Cops Run Reds, Its a Fact

HPD had over 100 squad cars cited for running red lights without sirens during the first year of installing red light cameras in various locations throughout Houston. Many of the citations handed out have been appealed and dismissed for police officers.  The question not asked: how many police officers have run red lights with lights and sirens on just to turn them off and slow down after passing through intersections? We’ve all seen it done, just like we’ve all seen police cars speed, tailgate, harass homeless people with their speaker systems, and other tactics of “traffic control”.  Is this what HPD is now calling “community policing”? We hope not.

New Rules for HPD Car Chases

Chief Hurtt proves to have more sense than the HPD union. He proposed a limit on when car chases would be allowed, ruling out low level offenses such as traffic stops from qualifying for a chase. In response, the HPD Union raised so many complaints (what these complaints were, we do not know) that the mayor refused to allow Hurtt’s proposal to go into effect.

Instead, there is a new proposal that a supervisor will have to be warned that a police chase is about to begin and will then have to monitor and lead the police officers through the chase.

Conroe Car Chase Leads to Death

Conroe Police pursued a Willis man after he refused to pull over for a traffic stop. 7 miles into the chase, the Willis man crashed into a traffic signal pole and died upon impact.  

The pursuit review board is investigating the incident as is standard for all car chases.

State Troopers Aren’t Trained to Drive

“43 — Percent of collisions that were preventable, according to the Department of Public Safety’s statistics.”

How will we train the officers? With a special Bond of course! Coming up on state ballot in November.

Another car accident brought to you by HPD

3-car accident caused by HPD driving wrong way down a freeway service road. Yes, a feeder. He was driving the wrong way down the feeder.

Jersey Village Officer Robert LeRouax Found Self-Medicated on Evidence

After driving his police car into concrete highway support, Officer LeRouax was found to have multiple prescription bottles that had been marked as evidence within his possession.  

Officer Stanley Mathews Hits 5 Year Old and Grandmother in Car

Yet another accident caused by reckless driving by the HPD.

Police Officer Causes Car Accident

July 20, 2007, 10:42PM
HPD officer hospitalized after accident, to be released

By CHRISTINA M. WRIGHT

A Houston Police Department officer is expected to be released from a local hospital tonight after being involved in a three-vehicle crash in northeast Houston, authorities said.

Officer T. Winn, en route to a burglary in progress in northeast Houston, hit a vehicle while crossing the intersection at Parker Road and Homestead Road about 4 p.m., police said.

Winn had his sirens and lights on when he crossed the intersection, but struck a pickup truck while crossing. He spun and hit a third vehicle before slamming into a pole, said Victor Senties, HPD spokesman.

Winn and the truck driver were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital-The Texas Medical Center for treatment. A third person involved in the three-car collison suffered no injuries, police said.

christina.wright@chron.com