FBI opens civil rights investigation into botched Houston drug bust, police chief says

Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo talks to the media during a press conference at the police station on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019 in Houston. Acevedo was updating the media on the investigation on the officer-involved shooting incident at 7815 Harding on Jan. 28 that left the homeowners dead and five police officers injured, including four who were shot. >>Timeline: Gerald Goines' controversial career less Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo talks to the media during a press conference at the police station on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019 in Houston. Acevedo was updating the media on the investigation on the ... more Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 39 Caption Close FBI opens civil rights investigation into botched Houston drug bust, police chief says 1 / 39 Back to Gallery

The FBI has launched an independent civil rights investigation into the conduct of officers involved in the botched no-knock drug raid that left two people dead and five officers wounded, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said Wednesday at a City Hall press conference.

The probe is the latest aftershock after last month's deadly drug raid, which left two people dead, thrown the Houston Police Department into turmoil, and sent city and county leaders scrambling to contain a burgeoning scandal.

At the news conference, Acevedo said HPD's criminal investigation into the deaths of Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas last month would continue, even as he outlined new policies that he said would avoid future fatalities.

"We as a police department have uncovered some malfeasance, we've taken it seriously, and we're not just looking at what's front of us, not just what's at the end of our nose," Acevedo said. "We have cast a wide net to make sure we identify any problems, most importantly procedures and methods so we can avoids things like this in the future."

Standing by the chief's side, Mayor Sylvester Turner touted his confidence in Acevedo - who he described as a "change agent" - and emphasized the value of the ongoing probe.

"What is important is for there to be a full, complete, thorough, and credible investigation," he said. "We want to hold people accountable if there's wrongdoing."

The Independent Police Oversight Board will be conducting its own review into the matter, officials said.

"It's important for people to know that this is not a rubber stamp," the chief added.

At the same time, Acevedo announced the formal adoption of a new policy significantly curtailing the use of no-knock raids, a move he previewed earlier in the week at a town hall meeting. Moving forward, only a handful of top officials in the department will be able to greenlight the risky no-knock warrant requests.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston police to end use of no-knock warrants, chief says

“No-knock warrants are going to go away like leaded gasoline in this city,” Acevedo said at the town hall Monday, where he also said the department would be equipping undercover teams with body cameras during raids.

IN DEPTH: Houston police officer in drug raid had previous allegations against him. Find the details at HoustonChronicle.com .

Houston Police Officers’ Union President Joe Gamaldi said the union backed the policy shift.

“We would be supportive of anything that’s going to make our officers’ job safer,” he said, “while not dealing in absolutes.”

The scrutiny comes after a disastrous raid on Jan. 28, when an undercover narcotics squad burst into a home in southeast Houston hoping to arrest a man they said was dealing heroin. Instead, a shootout ensued, killing Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas, and wounding four officers. Investigators never found any heroin at the location, just 18 grams of marijuana and a gram of cocaine.

Friends and family of the couple killed disputed allegations they had any involvement in dealing drugs, and no evidence of a drug-dealing operation was found during the search of the home.

IS THIS AN ISSUE? Lack of body cameras limits answers from botched Houston drug raid. Find the details at HoustonChronicle.com.

In the aftermath of the shootout, an internal Houston police investigation discovered that Gerald Goines, the lead officer during the investigation, had allegedly falsified information in the search warrant used to justify the raid.

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