guess what the cop version of this shooting was… Police originally claimed Irizarry was 'driving erratically' before getting out of his car with a knife and lunging at officers.
There is a controversy in Houston revolving around police cases some as serious as sexual assault being put hold so police can spend time on more "serious " crimes. The current chief says when he came in and heard about it he tried to put an immediate end to it. That's neither here nor there, it's been in the news a few months and today the chief said the city just doesn't have enough officers @JuanValdez I linked you because of your issues with Whitmire wanting to add more officers
From what I saw there are thousands of cases that need to be looked at. The new mayor and Troy Finner need to figure this out, I saw Whitmore put on the table this week a rise in Property taxes (about $15 month) to cover the billion dollar raises for the firefighters which I think is totally fair or it could also be some type of garbage tax..............you want first responders, you have to pay them. If we need more cops then let's get them paid but first we need to see how this backlog happened and if were being as efficient as possible, there are families out there that need justice. I would like to see Finner look into taking some of the clerical and admin positions to civilians and let the cops focus on being on the streets
Third ward residents want more policing https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/third-ward-crime/285-e8a52df1-bab1-46b9-a659-c797be81ecda Crime in Houston's Third Ward getting worse and residents say police aren't helping On Thursday night, every seat was taken during a town hall meeting Houston police officers held with frustrated residents. Houston Police Department on Thursday to discuss what they said was persistent shootings and open drug use in their community. Residents said they repeatedly asked for help from police, but they said it never came. Every seat was taken by fed-up residents during the town hall meeting at the Third Ward Multi-Service Center. "We’re tired of hearing you’re 'looking into it,'" one resident told police. Neighbors said when it comes to crime in Third Ward, it's the worst it's ever been. KHOU 11 News has covered multiple shootings in the area recently, including multiple homicides. Some of the neighbors' biggest concerns were with repeat offenders who were arrested and then quickly let back on the streets. HPD Chief Troy Finner was at the meeting and vowed to add more patrols in the area. He told residents he had no control over how long a suspect stays in jail and advised residents to vote if they wanted change. In addition to criminal complaints, residents said they were also fed up with the short-term rentals they said were wreaking Packets were passed out to residents giving instructions on how to report problem properties to Airbnb. Matt Dougherty on social media: Facebook | X | © 2024 KHOU-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Body camera video shows an Oklahoma City police officer forcefully taking down and handcuffing a 71-year-old driver after a traffic stop last month. The driver was hospitalized with serious injuries, and the officer was placed on administrative leave, police said about the Oct. 27 stop. Body camera video released by police shows an officer, whom police have not publicly identified, stopping a driver for an illegal U-turn after a minor accident. “There was a use of force, and an elderly man sustained serious injuries that required hospitalization," police said in a statement. "An investigation was immediately initiated, and the officer was placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the investigation." The incident will be presented to the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office soon, as police are dedicated to transparency and accountability, the statement said. A representative for Oklahoma City police declined additional comment Tuesday. Thuan Nguyen, president of the Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma, identified the driver Tuesday as Lich Vu, 71, and said he remains in the hospital with a skull fracture. Relatives of Vu could not be reached for comment Tuesday. The body camera video shows an officer speaking to the driver with the door open, telling him he is writing a ticket for an improper U-turn. “I didn’t U-turn,” the driver says. The officer asks the man to sign the citation, explaining it is not an admission of guilt but a contract that he’ll take care of the citation later, the video shows. “I don’t know what you’re talking about," the driver says, adding that his car was hit by another driver. “Me? Citation? She hit me and I got the citation?” he tells the officer. He then gets out of the vehicle and the officer tells him they’re done arguing. “We don’t argue on the side of the road,” the officer says, adding that if the driver doesn't sign the citation, he will go to jail. The driver responds, “I’m ready to go to jail.” The officer, apparently frustrated, calls the driver’s statement “ridiculous.” The officer then briefly interacts with a woman who was given a ticket but was told she was free to leave. The officer, according to the video, then calls for another unit. A second woman appears on the video and tells the officer that the driver is her husband and they didn’t make a U-turn. The officer and the man continue to argue, and the driver lifts an index finger up to his mouth, as if gesturing for the officer to be quiet. That’s when the officer takes the man’s hand and puts it behind his back and takes him to the ground. The officer handcuffs the man, who is on his stomach with both hands behind his back. The video ends with the officer saying he’s going to call an ambulance.
Oklahoma AG drops charges against officer who threw 71-year-old man to the ground during traffic stop The Oklahoma attorney general on Friday announced he was dismissing criminal charges brought against a police officer who slammed a 71-year-old man to the ground during a traffic stop in October. Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement he was dropping the aggravated assault and battery charge brought by Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna against Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Joseph Gibson. Body camera footage from the Oct. 27 incident showed Gibson stop Lich Vu, 71, for what he said was an illegal U-turn after a minor accident. In the video, Vu denied making the U-turn and said his car was hit by another person. The video shows Gibson asking Vu to sign the citation, which he refused to do. Vu eventually got out of the car and the two began arguing. According to security footage from a nearby business released by police, Vu appeared to touch Gibson’s arm, prompting him to grab Vu’s hand, pull it behind his back and throw him onto the ground. The video footage showed Vu hit the pavement head first. He was hospitalized with significant injuries including an orbital fracture, neck fracture and brain bleed, according to Behenna’s office. Vu’s condition Friday was not immediately clear. “As Attorney General, I will not permit Oklahoma police officers to face criminal prosecution for conduct adhering to their training,” Drummond said in the statement. “While the outcome of this incident is unquestionably devastating for Mr. Vu and his family, I do not believe the officer exhibited criminal intent.” The statement added that it is “never acceptable for a member of the public to strike, push, or otherwise make unwanted physical contact with a police officer.” “Our law enforcement officers work under constant stress, where the most routine interactions can become life-threatening in an instant,” Drummond said. “For everyone’s safety, it is imperative to follow an officer’s instructions and to never strike, push, or make any kind of unwelcome physical contact with an officer.” “The simple truth is, this unfortunate incident never would have occurred if Mr. Vu had kept his hands to himself,” Drummond said. Despite the charge being dropped, the AG said the incident is still being investigated internally and could result in “non-criminal forms of accountability for Sgt. Gibson.” In response, Behenna said she is “surprised and disappointed” that the attorney general “took this case away from my office and the citizens of Oklahoma County.” The statement from Drummond’s office noted that he entered an appearance in the case on Monday, “effectively taking over the prosecution.” The Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement that it agrees “whole-heartedly” with Drummond’s “reasoning and determination that this was not a criminal act.” “No officer wants to see anyone injured. However, our members often have to make split-second decisions, and they cannot control the outcome of every situation,” the OKC FOP said. “Unfortunately, when someone resists law enforcement, they increase the risk of harm to themselves or others.” The group added that it was “unreasonable to charge him with any crime when he was following his training.” Gibson’s attorney, former Attorney General Mike Hunter, said in a statement to NBC affiliate KFOR of Oklahoma City that the decision to drop charges against his client was “reasoned and correct.” Drummond’s “statement of support for the complex decisions Sgt. Gibson, his fellow OCPD officers, and law enforcement officers around the state must make is acknowledged and appreciated,” Hunter said. Vu’s daughter did not immediately respond to a request for comment through Instagram. The Vietnamese American Community of Oklahoma, which had been in touch with Vu’s family, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...rew-71-year-old-man-ground-traffic-rcna185616
