HOUSTON — The Houston Police Department announced Friday that it is assigning a team of investigators to reopen a "significant" number of adult sexual assault cases that had been suspended due to "lack of personnel."
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner issued a statement about the issue while acknowledging it should have never happened.
In the statement, Finner called suspending the cases "unacceptable."
"Sexual assaults are some of the most traumatic crimes for victims and their families," he said in the statement. "Regardless of staffing challenges, this should have never happened and will not continue. All victims and their families are important to me and deserve to be treated as such."
Finner said the cases that were coded "suspended -- lack of personnel" would be reviewed. He also said he would permanently assign investigators from HPD's Special Victims Division to help prevent it from happening again.
He said the issue will be addressed publicly next week.
KHOU 11 obtained a memo that was sent to HPD employees on Feb. 8 asking for volunteers to take on some of the cases.