HCDO

MEETING NOTICE

All meetings are held at
1314 TEXAS ST.
SUITE 2000
HOUSTON, TX 77002

6:00 P.M.

Members are encouraged to attend all meetings, which are held the 1ST TUESDAY of each month.



Articles of Interest

"10 Tips for Mastering the Police Oral Board" is a great article on POLICE-LINK that you will find helpful. Here's a direct link to the article, or you can download a copy here.

 

Did Sheriff Garcia keep his promise?  You decide.

Read the Bill of Rights Comparison

Law Enforcement Academic Outreach Initiative

Complete your bachelor’s degree 100% online and at an affordable tuition price. Click for info.

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Here's a new link! Law Enforcement Training is a guide for all those who have wondered what steps need to be taken to become a law enforcement professional.

Check out the Fun Day 2011 photos in the Gallery! 

  

 

From the Office of the

Vice President

 

Many of you may or may not be aware of the Department of Justice Monitor position that was presented for approval to the Harris County Commissioners in August by the County Attorney and Adrian Garcia. After a lengthy discussion with President Goerlitz and conducting some research I drafted the following letter and presented it during the Harris County Commissioners Court Meeting on August 23, 2011. I expressed our opposition to the Memorandum of Agreement, and I am happy to announce the Commissioners tabled the issue, agreeing this position is another needless expenditure to again increase the staff of the Executive Bureau. The origin of this agreement was constructed on the basis of two isolated incidents, 1) The Sikh family investigation involving the Kirpan, and 2) An investigation in 2008 resulting from an e-mail. The conclusion of the Sikh investigation determined the Deputy’s action was appropriate and the e-mail investigation resulted in the employee receiving a five day suspension.

 

I am here today to provide reasons for our opposition for funding of a contract or position of a Department of Justice Monitor, or any other name they choose to title it. The Sheriff’s Office maintains a separate Internal Affairs Division for receiving and investigating complaints from citizens against deputies and civilian members of the Sheriff’s Office. IAD is a stand-alone unit with more than 30 investigators under an acting Major, who reports directly to the Sheriff, his Special Assistant (Armando Tello) and the Chief Administrative Officer (John Dyess). The cur-rent proposal before the Court is to add another layer of bureaucracy into that chain with the stated mission of oversight.

 

We at the Deputies Organization vehemently oppose the addition of this highly paid position and contract on the following basis:

 

1. The oversight will be funded by the Sheriff’s Office and observations will be reported to the same group currently monitoring and managing IAD activities. By definition, this is not oversight, rather expansion of an already bloated employee investigation arm that will have no effect on the end results. If the individuals responsible for managing the IAD activities are unable to do so, then that issue needs to be addressed with train-ing and personnel development.

 

2. The issues supposedly being addressed by this action is related to events and complaints that took place under a different administration and before IAD was expanded to more than 30 personnel. If those same issues still exist after the reformation, then the policies and procedures should be vetted against best practices in place around the Country. Adding more internal oversight will not solve the alleged issues.

 

3. During these tough economic times, the scarce monetary re-sources available need to fund core functions and fill the gaps that exist on the front lines.

 

While the impression being given of this function is that this oversight will somehow be similar to that provided by Austin’s Office of Police Monitor; that is not the case, it is just another end run. By our analysis, this is more money being funneled into a feel-good pro-gram that will have no positive effect on the Sheriff’s Office or the citizens it serves. We strongly urge the court to oppose any financial support that will continue to suppress the necessary funding for law enforcement services to the citizens of Harris County.

 

As always we will continue to strive towards accomplishing what we believe will not only be in the best interest of the employees of the Sheriff’s Office, but what all also be in the long term interest of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Stay safe!