Police in Houston are currently reviewing DNA testing in connection with over 4,000 sexual assault and sex crime cases that were dropped due to staffing issues. These cases, which span the past eight years, were part of more than 264,000 incident reports that were never investigated due to a lack of available personnel.
During a recent news conference, it was revealed that out of the 4,000 sexual assault cases, more than 1,100 had sexual assault kits that were tested for DNA. Additionally, nearly 5,100 incident reports related to indecent assaults and exposures were reviewed, with 57 of them having DNA kits tested.
As a result of the DNA testing, 95 cases had matches to suspects in the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database. Police are currently reviewing these matches and conducting further investigations, although some cases involve victims who do not wish to proceed or suspects who have already been charged.
The investigation into these dropped cases is expected to be completed by the end of the month. Police Chief Troy Finner has expressed frustration over the internal code that led to the dropping of these cases, which was created in 2016 before he assumed his role as chief in April 2021.
An independent panel has been established to review the police handling of the dropped incident reports, and two assistant chiefs have already been demoted over their involvement in the matter. Mayor John Whitmire has expressed confidence in Chief Finner's commitment to resolving the issue and ensuring accountability.
Officers have reviewed a portion of the suspended incident reports, with approximately 26,000 of them being suspended under a different internal code related to various factors such as a lack of leads or arrests. Five individuals have been charged in connection with a review of 807 domestic violence cases that were part of the dropped cases.
