The Houston Police Department was thrown into turmoil as Police Chief Troy Finner unexpectedly retired from his position on Tuesday night. Finner, who had been with the department for 34 years and served as chief since 2021, stepped down amidst questions surrounding a department policy that had led to the suspension of hundreds of thousands of cases, including those involving sexual abuse.
The retirement announcement came shortly after an internal email surfaced, revealing that Finner had been aware of investigations being suspended due to a 'lack of personnel' as far back as 2018. Finner had previously claimed he only became aware of this practice in 2021 and had taken steps to address it upon assuming the role of chief.
Following Finner's departure, Acting Police Chief Larry Satterwhite was appointed by Houston Mayor John Whitmire. Whitmire emphasized that the decision was made in the best interest of the city and the police department, citing the impact the controversy had on HPD operations.
Finner, in a statement issued after news of his retirement broke, maintained that he had always been truthful and had not intended to mislead anyone. He pledged to address the media and the public once the investigation into the suspended cases was completed.
The Houston Police Department has been working to review the approximately 264,000 investigations that were suspended since 2016 due to 'lack of personnel,' with over 4,000 of these cases involving allegations of adult sex crimes. An independent review committee has also been tasked with investigating the matter.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the police department had yet to officially announce the change in leadership, leaving many questions unanswered about the future direction of the department in the wake of Finner's retirement.
