Officers' group voices support for HPD chief

HPD Chief Harold Hurtt avoided a crash yesterday, and a group of his supporters are trying to help him avoid another one — the one that could be headed his way when the results of a police union survey come down.

The survey, you'll remember, found that 75 percent of respondents said they had little or no confidence in Hurtt's ability to lead HPD. About 2,300 officers responded to the Houston Police Officers' Union survey, or about half the force; Mitchell Ruffin, president of the Afro-American Police Officers League, said the results might have been different had more people been polled.

"There are more people in the Houston Police Department that think Chief Hurtt is doing an excellent job," said Ruffin, an HPD veteran with more than 20 years on the force.

Ruffin acknowledged that Hurtt might be a strict disciplinarian but said he was fair. "Whether you are an officer or a sergeant, lieutenant or captain; the discipline is straight across the board," he said.

Among those joining Ruffin in praising Hurtt were the Rev. William Lawson, City Councilman and ex-police officer Adrian Garcia and — in a rather lukewarm way, it seems — Mayor Bill White. "Houston is fortunate to have an experienced and respected Police Chief who has been recognized by his peers as a national leader in law enforcement," White said in a statement. "There will always be room for improvement in the performance of each individual's job, from the top to the bottom."

Union President Hans Marticiuc defended the survey, saying the union represents 90 percent of HPD officers and that union officials have repeatedly tried to work with the chief. The next step, he said, is to take the survey results before City Council.