January 21, 2014 - Houston Police Chief Charles A. McClelland, Jr. says a record low number of internal affairs complaints were filed by citizens against officers in 2013. 

Citizens filed 235 complaints against HPD officers last year, the lowest number since HPD began recording such numbers in 2001. 

By comparison, just three years prior, in 2010, there were 358 complaints filed by citizens against officers.  In 2001, 887 citizen complaints were filed against HPD officers. 

Chief McClelland applauded the efforts of his 5,300 police officers and 1,300 civilian employees and said on the HPD YouTube channel (link below) that the record low number of 235 for last year is impressive in many ways: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLx0hspiFGc&feature=youtu.be

Citizen complaints make up only about 25% of all complaints filed with the Internal Affairs Division.  The others, three of every four, are complaints generated from within HPD. 

HPD employees received five times more commendations from citizens in 2013 than complaints.  There were 1,178 citizen commendations applauding exemplary efforts of HPD employees filed last year.  

Chief McClelland says the goal of HPD is to have the most professional police department in the United States, with a strong emphasis on providing good customer service.



JFC/RLW    1-22-14