Fraud, bomb threats, arson among suspended HPD cases: ‘Who are we supposed to call for help?’

In response to Mayor John Whitmire’s announcement of an independent panel to examine the Houston Police Department’s handling of over 261,000 uninvestigated cases due to staffing shortages, 13 Investigates has obtained insight into these alleged crimes.

Numerous incident reports marked with an “SL” code, indicating suspension due to insufficient personnel, were obtained by. Business owner Javier Cedra, among many affected individuals, expressed frustration over what he perceives as neglect of more than a quarter-million cases.

Cedra reported a fraud incident in December 2021, involving unauthorized checks bearing his business name and account. These checks, totaling over $15,000, were cashed at a Kingwood convenience store, resulting in significant losses for both Cedra and the store owner. To Cedra’s surprise, he discovered that his case had been suspended only when contacted by Eyewitness News, as he had received no communication from HPD despite making repeated attempts to follow up.

One HPD report highlighted the case of a 24-year-old man who reported being deceived into a meeting under false pretenses, only to be held captive and assaulted. This incident, occurring in 2018, was not pursued further due to staffing constraints.

Additional reports outline instances of arson, sexual assault, and bomb threats, all left unresolved due to insufficient personnel.