|
By Tom Kennedy
Police Chief Hurtt sure is sending a discouraging message to his officers on the street. The man known for being "a police officer's police officer" back in Phoenix before coming to Houston as chief five years ago must have forgotten how one simple little policy decision can significantly affect morale. Especially if it made no sense.
HPOU President Gary Blankinship respectfully asked Hurtt if the three young HPD officers seriously slandered by Marvin Driver Jr. and Quanell X could appear at a Friday (Feb. 6) news conference at the Breck Porter Building IN UNIFORM, the chief initially said it was okay. Then he thought about it and said no.
Houston police officers can be shot, seriously injured and even killed IN UNIFORM. They can be honored at awards ceremonies wearing the blue, promoted in blue and even drug through the mud wearing it proudly while realizing that abuse can be aimed squarely at their backs at any time. This is all part of performing an often thankless, very dangerous job.
But when the time comes to stand up for what's right for themselves and the department at a news conference, they are required to leave their blue at home.
Sometimes it seems as though Chief Hurtt left his dedication to officers on the street somewhere in New Mexico or even El Paso while en route to the Bayou City from his old duty station.
His actions accentuated his earlier decision to put more credibility with the rank hearsay iterated by Driver and X than with the well documented officers' side of the story. Fortunately, the Union hasn't spent time worrying and picking on him about his disgusting morale-lowering decisions. Instead, we have channeled our money and mouths behind these three officers who did no wrong, only to be shamefully slandered and embarrassed.
We will continue to back them all the way to the halls of justice in the courthouse. We just hope the chief quits ruling we can't do so while wearing HPD blue.
|
