Congrats HPD Chief Montalvo!

Some H-town history was made today when Martha Montalvo was named bu Mayor Sylvester Turner as the interim HPD chief in the wake of the sudden retirement that takes effect February 26 of former HPD chief Charles McClellan.

She was born in Ecuador, immigrated her with her family in the 60's, and grew up in Houston's predominately Latinx East End.   After earning a bachelors of science from UHD and a masters from Sam Houston State, she started as a HPD beat cop in May 1980 and rose through the ranks as a sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and assistant chief of police in her now 35 year career.

She was serving on former Chief McClellan's command staff, supervising five departments, 60 civilians and 128 officers before her elevation to interim chief.  

Chief Montalvo becomes the first Latina to be named to the top job in the Houston Police Department and the second female (first was Elizabeth Watson 1990-1992) to hold the position.

'I'm very invested in ensuring that as long as I'm interim, that we continue to ensure that the officers continue their exemplary professionalism, and that we continue to be transparent and accountable to the community we serve," said Chief Montalvo.

She will serve as the interim chief until a permanent one is found to fill the job.  Hey, why not her?

We'll see how that plays out.   Congratulations Chief Montalvo on making Houston and HPD history.  

Ashton's Open Letter To HPD Police Chief McClelland

About the same time I was unleashing my post blasting Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman (R) for his problematic comments in the wake of the Deputy Darren Goforth murder, HPD chief Charles McClelland was making some problematic comments of his own that Ashton Woods called him out about at his Strength In Numbers blog.

Here's a taste of what Ashton had to say in his open letter to Chief McClelland.

t is sad that many people who look like us share the same same sentiments, until it happens to them. The reason why the phrase "all lives matter" is such a triggering flash point is that it is born out of racism. WE say BLACK LIVES MATTER because we live in a legal system designed for, around and to benefit WHITE PEOPLE. The critical infrastructure that supports all levels of government is inherently RACIST.  You, of all people should know this, but I cannot assume that this is part of your thought process. We will say all lives matter when the systems of institutional and systemic racism, classism, and economic discrimination comes to a full and complete halt. 

If you wish to read the full letter, click the link here.

HPD -LGBT Community Dialogue Tomorrow

For those of you who can make it to the Montrose Center tomorrow morning from 10-AM-1 PM CDT, there will be a town hall meeting featuring  HPD Chief Charles McClelland, HPD's command staff,  HPD LGBT Liaison EJ Joseph, HPD personnel and other community leaders to discuss the spike in anti-LGBT crimes that I believe is fueled by the hate rhetoric spouted by our opponents during the fight to pass the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance..

We will be gathering in Room 106/107 at the Montrose Center to hopefully  come up with solutions to this problem that has already taken one life and left two other people seriously injured.

One suggesting is to extend the hours that the Montrose storefront police station is open.  I suggested in a previous post to bring back the Q Patrol citizens patrols that we instituted for several years in the wake of the Paul Broussard murder back in 1991

Address of the Montrose Center for those who wish to attend is 401 Branard St.

Houston Possible Trans Murder Case Update

I posted about the discovery of a body wearing a black dress and hose in a NW Houston gully back in early July and the possibility the victim was trans.

As of today we still don't have clear and concise enough information about the deceased that I and other people are confident enough to report at this time.

We also haven't been getting enough information from the Houston Police Department to clear up in our minds whether the person found was actually a member of our trans community.

I'll continue to work my sources to ferret that information out and once i have it, you'll see it posted here.

In the meantime, for those of you in the Houston area who have information on this ongoing case, please call HPD Homicide at 713-308-3600.
 

Houston Po-Po's Behave Badly With African-American Trans Woman

How many times do I have to say it and have it be proven on a depressingly regular basis? 

When it comes to transwomen of color, Officer Friendly ain't so friendly to us.

A week has barely passed since the serious incident in northwest Washington DC in which three transwomen got shot at by an off duty MPD cop.   A transphobic security guard triggered an incident last November that resulted in an HPD officer arresting transwoman Tyjanae Moore who simply used the gender presentation appropriate bathroom at the Houston Public Library.

Now the Houston Police Department is in the news again for jacking with another African American transwoman.

Transgender Woman Files Complaint, Says Officers Manhandled Her: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

Mica Green was at a southeast Houston Wells Fargo bank investigating a possible case of fraud involving a senior citizen she was caring for when she ran into two less than friendly Houston po-po's.

"Someone had tried to cash a check in her name so they notified us and we rushed here to speak with the police officers that were investigating it," Green said to Fox 26 news.

According to the Isiah Carey reported story, the encounter with two HPD officers in the bank managers office turned less than civil.

"...told me to get out and I was explaining to him that my patient is dementia, 78 years old and I was her power of attorney and he still told me to get out and I refused to leave my patient alone and he then grabbed my arm and pushed me into the bank managers door and shoved me out of the bank," she said.

The confrontation with the transphobic cops got worse from there.  Green says they uttered transphobic slurs at her, left her with bruises and scratches and the HPD po-po's eventually arrested her for loud noise.  

Really?   

"I had plenty of witness that they were calling me he-she this and he-she that and the sergeant said that he had plenty of other things to be doing in this hundred degree weather than out here."

Green has filed a complaint with the HPD Internal Affairs Division

Will keep y'all posted on what's happening in this case.