Same story, two takes.

Last night on their ten o'clock evening newscast KHOU (Channel 11) broke the story about HPD cutting their overtime programs and the cadet classes that were purportedly the centerpiece in Mayor White's anti-crime program.

From Jeff McShan of Channel 11:

There are big changes in the Houston Police Department as all overtime for Houston police officers is being cut and classes to train new police new officers are also being scaled back.

There is a fear among many inside the department that crime stats will soon rise again, thanks to a big financial cutback quietly handed down by Mayor Bill White.

At city council Wednesday the mayor and police chief loudly announced that despite an increase in homicides in 2006, overall crime stats in our city fell by five percent. Burglary and car theft were down close to six percent.

“And that is significant,” said Hurtt.

But what wasn’t said at council officers say should disturb you.

High ranking sources inside HPD told 11 News that overtime programs that have blanketed crime ridden areas for months now, deterring a great deal of crime.

Contrast that story with the Chron version and you get a totally different picture.

Here's a snippit from Matt Stiles' story on the declining crime rate that's online at this time:

(from Matt Stiles of the Chron)

The city's overall crime rate fell more than 5 percent last year compared with 2005, despite a well-publicized spike in homicides, police statistics released Wednesday show.

Houston police made nearly 20 percent more arrests in 2006, a key factor that likely led to the crime reduction, Mayor Bill White said.

White credited the improvements to stepped-up enforcement in crime "hot spots," a push fueled by police overtime and some federal funding.

That expensive effort could be reduced if the favorable crime trends continue, the mayor said.

"What we've done has worked," White said after the City Council's weekly meeting. "The vast majority of folks are law abiding. A lot of the crime was gang-related, with career criminals or repetitive criminals. You take them off the streets, the crime goes down."

Police Chief Harold Hurtt told the council that the city recorded declines in the rates of rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft and auto theft.

Overall, the crime rate per 100,000 residents was down 5.7 percent. The homicide rate, however, increased about 5 percent.

According to Jeff McShan the decision has already been made to 'eliminate' (not reduce) the programs that have been effective. According to Stiles the programs are no longer needed. One is a cause for concern, the other is just good administrative work on the part of the Mayor.


Here are the questions as I see them:

1. Is the crime decrease temporary, or permanent?

2. Is the police staffing shortage solved long term?

3. Is the money (approx. $15 Million) being spent on more important priorities?


If the answer to questions one and two is "no" then you have to question the wisdom of the Mayor for putting an end to these problems and reducing the number of cadets.

If the answer to question three is "no" then you have to wonder what it is that $15 Million is being budgeted to that is more important than public safety.


Either way this is an interesting look at how editorial decisions can spin events to either flatter, or disparage, an individual.