HPD crime lab investigation needs money

The ongoing investigation into the HPD crime lab has stalled pending the approval of more funding.

While Police Chief Harold Hurtt has expressed support for completing the inquiry, another high-ranking police official has said it is not worth the $1.5 million investigators are seeking. Several City Council members also have raised doubts, and Mayor Bill White has been noncommittal.

"Somehow, the shock value of (the scandal) has dissipated over time," said Michael Bromwich, a former U.S. Justice Department official overseeing the probe into problems that were first revealed in 2002.

"It's a troubling thought that there could have been a significant number of defendants in prison based on shoddy, inadequate and flawed serology work and that people are seemingly reluctant to find out the truth about their cases," Bromwich said Monday.

A vote on further funding has not been scheduled, but could take place before the end of September. To date, the probe has cost the city $3.8 million.

I think this is a worthwhile expenditure, and I hope the funds will be approved when it comes to a vote. Curiously, though doubts from Council members and noncommittal-ness from Mayor White were cited, there are no quotes in this story to bolster those viewpoints. Just one quote from a police official, who is then overridden by Chief Hurtt, plus more support for Bromwich.

"My question to Mr. Bromwich is, basically, 'What are you going to provide in that $1.5 million that we haven't already received?' " Executive Assistant Police Chief Martha Montalvo said at a July 25 council committee meeting.

Hurtt, however, has said he would like to see Bromwich complete the probe.

"The money would have to be worked out by City Council," he said after Montalvo's comments, "but we ought to let him finish up his job."

Harris County District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal, who last year provided $500,000 to help with the probe, agreed Monday that the team should be allowed to complete its work.

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HPD's crime lab has been accredited by a national crime lab organization. The certification, required by a new state law, ensures only that labs meet minimum standards. Some, however, including Montalvo, suggest that being accredited makes moot any future work Bromwich might do.

Others, including Councilwoman Ada Edwards, disagree.

"Accreditation is a minimum," she said. "We have seen other labs get accredited and still have problems. To say that we don't need (Bromwich) is faulty."

Last week, the Stakeholders Committee, to which Bromwich's team reports, unanimously recommended approving the $1.5 million. One member, Controller Annise Parker, thinks the council has been waiting on Hurtt's approval to continue the investigation.

"We don't think the chief should be in the position of deciding when the investigation is over, because then that's the police department investigating the police department," she said.

Parker also notes that when Bromwich submitted his bid to investigate the lab, no one knew how much it eventually would cost or what new problems might be uncovered.

Even one of Bromwich's competitors for the contract, Lee L. Kaplan, agreed. Kaplan, who submitted a losing bid for between $3 million and $5.3 million, recently sent a letter urging the mayor and council to approve the $1.5 million.

"Given the significant problems uncovered by this investigation," he wrote, "the amount requested is within reason and the importance to the entire community of completing an independent investigation is compelling."

I don't see a whole lot of room for dissent here, and if Comptroller Parker is correct about Council wanting Chief Hurtt to approve of finishing the job, they've got it. Let's get this done.

You can read all of the investigation's reports here. As always, Grits has some comments, in this case from when the most recent report was released in May.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on September 19, 2006 to Crime and Punishment | TrackBack