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Late last night, a white truck with flashing blue lights pulled over two vehicles on the Katy Freeway at the Grand Parkway in west Harris County. At least two men got out of the truck wearing what appeared to be police uniforms. They also had guns. They robbed the victims of one of their cars and also took cash, cell phones and other belongings.

The story in a nutshell: Bertha Lewis is the CEO of ACORN. In a review of Lewis’s contacts list, which was leaked to RedState, Bertha Lewis has the office, cell phone, home number, and private personal email address of Patrick Gaspard. Patrick Gaspard holds Karl Rove’s position in the White House and was Obama’s Political Director during the campaign. In addition to Patrick, Bertha has Patrick’s brother Michael in her rolodex. She lists Michael as working at the Advance Group. The Advance Group is ACORN’s lobbying organization. In other words, besides having Obama’s political director’s contact info, the political director’s...

A Houston police officer shot and killed a suspected burglar who attacked him and his police dog with a screwdriver, authorities said. The officer, identified by HPD as G. Smith, was responding to a burglary call at an apartment in the 7100 block of Renwick about 4:20 p.m. Smith has been with the department 11 years and is assigned to the canine unit, according to HPD spokeswoman Jodi Silva. Residents in the apartment reported the burglary and when a patrol officer arrived the burglar was still inside, officials said. Smith called for a supervisor and a canine unit. The burglar...

Since Hurricane Ike struck — pitching much of the city into darkness — Houston police have made about 280 arrests every day. Most were for nonviolent offenses, including 388 for public intoxication and 335 for drug possession, police said. The totals actually show a decrease from pre-Ike levels, when Houston police were arresting about 370 people daily, according to department officials. "A lot of the credit goes to the visibility of the officers. We're trying to deter as much crime as we possibly can," said HPD spokesman John Cannon. Arrests for looting have dwindled. Of the 168 arrests made since...

Off-duty officer faces charge after gunfire He is suspended after deputies say at least 2 shots fired during party hit a nearby home An off-duty Houston police officer was arrested early Monday after allegedly firing a gun during a New Year's party, striking a nearby home, authorities said. Ricardo Piñeda, 27, was charged with deadly conduct after the shooting that happened shortly before 12:30 a.m. in the 8800 block of Rustling Leaves, Harris County sheriff's deputies said. The owner of the home struck by the bullets was in the laundry room when someone attending a New Year's party across the...

HOUSTON — Houston Texans offensive lineman Fred Weary was shot with a Taser before being arrested Tuesday after a traffic stop. He was pulled over at 1 p.m. about six miles from Reliant Stadium and transported to jail. Houston Police officer Gabriel Ortiz said he "possibly faces charges of resisting arrest." Weary, 29, was being held at Houston's Central Jail on Tuesday night but had not been charged with a crime, and no bond had been set, a jail official said. "At this time, we're gathering all the information and getting all the facts," said Tony Wyllie, Texans' vice...

Suspect expected a 'free pass' from officers Deputies say he mistakenly thought HPD's no-chase policy would let him flee A driver trying to evade authorities thought a recent change in the Houston Police Department's chase policy would help him get away, authorities said. But he was running from a different agency. Regardless, the controversial HPD policy restricting when officers can chase fleeing suspects has been put on hold. "I think this is an absolute perfect example of the mind-sets that are out there," warned Hans Marticiuc, president of the Houston Police Officers' Union, a vocal opponent of the proposed policy...

The report states that a man with a Middle Eastern name and a ticket for a Delta Airlines flight to Atlanta shook his head when screeners asked if he had a laptop computer in his baggage, but an X-ray machine operator detected a laptop. A search of the man's baggage revealed a clock with a 9-volt battery taped to it and a copy of the Quran, the report said. A screener examined the man's shoes and determined that the "entire soles of both shoes were gutted out." No explosive material was detected, the report states. A police officer was summoned...

Harris County prosecutors decided to file aggravated robbery charges in a deadly carjacking because the evidence did not show the attackers intended to kill a little girl, a key element for a murder charge, officials said. "It doesn't sound like a serious enough charge — maybe that is what people's perception is," said Di Glaeser, chief of the major offender and special crimes unit of the Harris County District Attorney's Office. "I think, that if these people are guilty, they should receive the most serious punishment and that would be aggravated robbery." Charged with aggravated robbery were Bakari Holland, 18;...

HOUSTON- Houston police say they are making inroads in dealing with a rash of violent crimes attributed mostly to New Orleans gang members who evacuated to Houston along with other hurricane victims. They asked this week for help in finding five Katrina evacuees believed responsible for three murders and two thefts. Last month they announced the arrests of eight others for the deaths of 11 fellow refugees. While the city had "a huge explosion of murders" in November and December, Houston Police Sgt. Brian Harris said Friday the homicide rate has stabilized and is only slightly up from this time...

The Houston police officer who shot 14-year-old Eli Escobar was indicted for murder Wednesday. Officer A.J. Carbonneau turned himself in early Wednesday night and has already bonded out. He argued his gun accidentally fired during a struggle with 14-year-old Eli Escobar. And late Wednesday a grand jury disagreed. It charged him with murder following last November's deadly incident outside an apartment complex in the 3100 block of Mangum. Carbonneau claimed the teen kicked him in the groin during a criminal mischief call, so he drew his pistol. That, the officer says, is when he was kicked in the arm causing...

FBI reviews police shootings of 2 teensJustice Department will get results, decide if civil rights probe warrantedBy ROBERT CROWE Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle The FBI is looking into the recent shooting deaths of two teenage boys at the hands of Houston police officers, federal officials said Wednesday. Bob Doguim, Houston FBI spokesman, said the agency initiated separate fact-finding missions, or preliminary inquiries, into the deaths of Eli Escobar Jr., 14, on Friday, and Jose Vargas Jr., 15, on Halloween night. "(The pair of inquiries) doesn't mean there has been any kind of civil rights violations (by police)," Doguim said. "It...

Houston Police Chief C.O. Bradford announced today that he would resign in September to spend more time with his expectant wife. Although Bradford did not respond to calls for comment today, several members of his staff -- including Lana To and senior community liaison Anita Fuentes -- said Bradford told a small gathering of his personal staff that he wanted to spend more time with his wife, Dawn, who is expecting the couple's first child in November. According to Mayor Lee Brown's staff, Bradford and Brown would hold a news conference to discuss the resignation tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. at...

Urges crime lab court of inquiry Criminal defendants in Texas are at the mercy of prosecutors in an unfair system that emphasizes winning rather than justice, Houston Police Chief C.O. Bradford said Monday. "Trial by ambush -- that is a Texas criminal justice problem," the embattled chief said. In a two-hour meeting with the Houston Chronicle editorial board, Bradford also said he believes there is sufficient probable cause for Harris County judges to convene a court of inquiry to publicly and independently investigate the entire Police Department crime lab, not just the troubled DNA portion. He distanced himself, however, from...

Trial for officers in Kmart raid starts June 2 By LISA TEACHEY Coypright 2003 Houston Chronicle Two former Houston police officers who were at the helm of a botched raid at a westside parking lot will go to trial June 2 to answer charges of official oppression. Capt. Mark Aguirre and Sgt. Ken Wenzel, who appeared in court today for the trial setting, each face five charges of official oppression for ordering the arrests of more than 300 people, including many teenagers, at a Kmart parking lot in the 8400 block of Westheimer on Aug. 18. The scene of hundreds...

HPD's Aguirre fired over raid By KRISTEN MACK Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Jan. 29, 2003, 3:51PM Houston police Capt. Mark Aguirre, commander of the controversial raid at a west-side Kmart in August, was fired this morning. Acting Police Chief Tim Oettmeier announced Aguirre's firing during a briefing to City Council on the Kmart raids. "What we witnessed was nothing more than the political lynching of Aguirre and they used Oettmeier as the henchman," said Aguirre's attorney, Terry Yates. Aguirre, who had his first chance to speak out today, said the department is using him as a scapegoat and HPD is...

<p>The police chief might go to prison for perjury. The captain who led the raid might eventually be fired. Twelve other officers have been relieved of duty. And the city faces millions in potential legal costs.</p> <p>The 5,300-man Houston Police Department is in turmoil, many aligning themselves behind either Capt. Mark Aguirre or Police Chief Clarence Bradford.</p>

Houston Police Chief C.O. Bradford was indicted Friday on allegations of lying under oath about whether he used foul language with subordinates. Hours later, Mayor Lee Brown suspended the first police chief in Houston in modern times to be charged with a crime. If convicted, the chief, who also is a lawyer, could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. "Obviously, I'm not happy about it," Brown said. "As you know, we have a good police chief, a good department. ... Chief Bradford will proceed through the process, I'm assuming get himself a...

Here's one for the Naked Gun -- From the Files of Police Squad! Police officer tries to fix squad cars. Police force loses cars. Until Wednesday, that is. After missing for nearly a month, the two Houston Police Department squad cars were found sitting at a car dealership where they had been sent for repairs. The two marked police cars with lights and sirens were discovered missing June 21 during a routine inventory check. They turned up Wednesday morning at the dealership where they had been sent for warranty work -- with Police Department authorization. Police spokesman Robert Hurst declined...