May 27, 2024
Memorial Day Flash Sale: 6 MONTHS FOR 99¢ |
|
 | Yasmeen Khalifa, Audience Engagement Producer |
Best of the Bayou
Today we're talking about HPD officer discipline...
If you read one thing: Months before former Chief Troy Finner abruptly retired amid a growing dropped cases scandal, his relationship with one of the police unions had frayed over discipline, an attorney for the Houston Police Officers Union said.
What is the issue?
Though the overall number of discipline letters handed out to officers declined to around 350 per year with Finner from over 450 during former Chief Art Acevedo's tenure, Aaron Suder, general counsel for the union, said the percentage of lengthy suspensions remained roughly equivalent, around 21% to 26%. There are 6,239 employees with the department.
Attorneys representing disciplined officers have had a high rate of success fighting those decisions in arbitration, costing the department and officers money and resources, Suder said.
Could the discipline letters be a good thing?
Some civil rights advocates argue the increased accountability is important, especially for those who've been injured by police, and that discipline hasn't been as harsh as the union claims.
Read Matt deGrood's full story here.
Stay in the Loop
Photo by: Susan Barber
📰 Need to Know
- How Bun B evolved into one of Houston's biggest stars. Here's how Bun B went from growing up in Port Arthur to one of Houston's biggest music and culinary stars.
- Ed Young stepped down as senior pastor of Second Baptist Church. Ed Young, the senior pastor of Houston's Second Baptist Church, will be stepping aside from the church's top post. His son Ben Young will succeed him.
- An HPD officer accused of assaulting a handcuffed man won back his job. Lucas Vieira is set to return to work in June and receive three years of backpay, according to an arbitration hearing officer.
- Former home linked to an infamous River Oaks murder saga goes on the market. The former home of Joan Robinson Hill and John Hill, the couple who earned national notoriety following Joan's death, is now on the market.
- A Houston tree company contractor died possibly from electrocution. A tree company contractor from Houston died possibly from electrocution while working in Jamaica Beach on Friday, according to police.
💼 Business
- Subaru WRX: Part family sedan, part performance racer. The Subaru WRX plays the part of both racer and family sedan, offering balance of safety features and performance perks, writes auto columnist Jesus R. Garcia.
- Most expensive homes: A modern mansion set a new price record for West University. Houston's priciest homes sold in April feature tranquil outdoor escapes and contemporary comfort in properties stretching from Seabrook to Tomball to Bunker Hill.
🚗 Outside the Loop
- Typhoon Texas will offer discounted admission to students with 3 'A's. Typhoon Texas is offering discounted admission to any students with three or more "A" grades during its Great Grades Days celebration May 28-30.
- The Woodlands pauses plans to build new pickleball courts after calls to slow park updates. The Woodlands township's board of directors voted to pause new tennis and pickleball courts as concerns grow about new amenities at neighborhood parks.
- A Houston woman drowned off of a Galveston beach Sunday. Another person has died in Galveston's rough surf this weekend, marking the first two deaths of the season and the year by drowning at the popular vacation beach.
- Cut and Shoot is more than a name. Here's what to do when visiting. Many around the Houston region have wondered about the name of a city sandwiched between Conroe and Cleveland. Here are things to do while visiting the town.
Point of View
Photo by: Yasmeen Khalifa
Houstonians know hot air. Do Trump's Big Oil dinner guests?
Under Biden, oil and gas have made record profits on record production, and there's money to be made in the transition to renewables, writes the Chronicle Editorial Board.
Houston vs. All Y'all
Photo by: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press
Astros 5, A's 2: Ronel Blanco made a triumphant return.
Astros starter Ronel Blanco tossed seven one-run innings Sunday in his return from a 10-game suspension. Houston's record is now 24-29.
- The Astros plan to activate José Abreu on Monday in Seattle. The first baseman worked on his swing at the Astros' spring training facility after being optioned to the minors on May 1.
Get Out
Photo by: Afonso Salcedo
Steven Rowley is among the authors at Houston book events this week.
Blue Willow Bookshop will host a book discussion with New York Times best-selling author Steven Rowley and Emmy Award–winning journalist Byron Lane.
- How Thai curry became the perfect accompaniment to Texas barbecue. Around 2020, Houston Chronicle barbecue columnist J.C. Reid started noticing a shift in the combination of Texas barbecue and Thai curries.
- Concert review: Grupo Firme, Grupo Frontera and lots of shots. Grupo Firme's La Última Peda Tour is a show on par with Taylor's Eras and Beyoncé's Renaissance tours, writes Chronicle music critic Joey Guerra.
Events at the Chronicle
Photo by: Raquel Natalicchio, Staff Photographer
Meet Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo at our live virtual event.
Chronicle readers are invited to a private Zoom event with Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, including the opportunity to submit questions, on Thursday, May 30.
If you're a Houston newcomer and haven't been to the Houston Zoo yet, you should. And Bonus Finder thinks so, too. The Houston Zoo was ranked in the top 10 Most Instagrammable Zoos by Bonus Finder as part of a study calculating hashtags for state parks, waterfalls, stadiums and other destination sites in the United States.
Stay cool in this heat and have a great Memorial Day, folks!
Puzzle of the Day: Cross|word
|
Unsubscribe | Manage Preferences
Houston Chronicle
4747 Southwest Freeway, Houston, TX 77027
© 2024 Hearst Communications
No comments:
Post a Comment