Police officers' union says man who posted video of HPD unit doing donuts was 'snitching'
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston police officers who were caught on video doing donuts in last week's snowstorm are facing discipline.
Video of the incident was shot and posted by Hamon Brown, who now says the Houston Police Officer's Union is out to get him.
After the video and interview with ABC13, the Houston Police Officer's Union took to Facebook to air Brown's dirty laundry and call him a snitch.
"I ain't really think it was going to go viral like it did," Brown said. "Just leave me alone. I don't want no problems."
When Brown first spoke to ABC13, he said officers were having reckless fun and doing exactly what they told citizens not to do.
"We are human. We like to have a good time just like they do," Police Union President Doug Griffith said.
The police union proceeded to poke fun at Brown for his cracked windshield on Facebook and called him a snitch.
"He took it a little serious, and then things went off the rails a little bit," Griffith said.
The attacks got more personal and included reposted videos of brown "ghost-riding" his own vehicle.
"You can't do what he does in public and then go and call out others," Griffith said, adding that the commentary was all in good fun.
SEE MORE: Houston Police Department officers seen stunt driving in snow
Brown, however, doesn't see it that way.
"It is really messing with me because ya'll posting all my business on social media, ya'll are doing a lot to me and getting me real scared," Brown said, "I ain't did nothing wrong. Ya'll were in the wrong."
Brown said it sets a bad precedent when police ask citizens to speak up, and when someone does, even over something minor, the union goes after them.
"They are trying to be dismissive of their behavior by saying the young men were doing something similar, but do two wrongs make a right?" Kimberly Dodson, a Criminology professor at the University of Houston Clear Lake, said.
Dodson said the police union's actions were textbook retaliation and doesn't agree with them making light of the situation.
"Citizens see that, and they are less likely to take the police seriously," Dodson said.
Brown wasn't the only Houstonian to catch officers in the middle of snow stunts.
Another video was posted to social media showing a marked patrol vehicle in the galleria also doing donuts.
"They know what they did was wrong. It has been taken care of, and for the public to worry about complaining about police officers, there is no concern there. You can complain all you want," Griffith said. "We don't go out there hunting people for complaining about police officers. That is not what we do."
Community activists said it begs the question of the purpose of airing out Brown's dirty laundry and how that may impact public trust going forward.
"You wanted to send a message to all other young men in this community and everyone else that if you expose police misconduct, we are going to target you," community activist Quanell X said.
Dodson also raised the possibility of wear and tear on tax-funded police vehicles. Griffith said both were checked out and appeared to have no damage.
For updates on this story, follow Alex Bozarjian on Facebook, X and Instagram.
