Houston Police Chief Says Beating Video Hurt Reputation

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Houston, Texas

Charles McClelland points to the statistics when evaluating his first year as Houston's police chief: Violent crime decreased in all categories in the Bayou City.

Yet, it was a videotape showing police officers beating a black teenage burglary suspect that grabbed national attention in McClelland's inaugural year. The video of the March 2010 arrest, released to the media in February by a community activist, resulted in harsh criticism by civil rights and community groups and spawned several town hall meetings where residents described other incidents of alleged mistreatment by police.

"It did hurt the reputation of (the Police Department) and it was an unfortunate and isolated incident," McClelland told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "It certainly in no way went to the heart and soul of the 5,300 police officers and 1,700 civilian support staff that do a very good job every single day."

The surveillance video showed several officers kicking, punching and stomping on then 15-year-old Chad Holley during his arrest at a self-storage business in southwest Houston. Four officers were later fired and indicted on various charges.

"The only reason the Holley incident was done the way it was done is because there was irrefutable video evidence. But in the vast majority of cases, there is hardly any discipline whatsoever," said Kallinen, part of the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice, a collection of various civil rights and minority rights groups, including the NAACP and LULAC.

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Bryan Police Officer Is Under Investigation Following Shooting

Bryan, Texas

A Bryan police officer is being investigated after he fired his gun and seriously injured a suspect and a bystander during a foot chase, authorities say.

The shooting happened Friday morning as an officer was running after a suspicious person who may have been intoxicated, according to the Bryan Police Department release.

Bryan police say the officer shot Johnnie Walton Harris Jr. several times. A bystander, who's been identified as Juan Garcia, also was struck by a bullet. Both Harris and Garcia were transported to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in critical condition.

But now the officer, who hasn't been identified, has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of a criminal probe being conducted by the Bryan Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division and an internal affairs investigation spearheaded by the department's professional standards division. The Texas Rangers also are investigating.

A second responding officer who witnessed the shooting also has been placed on administrative leave pending review of the incident.

The Bryan Police Department Criminal Investigation Division has requested that any members of the public who may have witnessed the incident to contact the Bryan Police Department at 209-5316.

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Bandera Sheriff Resigns In Plea Deal Over Misuse of County Rescue Boat for Pleasure

Bandera County Sheriff Weldon Tucker

Bandera, Texas

If you are a sheriff in Bandera, Texas, the county does not look favorably on you using their rescue boat for fun. This was a lesson learned the hard way for County Sheriff Weldon Tucker.

After pleading guilty to felony misuse (and to avoid prison sentence), Tucker has been forced to resign. The sheriff also had to pay $2500 in restitution and will be on probation for the next two years.

Tucker was elected in 2006.

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All In A Week : A Review of Houston Police Department

Another blog out of Houston, one of our friends Chimp Lang, takes a look back over the week in review with the Houston Police Department.

Brotherhood of Blue Continues as Brotherhood of Bad

Houston Police Officer Accused of Theft

Houston Police Officer Stephan Riha

Houston, Texas

Police officers are supposed to fight theft. However, for Houston Police Officer Stephan Riha, somewhere he apparently misunderstood that rule. As an officer with the Houston Police Department since 2007, Riha now stands charged with third-degree felony theft by a public servant.

Riha was arrested in an internal affairs sting. Sources said he pulled over a driver for a routine traffic stop then demanded money.

If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

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Dallas Police Officer Convicted of Armed Heist at Sam’s Club

Dallas Police Officer Alph Coleman

Dallas, Texas

Once hailed as a hero, a Dallas police officer could be headed to prison.

A Dallas County jury found Alph Coleman guilty of masterminding an armed heist at a Sam's Club where he worked off-duty security.

Jurors delivered a unanimous guilty verdict on Tuesday afternoon.

Officer Coleman spoke exclusively to NBC DFW in 2008 after the robbery. He described how a man in a ski mask rushed into the store and held him at gunpoint.

When asked in the interview if he thought he was going to die, Coleman said, "There's not one time in my head that I was thinking, 'I was going to die.'"

Prosecutors said Coleman wanted to be shot to make the robbery seem more realistic.

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Former Waller Police Officer Calling Himself Irish Terrorist Arrested on Explosives Charges

Cypress, Texas

A former officer with the Waller Police Department, who authorities said described himself as a "terrorist" from Ireland, is the target of a federal investigation after explosives were found in his home.

George K. McCullough, 64, was arrested Friday and accused of illegally storing 800 feet of detonating cord and four electric blasting caps at his home in Cypress, federal officials said Monday.

McCullough, who remains in federal custody, bought items such as replica pipe bombs, rocket launchers and explosive suicide vests from a company in Scranton, Pa., according to federal criminal complaint filed against him.

In September 2009, McCullough told FBI agents that he bought such items for training law enforcement and other first responders. FBI agents said he owned a private security company, Red Lobo Safety and Security, based out of his home in the 15300 block of Ochre Leaf Trail.

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