HOUSTON -- A Houston police officer who spoke out against the department's chase policy will remain on desk duty until his trial next year, a judge ruled Wednesday.

An injunction hearing was held for Tom Nixon who asked to return to patrol. He was originally assigned to desk duty before he was fully suspended from the department after he wrote an opinion column about the department's chase policy.

The judge denied Nixon's motion to speak publicly in uniform on matters of public concern. Nixon said his right to free speech is being violated and he wants his old job back.

The criticisms came after a high-speed pursuit on Jan. 18 ended in a head-on crash on a Highway 59 freeway ramp near Kirby Drive.

On Feb. 3, a federal judge lifted Nixon's suspension and also reversed a decision that kept him from talking about the department.

The department has contended that Nixon was 20 minutes late to a 911 call because he was talking to the media. But, Nixon said other problems stopped him from getting to the call sooner.