Houston Police Officer, Originally on Desk-Duty Following Fatal Shooting Has Now Been Suspended: HPD Keeping Quiet on Specifics

Houston, Texas

An off-duty Houston police officer who fatally shot one man and injured another while attempting to break up a fight in the parking lot of a bar over the weekend has been relieved of duty, authorities said Monday.

Officer Jose Coronado was suspended with pay pending the outcome of the investigation of the shooting, said Houston Police Department spokesman John Cannon. Cannon would not elaborate on the reason for the suspension. Coronado previously had been placed on administrative desk duty — department policy for all shootings involving officers.

Officials said he fatally shot Omar Ventura and wounded the man's brother, Rolando Ventura, in an incident on Saturday involving a longtime friend of the officer.

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Trouble Brewing in Lexington's Police Department?

Some say it's abuse of power by police: kxan.com

Lexington, Texas

On Feb. 9, there was a packed town hall meeting. One the agenda, it was complaints about the Lexington Police.

Racial profiling, overzealous police and complaints outlining abuse of power were all brought to light.

Weeks before the meeting, KXAN-TV in Austin began asking questions about a stack of complaints. For example, one woman who worked in a local store said Lexington Police Chief Randy Davenport made 15 to 20 sexual remarks to her at work in the fall of 2009 -- at one point asking her over to his hot tub, clothing optional.

The TV station later uncovered what sounds like a cover-up. City officials first stated they had no knowledge of complaints. After copies of letters sent to officials were presented, some decided that they might have copies somewhere in their offices.

Is there more about Police Chief Randy Davenport? What was found in Davenport's personnel file was a page of typed responses to a reference check done before he was hired in Lexington in March 2008. The sheriff in a county he worked for near Houston said if given a chance, he would not re-hire Davenport. At the time, he was an investigator with the Colorado County Attorney's Office. The sheriff said Davenport would often retrace and edit his deputy’s investigations and come up with conflicting statements.

“There were times it appeared [Davenport] was trying to have personal affiliations with female suspects being investigated," he also said.

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Punishments for Houston Police Officers Often Unravel

Houston, Texas

Records show discipline is overturned or reduced 70% of the time.

Hearing examiners for the city have overturned or reduced nearly 70 percent of punishments given to Houston police officers by HPD management over the last 17 years, recently obtained records show.

The role of independent examiners is a key element in Houston's ability to discipline and remove dangerous officers from the force.

Perceptions of police misconduct and brutality in Houston have intensified so much recently that on Friday Mayor Annise Parker announced a new, independent police oversight board would replace the existing citizens' review committee to address ongoing concerns in the community.

The mayor's administration is also negotiating with police unions to replace most of the 10 examiners with a new slate of arbitrators.

The issue has become contentious as Police Chief Charles McClelland has fought to keep two officers from winning their jobs back after he fired them last year for their role in the beating of burglary suspect Chad Holley.

Both officers were reinstated to their jobs by hearing examiners.

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Another Blogs Perspective on The Problems With HPD

While our blog primarily focuses on police misconduct reports, we do like an occasional outside opinion on certain issues. In light of the problems facing the Houston Police Department, we found an interesting view.

The Accurate Thinker

Austin Police Officer Faces One Day Suspension: Illegal Turn Injures Pedestrian

Austin, Texas

An Austin police officer faces a one day suspension after hitting a pedestrian with his squad car.

According to his disciplinary memo Officer Richard Castillo made an illegal left turn in downtown Austin in January.

He struck a pedestrian who had the right of way. That person suffered minor injuries.

Castillo's suspension is scheduled for March 7. He does have the right to appeal.

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Sex Offenders With Badges

According to the 3rd Quarter Report of The National Police Misconduct Statistics and Reporting Project, police officers were accused of sexual assault at a rate of 79 per 100,000 law enforcement personal. That is over two times the rate in the general public (28.7 per 100,000). The fact that rapists seem to be concentrated among a group of armed individuals who have the purported authority to detain and arrest other individuals should be more than a little alarming for even the most prolific police bootlicker. In just the last month, several stories of officers committing disgusting crimes have been in the news.

There are a high number of cases from around the country lately. In Houston, most recently, Houston Police Officer Abraham Joseph was indicted for Rape. The incidents, according to court documents, happened while the officer was on-duty. While he is currently free on bond, other victims have reportedly been coming forward. At last count, authorities have determined Officer Abraham Joseph has been implicated in at least five rapes.

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Comments From Around The World on Houston Police Brutality

I believe all that is said about corruption in the Houston PD, my husband was arrested for something he did not due, when he went into custody he was fine, when he came out, his head had about 15 bumps on it, his eye was black, his lip was split he had bruises all over his torso, and his feet were all cut up. He was in jail overnight then charges were dropped. He said on the way to the jail the cop pulled off into a parking lot with 7 other cars they ripped him out of the car and hog tied him then beat him.

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"Defense attorneys and Houston police say it will be tough for the officers to get a fair trial now that this tape is out there, and they are blaming a community activist and the media, specifically for putting this tape out there."

Why would the video tape prevent a fair trial? You can be damn sure that if the cops had a video tape of Holley breaking in to the residence, it would be submitted as evidence of him "breaking the law".

Yet when the police break the law, the video tapes are deemed illegal and attempts are made to suppress their release!

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