AN INTERNAL CODE, BUT HOW ARE THESE CRIMES CODED EXTERNALLY WHEN SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL INCIDENT BASED REPORTING SYSTEM? WHERE, WHERE THEY CODED AS CLEARED, AND IS THERE A CONCERN THAT THESE CASES PAINTED, AROSE YOUR YEAH.
PICTURE OF THE CASE CLEARED THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY REACTED? HEY, LET ME ASK A, UM, QUESTION LIKE THIS.
UM, I'M NOT SO MUCH CONCERNED IF IT GOES UP OR DOWN.
I WANT THE ACCURATE AND I, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
UM, HOPEFULLY IN A FEW MONTHS AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH ALL THIS, WE'LL HAVE A BE A BETTER PICTURE, AND I WANNA BE TRANSPARENT AND HONEST WITH THAT.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU FIRST LEARNED ABOUT THIS IN NOVEMBER OF 2021.
DID, DID YOU, SINCE FROM THAT TIME TILL NOW, WHEN YOU RELEARNED THAT, THAT, THAT THE, THE YOUTH CODE IS STILL BEING, WAS STILL BEING USED.
DID YOU HAVE, WAS THERE ANY FOLLOW UP FROM YOU OR OTHERS IN YOUR COMMAND STAFF TO SEE THAT? WHEN, WHEN I, THAT YOUR ORDER HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED? MM-HMM
WHEN I GIVE A DIRECTIVE TO A SENIOR, SENIOR, UH, LEADERS IN MY ORGANIZATION, I EXPECT THAT TO BE FOLLOWED.
UM, AND AGAIN, UH, THAT'S PART OF THE INVESTIGATION.
UM, IF THERE'S FOLLOW UP, I EXPECT COMMANDERS, ASSISTANT CHIEFS AND, AND ANYBODY OF THAT UPPER LEADERSHIP.
UH, ONE THING THAT I SAID, AND, AND, UM, I, I DON'T WANNA REPEAT IT, A AFTER THAT I SPECIFICALLY ASKED AND SAID, IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL STAFFING, GET BACK WITH ME.
BUT I DO EXPECT EVERYBODY TO, UH, UH, FOLLOW MY DIRECTIVES AS CHIEF OF POLICE CHIEF SO FAR IN THIS INVESTIGATION.
WHO STARTED IMPLEMENTING THIS CODE? I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED TWO PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION, AND I KNOW THAT YOU WERE VERY CLOSE TO CHIEF, UM, ACEVEDO.
WAS HE AWARE OF THIS, UM, CODE TOO AND WHO STARTED? I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR HIM, BUT, UH, UM, IT'S, IT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT, THAT HE'S JUST LIKE, I WAS OKAY.
UM, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR, UM, CHIEF OVE OR ANY OTHER CHIEF.
UM, MY CONCERN, UH, GOES TO FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED AND, AND WHEN WE'RE STILL LOOKING INTO THAT.
BUT MY MAJOR CONCERN AND MY MAJOR PRIORITY IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TOUCH AS MANY OF THESE VICTIMS OR SURVIVORS THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN IN THE SHORTEST PERIOD THAT WE CAN AND CLEAN UP OUR SYSTEM.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHO STARTED IMPLEMENTING THE CODE.
UM, IT'S STILL ON THE INVESTIGATION.
I KNOW IT GOES BACK TO ADMINISTRATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR THE NEWS CONFERENCE.
[00:30:01]
THAT ARE WATCHING, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS HERE TODAY.UM, FIRST OFF, HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED THAT ANY OF THE VICTIMS IN THESE SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES OR IN THESE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES ARE NOW DECEASED? I WAS MADE AWARE OF, OF, OF ONE VICTIM AND, UH, UM, WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT.
UM, UH, THAT'S PART OF IT AND IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT CAUSED THE SUICIDE, BUT I'M NOT ALSO HERE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE PROPERLY OR OR IMPROPERLY DIDN'T DO SOMETHING.
IT DIDN'T LET US INVESTIGATE THAT.
AND, AND, UH, AND THAT WAS A SUICIDE, SIR.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS MADE AWARE OF.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY CASE YOU'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF SO FAR, A SUICIDE CASE? YES.
ON THE, AND THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE'VE WENT OUT TO THUS FAR, THE I THINK IT WAS, WHAT, 698 I, YEAH.
AND, AND YOU INDICATED THAT YOU GAVE THE VERBAL ORDER BACK IN 2021, UM, AND YOU HAVE AN IAD INVESTIGATION THAT'S GOING ON TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT TOOK PLACE.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO HOUSTONIANS, CAN IAD INVESTIGATE YOU? I, I, AS YOU DO, DIRECT THE INVESTIGATORS.
I THINK THE, UH, UM, ULTIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SOURCE FOR CHIEF OF POLICE, NOT ONLY, UH, THE CHIEF IN HOUSTON IS THE PUBLIC AND THE MAYOR WHO SAID, UM, THAT HE'S HOLDING EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE.
AND I AS WELL, UH, BUT I AM THE CHIEF, AND I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY WHEN WE GET THROUGH IT ALL THIS, AND I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR FOR SUPPORTING ME AND GIVING ME MY ADMINISTRATION, THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO CORRECT THIS AND FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT THAT'S WHERE THE ACCOUNTABILITY STARTS AND ENDS WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE.
BUT CHIEF, AND AS YOU GET TO THE NEXT QUESTION, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GOT OTHERS TO GO TO.
CAN IAD INVESTIGATE YOU AS THE CHIEF? IED CAN INVESTIGATE ANYBODY, AS, AS I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M THE CHIEF.
AND YOU DONE SO, SO FAR IN THIS INVESTIGATION, SIR, THE INVESTIGATION, UH, THUS FAR IS IN PART OF WHY MY DIRECTIVE WASN'T, WASN'T FOLLOWED.
AND, UH, THE ANSWER IS AGAIN, AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
ULTIMATELY, ULTIMATELY, THE CHIEF IS JUDGED AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE PUBLIC.
AND I, I THINK THAT THAT'LL HAPPEN.
CHIEF TWO, UH, HIGH RANKING OFFICERS DEMOTED AND I WOULD IMAGINE REASSIGNED, DO YOU SEE MORE FALLOUT COMING, UH, IN THE DEPARTMENT AS, UH, AS, UH, WE, YOU KNOW, UNCOVER THE LAYERS OF THIS, UH, OF THIS INVESTIGATION? I, I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF THE INVESTIGATION AND I, I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL TO, UH, POSSIBLE TARGETS.
UH, THERE'S A LOT STILL EARLY ON IN THIS INVESTIGATION, AND, AND I, I, I JUST WANT TO BE FAIR TO EVERYBODY THERE, THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK.
UM, I'M DRIVEN BY EVIDENCE AND, UH, FACTS, UH, OF THE INVESTIGATION AND THAT, THAT THAT'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT WE'RE GONNA HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
ARE YOU ABLE TO TELL US HOW THE DEPARTMENT DECIDED WHICH SPECIFIC CASES WOULD GET THIS CODE AND WHO MADE THOSE DECISIONS? I'M NOT SURE THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA BE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION.
AND, AND, AND AGAIN, UM, IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, CODE USED IN SPECIAL VICTIMS FOR, UH, SEXUAL ASSAULT, UM, VICTIMS. AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP, CAN YOU GIVE US ANY SPECIFICS ON WHICH AREAS OR INVESTIGATIONS WILL NOW, UH, IS STAFFING IS STILL AN ISSUE, RIGHT? AS Y'ALL ADDRESS THIS, WE'RE, WE'RE MOBILIZING.
I, I'M, I'M DEFINITELY NOT TAKING, UH, OFFICERS OUT THE STREETS, UH, OFF THE STREETS IN PATROL, BUT IT, IT'LL BE, UH, FROM AREAS IN WHICH, UM, UM, NOT INVESTIGATING, UH, UM, UH, INCIDENTS, VIOLENCE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS.
UM, SO THE CHALLENGE IS IF I, IF I WAS PROPERLY STAFFED, IF I HAD THE 2000 THAT I NEED NEEDED, IT'D BE VERY EASY.
BUT I ALSO WANT TO THANK, UH, MAYOR WHITMEYER AGAIN AND HIS ADMINISTRATION FOR KNOWING THAT WE ARE SHORT STAFFED.
WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, SUPPLEMENT, UM, THE STAFFING WITH OVERTIME NOW, BUT THAT RUNS OUT AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS.
UM, IT'S TIME, HIGH TIME IN OUR CITY THAT, THAT WE REALLY GET SERIOUS ABOUT ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.
GO AHEAD AND CHIEF, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE ACTUAL CODING PROCESS.
CAN YOU WALK ME THROUGH LIKE HOW AN INCIDENT GOES ON? I GOT SOMEBODY HERE THAT CAN, SO, OKAY, LIEUTENANT.
I'M, UH, LIEUTENANT JOHN COLBURN WITH SPECIAL VICTIMS DIVISION.
SO, UM, YOU'RE ASKING HOW DOES A CASE GET CODED? OKAY, SO WHEN A CASE COMES IN, IT GOES TO THE CASE MANAGEMENT, IT'S UNDER REVIEW AT THAT POINT.
UH, IT'S ROUTED TO THE, THE PERSPECTIVE UNIT, WHETHER IF IT'S, IF WE'RE TALKING SPECIAL
[00:35:01]
VICTIMS, IF IT'S AN ADULT CASE, IT GOES TO ADULT SEX CRIMES.IF IT'S CHILD, IT GOES TO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
UH, AT THAT POINT, UH, SUPERVISOR REVIEWS IT, THEY DETERMINE THE PRIORITY LEVEL, THEY ASSIGN IT TO AN INVESTIGATOR FOR FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION.
UH, AT THAT TIME THEY, THEY CONDUCT THEIR INVESTIGATION.
AND DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME OF THAT INVESTIGATION, UH, IF THEY MAKE AN ARREST, IT COULD BE CLEARED BY, UM, ARRESTS MADE.
IF, IF, UH, THEY RUN OUT OF, OF LEADS, IT COULD BE INACTIVATED, NO FURTHER LEADS AFTER A COMPLETE AND THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.
A COUPLE OF OTHERS ARE, UH, IF, IF, IF THE CASE IS REFERRED TO A GRAND JURY, IT COULD BE IN ENACTED FOR THAT TOO.
AND AS THE SUSPENDED, UM, LACK OF PERSONNEL WHO WOULD'VE FILED THAT CODING IN THE, YOU KNOW, CHAIN OF COMMAND SO THAT THAT WAS HANDLED ON THE SERGEANT'S LEVEL WHEN THEY WERE VIEWING THE CASES AS THEY CAME IN.
UM, AND THEN A FOLLOW UP ON THAT FOR CHIEF SPINNER, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, CHIEF SPIN WE TALKED ABOUT SO FAR, SOME OF THE DEMOTIONS.
HAVE YOU IN THE INVESTIGATION SEEN ANY REASON TO FIRE SOME OF THESE OFFICERS OR SOME OF THESE PEOPLE IN HIGHER COMMAND? I DON'T, I DON'T, AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO GET AHEAD OF IT.
UM, AND, AND I WANT TO BE FAIR TO EVERYBODY, AND, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
UM, INTEGRITY THROUGHOUT EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT.
OUR INTEGRITY IN THE COMMUNITY HAS, HAS BEEN DAMAGED.
UM, UH, AND I DON'T WANT TO DAMAGE, UH, THE INTEGRITY OF AN IED INVESTIGATION, UM, BECAUSE ALL OF OUR OFFICERS, ALL OF OUR FAMILY, THEY HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT AND, AND, AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, EVEN IF WE DISAGREE, THERE'S FAIRNESS IN THIS PROCESS.
AND, AND, UM, THAT'S WHY A, A LOT OF TIMES, AND, AND, AND IT HADN'T COME UP TODAY, AND I'M, I'M GONNA REST WITH THIS.
UM, I NEED THIS, I NEED THIS AND, AND I, I NEED THIS, YOU KNOW, FROM, FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S EVER GOOD TO, UM, INVESTIGATE AN INTERNAL OR A CRIMINAL CASE, UM, IN THE MEDIA.
I, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE RESPECTFUL OF THAT.
AND, AND I, I APPRECIATE MOSTLY EVERYBODY HERE.
UM, CAN YOU TELL US THE LAST TIME THIS CODE WAS USED TO DATE? AND THEN CAN YOU ALSO TELL US MORE ABOUT, UH, WHO THE DEMOTIONS WERE, WHY THEY SPECIFICALLY WERE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE DEMOTED AND WHY? I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO SPECIFIC, BUT, UH, THES, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF LEVEL AND UP AND OUR DEPARTMENT IS APPOINTED, IT'S AT WILL.
AND AS THE CHIEF, I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY EVALUATE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO MOVE OUR, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, FORWARD.
UH, AND I MADE THOSE DECISIONS.
UM, AND, AND THAT I I, I ARRESTED THAT.
IF THESE CASES WEREN'T INVESTIGATED ABOUT, TWO MORE QUESTIONS TO YOU.
JUST A CLARIFICATION ON, UM, HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO GO BACK AND INVESTIGATE THE CASES NOW OR, OR REVIEW THE CASES NOW AND TALK TO THE VICTIMS NOW, IF STAFFING IS STILL AN ISSUE.
WELL, AGAIN, WE'VE ASSEMBLED JUST AS YOU, YOU'VE SEEN, UH, AND, AND, AND I'LL SAY, UH, OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN AN ASSISTANT CHIEF AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT MOST, WELL, NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT I MEAN, I WANT TO INFORM EVERYBODY.
UM, MOST OF MY WORK HAS BEEN ON OPERATIONS PATROL SIDE.
UP UNTIL THE, I BECAME CHIEF OF POLICE, JUST AS WE MASS NUMBERS OF, OF INDIVIDUALS, UM, AND HIT HOTSPOTS AND, AND TAKE CARE OF STUFFS IN THE STREETS.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING BEHIND THE SCENES IN INVESTIGATIONS RIGHT NOW.
UM, AND AT SOME POINT, UM, IF WE CAN IN SOME KIND OF CONTROLLED FASHION, I'D LIKE TO INVITE A FEW MEMBERS OF, OF THE MEDIA TO COME OUT AND SEE SOME OF THE OPERATIONS THAT THAT, THAT WE'RE GOING TO, FOR US TO GET AROUND TO IN JUST A WEEK, YOU KNOW, 600 AND, UH, 98.
AND I'M HOPING I'M SAYING THE, THE, UH, THE NUMBER, RIGHT.
I KNOW IT'S MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE VISITING, MAKING VISITS AS WE SPEAK.
UH, WE WANT TO GET TO THOSE, UM, POTENTIAL VICTIMS, UH, UM, AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
SO SOME STAFF MEMBERS WHO TYPICALLY DON'T DO THAT ARE NOW ASSIGNED TO DO IT.
UH, FROM OUR DRT, AGAIN, DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TEAM, THOSE ARE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, UM, AND ALSO OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE, UH, UH, UH, OFFICERS AS WELL.
UH, CHIEF, I HAD TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.
ONE IS, I KNOW THE CODE WAS CREATED IN 2016 MM-HMM
BUT THERE IS THAT 2014 REPORT.
I MEAN, HOW LONG HAS THE DEPARTMENT BEEN SUSPENDING CASES DUE TO A LACK OF
I, I KNOW THAT THERE, THERE WERE SOME TALKS AND, UH, ABOUT IT, BUT WHEN WE GO BACK INTO OUR SYSTEM, OKAY.
AND, AND, AND OUR MS SYSTEM WE'RE SHOWING, UM, THAT IT STARTED IN, IN 2016, FAR AS ASSIGNING THOSE CODES, SO, RIGHT.
AND THEN IF THAT CHANGES, YOU KNOW, WE, WE,
[00:40:01]
WE'LL DEFINITELY INFORM YOU, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.KINDA RELATED QUESTION, LIKE THE TALK IS STAFFING ISN'T NEW, BUT HOW MUCH OF THE PROBLEM IS LOGISTICS? YOU KNOW, LIKE, OF, OF YOUR OFFICERS, HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE INVESTIGATORS? YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE NORMALLY HAVE MORE OFFICERS ON THE, ON PATROL, UH, THAN IN INVESTIGATIONS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU'S LIKE SWISS CHEESE RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, CAGE FOR U HAS REQUESTED YOUR EMAILS REGARDING SUSPENDED LACK OF PERSONNEL CASES.
YOU'VE REPEATEDLY PLEDGED TRANSPARENCY.
WHY HAVE YOU NOT RELEASED THOSE EMAILS? I, I THINK THAT'S IN A PUBLIC, UH, UM, OPEN RECORDS REQUESTS.
UM, I COMMUNICATE WITH THE, UH, UH, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OVER THERE.
THEY TOLD ME THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS.
UM, THERE'S A GOOD POSSIBILITY THAT THERE MAY NOT BE ANY EMAILS.
UM, AND, AND I, I DEFINITELY WANNA BE AS TRANSPARENT AS AS, AS WE CAN.
UM, UM, AND, AND IT'S NO PROBLEM.
UM, IF THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, IT, LET'S GET 'EM OUT.
BUT, UH, WHEN YOU SEND IN SOMETHING AND WHAT I, WHAT I WAS TOLD, IT'S NOT SPECIFIC AND, AND YOU GOT, UH, DIFFERENT WORDS, IT CAN PULL UP A A LOT OF OTHER STUFF THAT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT.
SO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, UH, LOOK AT THAT AND REVIEW THAT.
SO IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT EMAILS RELEASED, BUT I, I DO STAND BY THIS AND I GO BY THE, THE, THE COUNCIL OF, OF MY LEGAL TEAM.
UM, IF IT'S GONNA IMPACT AND TEAR DOWN THE INTEGRITY OF THE INVESTIGATION, THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION, THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WHO'S MOST IMPORTANT? THOSE SURVIVORS AND THOSE VICTIMS, UH, THAT'S WHO I WANT TO MAKE WHOLE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONDUCT A THOROUGH, UH, COMPLETE INVESTIGATION, UH, WITH, IN INTEGRITY IN PLACE.
AND THEN AT THE END OF IT, UH, I, I, I, I'LL SAY THIS, AND NOBODY'S ASKED THIS UNPRECEDENTED ASKED THE WORLD, WHAT DID I DO? IT'S NOT EVEN HEARD OF IN ANY CITY, ANYWHERE IN THIS, IN THIS COUNTRY.
I RELEASED THAT ENTIRE INCIDENT REPORT.
NOW I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME 1 43 RULES THAT, THAT, THAT GOVERNS, UH, POLICE INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I CAN LEGALLY DO, BUT AT SOME POINT, I WANT THIS OUT HERE.
I THINK THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW.
AND, UH, WE CAN, UH, GO BACKWARDS AND FORWARD AND DIS AGREE TO DISAGREE.
BUT I'M PRETTY DARN TRANSPARENT, BUT I CAN'T MOVE ON EVERYBODY'S CLOCK.
I GOTTA MOVE ON THE CLOCK OF INTEGRITY.
AND CHIEF, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, YOU INFORMED HOUSTONIANS OF THE SUSPENDED CASES ON FEBRUARY THE 16TH, BUT THERE WASN'T A CIRCULAR PUT OUT BY YOU UNTIL MARCH THE FIRST TO THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT TO NO LONGER USE THE CODE.
WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG TO INFORM THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT TO STOP USING THE CODE? WELL, SINCE WE WERE INFORMED ON THIS, UM, EVERY DAY WE GOT TEAMS OF SUPERVISORS THAT'S LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT COMES THROUGH.
UH, THERE'S NO RUSH WHEN YOU HAVE THAT IN PLACE.
UH, WE WANT TO GET THE RIGHT, UH, UM, UM, PROCEDURES DOWN, UH, THE RIGHT WORDING FOR THE CIRCULAR.
BUT, UH, NOBODY OR NOTHING WAS SLIDING THROUGH THE SYSTEM WITHOUT US KNOWING.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION.
BUT, UM, UH, WE WERE LOOKING AT IT EVERY DAY.
SO, AND CHIEF AND CHIEF TWO WEEKS AGO, YOU STOOD UP HERE AND YOU SAID, THE MAYOR DOESN'T HAVE TO HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE.
TROY NER HOLDS HIMSELF ACCOUNTABLE.
WHAT'S CHANGED IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS THAT TROY FINNER CAN NO LONGER HOLD HIMSELF ACCOUNTABLE? THAT'S WHAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, I, I'VE SAID, AND, AND I, I'LL STAND ON THIS AND, AND THIS IS THE LAST STATEMENT.
UM, THE PUBLIC HOLDS ME ACCOUNTABLE.
THE MAYOR HOLDS ME ACCOUNTABLE, AND I CERTAINLY HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE.
BUT THANK Y'ALL, UH, FOR YOUR PATIENTS.
I KNOW THAT WE SAID THAT WE WERE GONNA DO A PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK.
ANOTHER PROBLEM, UM, THAT I, I DON'T KNOW IF, 'CAUSE IT'S, IT'S BEEN LONG, IT'S LOT PACKED IN HERE.
OUR RMS SYSTEM, AND I CALL IT IN A DINOSAUR, AS WE'RE PULLING AND TRYING TO GET AND SORT THINGS, IT'S, IT'S THREATENING TO CRASH ON US EVERY DAY.
SO AS I DO PRESS CONFERENCES MOVING FORWARD, I WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING MORE AND SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO SHARE WITH YOU.
AND I, I HOPE, UH, Y'ALL UNDERSTAND THAT AND THINK THAT'S FAIR.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE, UM, OUR MEDIA AND THIS CITY.
I TALK TO CHIEFS ALL AROUND THE NATION EVERY DAY.
I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR Y'ALL.
AND THANK Y'ALL FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO.