13 Investigates first received a tip on February 15 that sexual assault cases were "suspended due to lack of manpower."
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The following day, Finner issued a statement saying, "I have learned a significant number of adult assault cases were suspended due to 'Lack of Personnel,' which is unacceptable. Sexual assaults are some of the most traumatic crimes for victims and their families."
Finner reported that his department is reviewing 4,000 alleged sexual assault cases that were suspended due to a "lack of personnel" code that investigators assigned to those cases.
But, later he said he identified more than 260,000 incidents dating back to 2016 which used the code.
13 Investigates requested a list of all incidents that were suspended due to lack of personnel. HPD did release that information on Thursday.
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A 13 Investigates analysis found HPD had 36% more incident reports suspended for "lack of personnel" in 2023 compared to 2022 despite fewer incident reports filed citywide.
Finner said he told officers to stop using the code in November 2021, but since then it has been used more than 114,200 times.
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He vowed for the code not to be used again under his administration, saying "it was unacceptable then. It's unacceptable now."
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HPD set up a special email address for crime victims to reach out to if they think their case has been ignored. 13 Investigates requested a copy of all emails sent to that address, which should partly be public record.
But, instead of receiving emails blacking out the names of victims and details that would identify them, HPD sent our request to the Texas Attorney General asking to withhold the information due to privacy.
After HPD identified impacted cases dating back eight years, 13 Investigates wanted to know how the code was first implemented in 2016 and how Finner instructed his officers to stop using it so we put in an open records request for that information.
HPD sent our request to the Texas Attorney General, asking to withhold that information because "HPD believes the responsive information is excepted from public disclosure."
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We also requested all emails and text messages between Finner and Houston Mayor John Whitmire around the time news broke of the suspended cases. The Mayor's office told us there were no text messages between Finner and Whitmire from February 1 through February 22.
13 Investigates hasn't received a response on whether or not there were any emails between the two and if they will be released, but Finner addressed it at a news conference on Thursday.
"If it is going to impact and tear down the integrity of the internal investigation, that's not good for anybody," Finner said. "I am pretty darn transparent, but I can't move on everybody's clock. I got to move on the clock of integrity."
As 13 Investigates continues pushing for transparency about when HPD identified this issue and how it will handle it moving forward, we want to hear from you.
If you think your case was mishandled by HPD due to "lack of personnel" fill out the form below.
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