In front of Houston City Hall, activists from several groups banded together to call for the dismissal of a new hire from the Houston Police Department (HPD).
Deven Ortiz, the officer, spent 25 months working as a detention officer at the Harris County Jail. Ortiz was the focus of several Internal Affairs probes during that brief period. The disciplinary board of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office suggested dismissal.
Ortiz resigned in April 2024 before to any action being taken to dismiss him. Ortiz enrolled at the Houston Police Academy that same month and became a probationary officer in November.
DISTURBING VIDEO
One of those incidences was recently captured on camera inside the jail. Ortiz was seen pushing a female prisoner in handcuffs into the wall, smashing her face-first on the ground, then lifting her off the ground and slamming her back into the floor. That specific incident happened on January 17, 2024, while Ortiz was accompanying the prisoner to court, according to the sheriff’s office.
Others, such Honey Brown Hope Foundation founder and executive director Tammie Lang Campbell, wonder why HPD even thought a person with such a background was a good fit.
According to Campbell, Houston has been denied justice and is experiencing a crisis of confidence. An excessive number of law enforcement personnel who have sworn to protect and serve are also breaching the law. Their insignia, however, protect them from responsibility, leaving our communities damaged and deceived.
What occurs when rogue cops are transferred from one agency to another is demonstrated by the case of Deven Ortiz. According to Campbell, it’s a risky loop that undermines confidence and jeopardizes public safety.
Cynthia Cole, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1550, stated, “When you watch the video, you’ll notice how he is acting, and you’ll also notice that none of his coworkers attempted to stop him.”
Additionally, activists want to know how Mayor John Whitmire, who ran a tough-on-crime mayoral campaign, and HPD leadership will react to their demands for Ortiz’s dismissal.
CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
We urge Mayor Whitmire, Sheriff Gonzalez, and Police Chief Diaz to put accountability and openness first today. “We need independent oversight by a civilian review board, full disclosure of officer misconduct, and ethical leadership that holds law enforcement to the highest standards,” she said.
The Defender was sent to HPD’s X account for a December post while requesting a statement from HPD. It said the following:
A video of a January 2024 use of force incident involving a jail officer at the Joint Processing Center was just brought to the attention of the Houston Police Department. The former jail officer in question enrolled in and completed the Houston Police Academy in April and November, respectively. That individual is currently a probationary police officer with the Houston Police Department. The facts of the occurrence and the information the employee gave about it at the time of his application have been the subject of an investigation. He is being tasked with administrative tasks while the probe is ongoing.
By the time of publication, a spokesperson for Mayor John Whitmire had not responded to the Defender’s referral to HPD’s Public Information Officer. The spokesman went on to say that HPD is investigating the issue and that Whitmire expects all departments to function with transparency and accountability.
Jacilet Griffin, the founder of Justice for Evan Custody to Casket and mother of a son killed in HCJ, Cole (AFSCME Local 1550), Hai Bui (member of We the People Organize), Randall Kallinen (Civil Rights Lawyer, National Lawyers Guild Houston Chapter), and Nicholas Little (NAACP Houston Branch, Criminal Justice Committee chairman) joined Campbell in front of City Hall’s Reflection Pool.
Two former law enforcement officers joined the activists: Jeff Reese, a retired Harris County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) employee with 26 years of service, and Kathy Swilley, who represented Cops Holding Cops Accountable.
It’s horrifying because of the Harris County Jail, where a ton of information has surfaced showing that the guards have been engaging in unwarranted violence against inmates, even leading to deaths, Kallinen added. Therefore, it is concerning when someone from the Harris County Jail is captured on camera smashing a petite woman in handcuffs to the ground. This is because the person is leaving the jail and may do this to anyone. The Houston Police force, or any police force, should not employ someone who has demonstrated a violent tendencies.
