HOUSTON – KPRC 2 Investigates has learned questions of integrity are being raised about a member of Houston Police Chief Troy Finner’s inner circle, extending what Finner said was a “completed” Internal Affairs Investigation into the department’s suspended sex assault cases scandal.
When the department launched its investigation, the request came from Executive Assistant Chief (EAC) Chandra Hatcher, of Finner’s inner circle. In making the case for an investigation Hatcher used information from a meeting she said she attended in 2021. However, from documents KPRC 2 has obtained and discussed with multiple sources, it appears Hatcher was never at that meeting.
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INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION COMING TO AN END
Early April: Houston Police Department Chief Troy Finner stated his Internal Affairs investigation into more than 4,000 sexual assault cases that had been suspended over a lack of manpower would be complete by the end of the month. The investigation was launched in February 2024.
Tuesday: On the last day of April, Finner took to social media to inform Houstonians the IAD (Internal Affairs Division) investigation was complete.
Wednesday: KPRC 2 Investigates learned IAD is not done investigating.
Thursday: The department acknowledged it is taking “additional investigative steps.” KPRC 2 Investigates learned more personnel, including Commander Daryn Edwards of Southwest Patrol are now being questioned about the initial meeting in November of 2021 that has been part of the central focus of this investigation according to department records and multiple HPD sources.
EXECUTIVE STAFF MEETING FROM NOVEMBER 2021
HPD Executive Leadership, ranging from Commanders all the way up to HPD’s Chief, routinely holds what are called “Executive Staff Meetings”.
Department records show an Executive Staff Meeting was held at HPD headquarters on November 4th, 2021.
These meetings are routine and tend to cover a variety of operations within the department.
This specific meeting included an agenda item on “Special Victim’s Division – Case Management” presented by former Assistant Chief Ernest Garcia and Commander Hong-Le Conn. The presentation focused on the management of cases within the department’s Special Victim’s Division. Concerns were being raised over a lack of personnel in years past.
WHY IAD INVESTIGATION IS NOT COMPLETE
Hatcher sent Chief Finner a letter on February 22, 2024, requesting an investigation be launched into the suspended cases to “determine if department personnel violated directives related to this issue.”
The letter is significant for the launch of the investigation as Hatcher is part of Finner’s inner circle as an EAC. Her direct responsibility is to oversee “Support Operations” within the department.
In the letter, Hatcher makes the case for launching an investigation based on information she learned in the 2021 meeting she attended.
In the body of the internal letter KPRC 2 Investigates obtained from sources, Hatcher writes, “I attended an Executive Staff meeting toward the end of 2021 where a presentation was provided regarding the status of Special Victims Division investigations.”
Investigators have questions after learning Wednesday during an Administrative Discipline Committee meeting that Hatcher may never have been at that meeting.
According to a source in the room during Wednesday’s meeting, an HPD commander revealed Hatcher was out of town that day at a previously scheduled retreat in the Texas Hill Country.
An attendance itinerary examined by KPRC 2 Investigates shows Hatcher was one of several high-ranking HPD officials scheduled to be at a “Being First/Walk the Talk of Change” retreat from November 2-5, 2021.
In her letter Hatcher also claims she does not recall a “specific directive being issued,” but adds, “I distinctly recall heightened concern and discussion centered on the need for sexual assault cases be appropriately investigated due to the nature and sensitivity of these crimes.”
Near the bottom of the letter Hatcher goes on to write, “During a preliminary inquiry, the attached archived document was located indicating there was a directive given either during the meeting or subsequently after the meeting to stop suspending these type of incident reports due to lack of manpower.”
As KPRC 2 Investigates exposed back on April 10th, no circular – a department-wide directive memo - was issued. Finner’s executive leadership team at the time opted not to send one out.
RELATED: HPD Leadership “Recommend not issuing” Circular in 2021
KPRC 2 Investigates did reach out to HPD as well as Chief Finner for a response early Thursday morning regarding these developments.
Specifically, we asked the following of Chief Finner:
- Why was IAD still investigating?
- What are the Chief’s comments on the concern of what appears to be an inaccurate statement made at the start of this investigation?
- If not inaccurate, can you please explain?
- Do you agree with Executive Assistant Chief Hatcher’s statement?
HPD officials sent the following as their responses to all of our questions in an email Thursday afternoon.
“As stated on Tuesday (April 30), the completed Internal Affairs Division (IAD) investigation into how and when the suspended- “lack of personnel” code came about and when it was brought to Chief Troy Finner’s attention would be reviewed by members of the Independent Police Oversight Board (IPOB) and the Administration Disciplinary Committee (ADC). On Wednesday (May 1), the ADC committee met and raised concerns it wanted addressed. This commonly occurs during IAD case reviews. IAD is addressing the questions posed by the ADC. This includes taking additional investigative steps, such as collecting statements and re-interviewing when necessary. This is how the process is intended to work. As part of HPD’s commitment to a thorough and fair investigation, we will withhold further comment on this review process.”
The process now has IAD asking more questions of high-ranking officials within HPD after Chief Finner informed Houstonians it was complete. What remains unclear is whether Hatcher is being questioned over the claims made in her letter.
HPD adds, “Chief Finner will update the public and media once the process is finalized.”
On Tuesday, in his statement announcing the completion of the Internal Affairs investigation, Finner made it clear he would be addressing Houstonians within the next two weeks.
Friday morning, KPRC 2 Investigates spoke with a City Hall insider who described HPD’s Internal Affairs continuing its investigation as a “significant development” for the department because one thing a police department cannot do is “erode the public’s trust”.
Mayor John Whitmire announced early on he will be watching the investigation very carefully to see how it is handled by Chief Finner.
Less than two weeks later, Whitmire announced an independent panel to review HPD’s investigation. The mayor and his team made it clear they launched the panel, “to ensure transparency and maintain public trust.”
Fast forward to Friday, the mayor tells us he plans to get to the bottom of the continued investigation.
“I will meet with Chief Finner soon to discuss this and other public safety matters. I have communicated my expectations to the chief. I want the investigation wrapped up as quickly as possible and in a way that ensures transparency and gives the public confidence in the process,” Mayor John Whitmire said.
Also on Friday, five attorneys who represent the Houston Police Officer Union sent a letter to Mayor Whitmire, Chief Finner, Commander Donna Crawford over the Internal Affairs Division and Christina Nowak, the city’s Deputy Inspector General, requesting the Internal Affairs Division questions, “everyone who attended the Executive Staff Meeting on November 4, 2021, and not just cherry-pick certain individuals who support Chief Finner’s version of events.”
The letter goes on to state, “A number of our clients have given statements that directly refute Chief Finner’s public claims and that he gave a directive to his subordinates during the meeting to discontinue the use of the SL Code and that he provided SVD the manpower that they had requested.”
KPRC 2 Investigates will continue to investigate.