Houston’s police chief, Troy Finner, unexpectedly retired from the force amid controversy surrounding a department policy that allowed hundreds of thousands of cases, including sexual abuse cases, to be suspended. Finner had been serving as chief since 2021, culminating a 34-year career with the department. The retirement announcement came after an internal email surfaced, showing Finner referring to an investigation being suspended in 2018 due to a “lack of personnel,” three years before he claimed to be aware of the policy. Finner had previously stated that he only became aware of the practice in 2021 when he ordered the Special Victims Division to stop using the code for suspending investigations.
In April, Finner announced that the department had made progress in reviewing about 264,000 investigations that were suspended since 2016, with more than 4,000 of those cases involving allegations of adult sex crimes. An independent review committee is also investigating the matter. Finner maintained that he had always been truthful and had never intentionally misled anyone regarding the suspended investigations. He promised to address the media and the public once the investigation was complete. The mayor informed the city council of Finner’s retirement, and Larry Satterwhite was appointed as acting police chief in his place. Satterwhite had previously served as executive assistant chief under Finner.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire stated that Finner’s retirement was in the best interest of Houstonians and that the situation was affecting operations at the Houston Police Department. Whitmire did not disclose whether he had requested Finner’s retirement. Finner did not immediately respond to requests for comment from CNN, and as of Wednesday afternoon, the police department had not officially announced the change in leadership. The mayor emphasized that addressing the controversy was necessary to prevent it from becoming a distraction to the mission of the men and women in the Houston Police Department.
The situation surrounding Finner’s retirement raises questions about the handling of suspended investigations within the Houston Police Department and the lack of transparency in communicating such policies to leadership. The controversy also underscores the importance of accountability and oversight in law enforcement agencies to ensure that cases of serious crimes, such as sexual abuse, are properly investigated and resolved. Moving forward, it will be crucial for the Houston Police Department to implement reforms and put in place mechanisms to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. The appointment of Larry Satterwhite as acting police chief signals a new chapter for the department, and it remains to be seen how he will address the challenges and restore trust in the community.
