"Over 260,000 Houston Criminal Cases Suspended Due to Staffing Shortage, Police Chief Reveals"
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner revealed that over 260,000 criminal cases, including 4,017 sexual assault cases, were suspended due to a "lack of personnel" code over the past eight years, affecting about 10% of incident reports filed. The department is now reviewing all affected cases and working to contact potential victims, with plans to address the backlog and increase personnel. Mayor John Whitmire expressed concern and instructed Chief Finner to prioritize transparency and continue the review as a top priority.