Why did Houston Police Chief Troy Finner retire?

HOUSTON — Mayor John Whitmire said Wednesday that things were “in much better shape” about a week ago as the internal affairs investigation into the Houston Police Department’s suspended cases scandal wrapped up.

These include an HPD email that KHOU 11 Investigates obtained Tuesday that showed Finner knew about the case suspension code for understaffing in 2018 despite his claims that he first learned of the code’s existence times in 2021.

“I was sick when I saw the recent email, but I don’t have time to be sick,” Whitmire told city council members Wednesday. “I must protect this city and lead.”

Whitmire called the email “the final straw” that was a “distraction to the mission of the men and women of HPD.”

That wasn’t the only distraction. Whitmire said last Thursday that a letter from Executive Deputy Chief Schandra Hatcher raised red flags. Hatcher initially requested an internal affairs investigation into the suspended cases after claiming she attended an executive staff meeting in 2021 in which she “distinctly remembered” discussions about sexual assault cases. not investigated.

The problem, according to Whitmire and others, is that Hatcher wasn’t even in Houston at the time of the meeting.

“The department was overwhelmed by discussing new information,” Whitmire said.

The mayor added that all the new information coming to light is affecting morale at all levels of the department.

“It was affecting operations at HPD, that’s the bottom line,” he said.

Given the need to refocus on fighting crime, Whitmire said it’s time for a change. When asked whether or not he gave Finner a “retire or you’re fired” ultimatum, Whitmire said, “We kept the dialogue going to the point where he retired.”