Houston Police Department

Re: From Hairballs: Cameras Record Abusive Insidious Graffiti-ers

From Hairballs: Cameras Record Abusive Insidious Graffiti-ers

But at Least the Guns Aren’t Gay…

The Houston Police Department's Attack of the Drones

The Sole of Houston: Working for You

Get Lit: Q&A with Sgt. Brian Foster of the Houston Police Department

HPD Cops Indicted For Stealing From HPD Cops

Ike Beats Oprah, With HPD's Help

If The Light Was Working, So Was The Red-Light Camera

Slain HPD Officer's Wife Sues Over One-Cop-Per-Car Policy

Giving the Big No to Nuchia

HPD rank-and-file reject the chief's promotions policy -- and the chief himself

Who's Guarding the Guardians?

HPD hires rent-a-cops to patrol the main police complex

The Policy That Won't Die

Despite five deaths in recent weeks, HPD stands by its car chases

Sam Nuchia in Black and White

Houston's top cop has been a pleasant surprise to the city's black community. But in his own department, it's a different story.

Shhhhhh!

Top-secret HPD document exposed

A Whiter Shade of Blue

The White Officers Association is making waves in HPD

The Great Smokeout

Massive HPD sting nails desperate teenage cigarette thieves

HPD's Pilot Program To Deal With Mentally Ill Becomes Permanent

In December, we published a story that involved the Houston Police Department's Crisis Intervention Team, and one of its new programs that only a couple other departments in the country were trying.That program, the Crisis Intervention Response Team, pairs street officers with counselors from MHMRA ... More >>

Breaking News: Cops Don't Like Being Told They're Fat

Photo by sylvarSo far, no one's pointed to any evidence linking lack of physical fitness among some Houston Police Department officers with problems like the disproportionate Tasering of minorities, the shootings of quite a few mentally ill folks, or even the supreme fuck-up that put an innocent man ... More >>

Reefer Madness

Does Houston's biggest drug-prevention program keep kids clean or just make cops feel good?

Breaking the Blue Code of Silence

Cops keep secrets. HPD Chief Clarence Bradford wants to reveal them.

Best Graffiti Artist

Next

Future Shock: the iTaser

Listen to tunes while you tase

NYPD Black and Blue

Houston police boxers plan to bruise the Big Apple

The War Within

Mark Aguirre is an aggressive Houston cop who won civilian support by fighting crime. But the abrasive captain could lose his biggest battle: the one raging over him in HPD itself.

To Protect and Serve Art

Instant Gratification

We're Suing Over This "Sanctuary City" Crap!! Umm, Maybe Not Right Now

The stage at the Houston Police Officers' Union was literally set for a big announcement today. Microphones had been hooked up, chairs for the media had been arranged in rows and press releases had been e-mailed all across town. Everyone was eager to hear all about a lawsuit that a Washington, D.C.- ... More >>

HPD's Crime Lab Is In The News Again

As if the Houston Police crime lab didn't have enough problems, it discovered a new one today: fire.A small container caught fire on the same floor as the lab at HPD headquarters downtown this afternoon; as a result a half-dozen fire trucks converged on the building, three floors were evacuated and ... More >>

Judge Says No To Beards In The HPD

​The effort by some Houston police officers to wear beards on the job (and off the job, too, we guess) was dealt a setback when a federal judge threw their lawsuit out of court.HPD brass trumpeted the decision by U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal in a press release in which chief Harold Hurtt said ... More >>

Another Day, Another Awkward Annise Parker Statement On HPD

Not exactly a low-key week for the new chief​Fresh off a low-key description of what's described as a "horrific" beating of a teen-age burglary suspect by Houston Police, Mayor Annise Parker has once again been forced to acknowledge some alleged HPD misbehavior.In the wake of reports that HPD offi ... More >>

Houston Police Museum

HPD show off its history with a new museum

Houston Still A Taser-Happy Kinda Town

Houston says go ahead and tase me, bro​The legacy of former Houston Police chief Harold Hurtt lives on -- the city is still spending mad money buying Tasers.City council has approved another $4.5 million for the gadgets, which are supposed to reduce deadly force incidents but also prevent police f ... More >>

HPD Says Crime Is Down, Down, Down In Houston Town

Crime? What crime?​The Houston Police Department is crowing over what it says is a significant drop in major-crime rates in the city so far this year.We feel safer already.HPD says the first three quarters of 2010 have seen a lot fewer incidents than the same period of 2009: Violent crime is down ... More >>

Red Light Cameras: How Will HPD Make Up The $10 Million Loss?

Possible new guildelines for HPD​Mayor Annise Parker has turned off the red light cameras, but she has also said that the move will cost the Houston Police Department $10 million a year. In a time of tight budgets, with talk of furloughs and cutbacks, it's a tough hit to take. If only there w ... More >>

Unidentified Male, Bayou Body Count No. 276

Shot in the chest​Houston Police are investigating a fatal shooting by three unknown suspects who kicked in the door of a residence Sunday morning. The unknown victim, a man in his 30's, was shot in the chest as the suspect fled the scene. He was taken to Ben Taub General Hospital where he wa ... More >>

Unidentified Female, Bayou Body Count No. 283

Murdered, possibly raped, and abandoned​The body of a woman who was likely murdered and possibly raped was found near a northside bayou Sunday evening, police say. An autopsy will be performed, but HPD told reporters foul play is suspected. A couple of kids discovered the body about 5:30 p.m ... More >>

Texas Police Pimp Their Rides With Trunk Rumblers

lemonsauctioneers.comThis ride may be beyond pimping.​The next time you hear a boom box roaring thunderously at the traffic light, listen closely before cursing under your breath. It could be a patrol car trying to squeak by. Channel 11 News reported this week that a new emergency vehicle sir ... More >>

HPD with New Anti-DWI Initiative: You've Been Warned

HPDAnother anti-DWI crackdown is under way​Law enforcement agencies like the DA's office always like to tout new anti-DWI drives, usually tied to a holiday. The Houston Police Department got in on the game today, holding a press conference with MADD to let the public know they'll be cracking ... More >>

Parker Announces New HPD Oversight Reforms That Will Be Very, Very Different from Countless Past HPD Oversight Reforms

HPD: This time they'll get it right. Right?​There's nothing like a bunch of grown men getting caught on tape stomping the hell out of a defenseless teenager to get the ol' government gears grindin'. Responding to the political shitstorm stirred up by the Chad Holley video, Mayor Annise Parker ... More >>

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na, BAT VAN!

One wonders if the HPD Lego BAT Van will be hitting shelves this year.​The Houston Police Department posted a video on their YouTube account today to inform Houstonians about a new DWI crackdown and a new vehicle they think will aid them. The Breath Alcohol Testing or "BAT" Van is a mobile fac ... More >>

Unidentified Male, Bayou Body Count No. 31

Male shot by off-duty cop.​An unidentified male of unknown age was shot by an off-duty Houston Police officer Wednesday night. Officer S. Bryant, a 15-year veteran of HPD currently assigned to the Narcotics Division, was working an extra job at the Emerald Bay Apartments (6767 Bennington) when ... More >>

City Selling Its Downtown HPD Headquarters, Preventing Jailer Layoffs

For sale or lease: HPD HQ​Houston will look to sell or lease the downtown police headquarters as part of a deal that will keep HPD from having to lay off 273 jailers, Mayor Annise Parker announced today. The city and the HPD pension plan also agreed to allow the city to defer payment of $17 m ... More >>

Keith Monteds Brown, 40, Bayou Body Count No. 67

Gunned down at home​A man answered a knock on the door at his south Houston home last night and was shot to death, police say. Keith Monteds Brown, 40, was in his home in the 4200 block of Groton around 9 p.m. last night when he answered the door, HPD says. He was then gunned down and pronou ... More >>

HPD Crows Over Another Crime-Rate Drop

"Safest big city in America," chief says​The Houston Police Department is once again boasting of a noticeable drop in crimes, as reported to a national database. Comparing the first half of 2011 to the first half of 2010, murder is down 37.1 percent, robberies 20.8 percent and overall violent ... More >>

Red-Light Cameras: In First Six Days Back On, 2,700 Citations Issued

The money machine is up to speed​The money machine has been cranked up in full: the Houston Police Department reports that in the first six days of returning to operations, the city's 67 red-light cameras racked up more than 2,700 citations issued to drivers. Those lucky drivers will be getti ... More >>

Unidentifed Male Left For Dead Outside After-Hours Club, Bayou Body Count No. 136

Left for dead outisde a nightclub​The body of a man who was shot to death was discovered outside a southwest-side after-hours club early Monday morning, but that's about all police know. The body was found about 6 a.m. Labor Day outside the La Raza Discotec on Hillcroft near Bellaire Boulevar ... More >>

HPD Says: Please Help Us Find The Guys Who Stole Our Bait Car

The idea behind police bait cars is a sound one -- rig up a car that's just begging to be stolen, put it in a vulnerable spot and then wait for a thief to try his luck. It doesn't always work, though. KHOU reports that HPD is asking for the public's assistance ... More >>

The Modular Food Truck's Run-in with HPD Last Night at Liberty Station: UPDATED

An HPD officer allegedly threatened a food truck over what the food truck owner says are non-existent "violations."​UPDATE: The Public Information Office of the HPD called to say that, as of 2 p.m. "no complaint has been filed. No one by that name has filed an [Internal Affairs Division] compl ... More >>

Food Truck Driver Says Cop Hassled Him

An HPD officer allegedly threatened a food truck over what the food truck owner says are nonexistent "violations."​UPDATE: HPD's public information office called to say that, as of 2 p.m., "no complaint has been filed. No one by that name has filed an [Internal Affairs Division] complaint," th ... More >>

Occupy Houston: Where Everything Is An Emergency That Local Media (Including Us) Fall For

Photo by Brittanie SheyOccupy Houston holds an impromptu assembly.​Hair Balls now has something in common with the local Fox and CBS affiliates. We're all suckers. On Tuesday afternoon, in light of the recent shutdown of Occupy Oakland, Hair Balls did some recon by contacting one of our sourc ... More >>