HOUSTON – KPRC 2 obtained civil service records showing a police officer helped trigger the investigation that ultimately led to a Houston police officer’s indefinite suspension over videos containing racial slurs that later went viral online.
Houston Police Officer Ashley Gonzalez was indefinitely suspended by Chief J. Noe Diaz Jr. on April 24 after an Internal Affairs investigation into videos she posted on social media.
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According to disciplinary records, the investigation began after a Chicago Police Department officer contacted HPD’s Community Engagement Unit regarding videos Gonzalez posted to her Instagram story.
The officer, who served with Gonzalez in the U.S. Marine Corps, told investigators she and other members of their former platoon were offended by the videos and believed Gonzalez was “sharing her hate for people.”
Records show she later spoke with an HPD sergeant and reported that Gonzalez had made disparaging comments about African Americans on social media.
The suspension letter states investigators obtained three videos and photographs from Gonzalez’s Instagram account as part of the investigation. HPD alleges Gonzalez made repeated racial slurs throughout the videos and stated she was going to arrest someone based on their race while on duty. The department also cited a statement in which Gonzalez allegedly said that if an African American person appeared on one of her 911 calls the next day, they were “going to jail.”
According to the records, Gonzalez acknowledged during her Internal Affairs interview that the Instagram account belonged to her and admitted posting the videos.
The department concluded Gonzalez violated multiple policies, including standards governing professionalism, conduct, discrimination, social media use and Brady/Michael Morton Act disclosure requirements. HPD argued the comments damaged public trust, harmed the department’s reputation and raised concerns about Gonzalez’s ability to serve as an impartial law enforcement officer.
“These videos have been widely disseminated on several social media platforms, including both local and nationwide media platforms,” Diaz wrote in the suspension letter. The department noted one local social media platform reported the videos had been viewed more than 1.2 million times.
Gonzalez appealed the discipline three days after her suspension. In her appeal, she argued the allegations were “not wholly true,” the charges were not legally sufficient and the punishment did not fit the alleged conduct. She is seeking reinstatement, back pay and benefits.
Records show Gonzalez elected to have her case heard by an independent hearing examiner rather than the Firefighters’ and Police Officers’ Civil Service Commission.
A hearing was originally scheduled for June 5, but KPRC 2 has learned it has since been postponed until August.
The Houston Police Officers’ Union president Doug Griffith said Gonzalez opted to have an attorney outside of the union to represent her.