09:17 PM CST on Thursday, January 12, 2006

By Vicente Arenas / 11 News

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Some of HPD's most veteran officers are filing a federal discrimination complaint against the department.

The Houston Police Organization of Spanish Speaking Officers (OSSO) and the "Chicano Squad" held a news conference Thursday to talk about changes they want to see at HPD.

KHOU-TV

Sam Alvarado, Chicano Squad spokesperson.

They want changes to be made and they want them made in the very near future.

When little Laura Ayala disappeared from the southeast side in 2002 HPD's Chicano Squad kicked into high gear.

While most officers like working big cases, the squad says the problem was its work on this case and others never slowed down.

"You had less time to rest. You had less time to spend with your family. You had less time to further your education," said Macario Sosa, former Chicano Squad officer.

The Squad said other officers got time off to study for tests that eventually led to promotions.

A spokesman says 22 Spanish-speaking officers have filed 14 complaints with the EEOC saying HPD deliberately discriminates against Latinos.

The percentage of Hispanic sergeants and lieutenants, the group said, is far below the number of Latinos in the city.

"They have to be color blind to not know what's going on," said Sam Alvarado, Chicano Squad spokesman.

Some officers also said they were called "wetbacks" and "mezcins", allegations the group says are included in the complaint which the department said is way too vague.

They are also saying there are problems with recruitment and promotions and discrimination when it comes to Latinos in the Houston Police Department.

One Chicano Squad officer said he and fellow officers frequently found themselves on call more often than others.

They say the bigger picture is the lack of promotions when it comes to Latinos in the police department.

There were 14 affidavits filed and 22 officers involved in the complaint.

"You look at the whole picture. We'd like to see equality, equity in the system, OK, when it comes to pay, promotions, benefits, time off, educational opportunities, all this stuff. It's in the complaint that we've not had the opportunities that everybody else has," said Sam Alvarado of OSSO.

"The complaint that was filed has no dates or times or specific individuals that were complained to, so our response will have to be general in nature. It's a basic general denial because we did not have individual people who claimed they had been discriminated against. Instead it was more of a broad brush, more of a shotgun approach of a complaint," said HPD Legal Director Craig Ferrel.

HPD said that OSSE and the Chicano Squad never went to them, but went directly to EEOC.

HPD says it will agree to talk with the EEOC and try to come to some kind of agreement with the organization.