In the end, the jury deciding the fate of illegal immigrant/cop killer Juan Quintero said he should spend his life behind bars as punishment for shooting HPD officer Rodney Johnson three times in the face. As local news reports make clear, Officer Johnson’s family was not happy with the decision, as Quintero was shown more mercy than he had for Officer Johnson.
Officer Johnson’s widow, Josslyn Johnson, has filed suit against the man who employed Juan Quintero, and she has threatened to sue the city if HPD doesn’t start requiring two officers in each patrol car (via KPRC-2):
Josslyn Johnson said she wants the city to require two police officers per patrol car for the officers’ safety. If the city does not make the policy change by June, Josslyn Johnson said she will seek damages from the city from her husband’s death.
“The fact that we go home every night is important to us and our family and it shouldn’t be an issue,” she said. “We need two men in each unit. You need someone there with you to back you up when you arrive on the scene. You just don’t know what the scene will result in.”
The city of Houston responded to Josslyn Johnson’s threat.
“It will be up to Chief Harold Hurtt and his command to make the decision as to what to do with the HPD resources,” a spokesman for the city said.
That doesn’t inspire confidence. Chief Hurtt blames the feds for not securing the border, but HPD follows General Order 500-05 issued in 1992 which forbids officers from inquiring about a person’s immigration status. Under pressure after Officer Johnson’s murder, the city revised the directive a bit so that now if someone is arrested, he or she COULD be asked to prove residency.
The Houston Police Department Union said it supports and agrees with Jossyln Johnson.
“The bottom line is HPD needs more man power. Before Officer Johnson was killed, two other officers were killed in he line of duty because they were alone,” a union spokesman said.
HPD has needed more police officers for several years. It hasn’t been a concern for MayorWhiteChiefHurtt until recently.
RELATED: KHOU-11, KTRK-13, Chron.com
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