January 2020 Blues Vol 36 No 1

Denholm fired from

Denholm fired from Harris County ADA job HOUSTON-Assistant DA John Denholm was fired November 8, 2019 by the Harris County District Attorney Kim Gangs & Cartels Join Forces Ogg, after he asked the arresting officer if the victim of the crime was a legal With as many as 100,000 gang with any organization that provides them the greatest profit,” the wrong to ask about a victim’s immigra- resident. Ogg told FOX26 News “it is members operating in Texas and multiple cartels using the border as smuggling points, the Lone Star State has no shortage of gang-related report said. The gangs don’t limit themselves to drug trafficking, but tend tion status; it is against our policy and it won’t be tolerated.” Ask any cop in Harris County about violence and drug trafficking. toward it since it typically proves their dealings with Denholm and 99% A new report released by the Drug to be the most profitable business will have nothing positive to say about him. “He treats us like idiots, berates Enforcement Administration listed move, and violence often erupts us, talks down to us and is generally 11 street gangs in Texas that have when other gangs attempt to hijack their territories. local PD. all around rude” said a Detective with a working relationships with two cartels — more gangs than any other In recent years, “federal, state, Joe Gamaldi, president of the state on the -- albeit not all-inclusive and local law enforcement reported Houston Police Officer’s Union, said -- list. The street gangs typically act as drug-dealing retailers for the increases in large-scale drug trafficking,” according to the report, possibly indicating an on Halloween night an HPD officer witnessed DWI suspect Karl Bonner expose himself and pull another inmate Mexican cartels, who focus more attempt by gangs to boost drug toward him. The victim yelled out for on smuggling narcotics and distributing to various hubs around the street level. trafficking activities beyond the help. When officers call the DA’s office seeking charges, Denholm was more interested in whether the victim was in had a Mexican Consulate identification. program called 287(g), which allowed country. Though the partnerships Only two Mexican Transnational the US legally then accepting charges of Denholm then suspected the victim deputies to cooperate with ICE from vary by gang and cartel, they are Criminal Organizations, the Gulf have hubs in Dallas, Houston, and sexual assault. was in the country illegally and that he jail. And Houston Police Chief Art typically somewhat casual agreements between individuals rather listed presences in Texas, ac- The Sinaloa Cartel, which has the “other officers were able to follow up “Obviously, as police officers, we’re the state’s “anti-sanctuary cities” law Cartel and Los Zetas Cartel, have Laredo. Gamaldi told local news media that would not come to court, Gamaldi said. Acevedo was an outspoken critic of than binding contracts between cording to the report, but others largest international reach, uses on the case and get charges filed on the completely disgusted with this because passed that same year, promising immigrants that his officers would never entire gangs and whole cartels. use Texas’ proximity to Mexico to crossing points near west Texas suspect.” we’ve worked so hard to bridge the gap “The street gangs generally remain opportunistic and will work The Gulf and Los Zetas cartels pending an internal investigation but er documented or undocumented,” transport drugs and other items. as smuggling routes. The Juarez Ogg originally reassigned Denholm with the Hispanic community, wheth- indiscriminately demand that people Cartel, a rival of Sinaloa, targets “show me your papers.” then fired him on November 8th. Gamaldi said. “If the Hispanic community or any other type of community Denholm’s actions “beyond disappoint- That’s why Acevedo said he found drug consumer markets primarily News of Denholm’s firing spread in El Paso, according to the report. across the country with articles and doesn’t feel comfortable coming to us, ing.” Though both use the border to editorials in the Washington Post, New it’s going to make them prey for predators who know the district attorney’s fails to protect an undocumented im- “When the criminal justice system smuggle drugs, neither has a presence in Texas. The Washington Post wrote: Den- office isn’t going to do anything with migrant from criminals, or administers York Times, CNN, and Fox News. Texas’ most dangerous gangs are holm’s firing comes after two law these charges.” justice in a discriminatory way,” he said Tango Blast and associated Tango enforcement unions, at least one state On Friday November 8, in an email to in a statement to The Post on Thursday cliques, with an estimated 19,000 lawmaker and the League of United The Washington Post, Denholm said he night, “we place all segments of our members, Texas Mexican Mafia, with Latin American Citizens, a national was “aware of who made the inflammatory allegations” and appeared When she took office in 2017, Ogg community” at risk. about 4,100 members, Latin Kings, Latino advocacy group, insisted that disciplining or reassigning Denholm to suggest the police’s narrative was had handpicked Denholm to join her with 1,300 members, and Mara was not enough and that he needed untrustworthy. administration in a high-ranking Salvatrucha, commonly known as to be terminated. Houston and other In the wake of President Trump’s position in the intake bureau, where MS-13 with 500 members in Texas. The DEA targets those four for to assure undocumented immigrants migrants en masse, liberal jurisdictions charges. Before that, Denholm spent cities have taken steps in recent years promises to deport unauthorized im- prosecutors decide whether to file their presences across the state, that it is safe to report crimes, Gamaldi across the country have sought to cut more than 20 years in the Harris County relationships with Mexican cartels, said. Their immigration status, he said, ties with U.S. Immigration and Customs Sheriff’s Office — but even his former consistent criminal activities across is never supposed to matter. Enforcement and strengthen relationships colleagues called for his firing. with immigrant communities so The president of the Harris County country borders and violent dispositions. Reprinted from mysanantonio. dent never asked the alleged victim’s they are less likely to be deterred from Deputies Organization told the Houston The officer who witnessed the inci- com. Written by S. M. Chavey, a breaking immigration status, Gamaldi said, and reporting crime. Chronicle that law enforcement has yet Denholm refused to accept the In 2017, Harris County Sheriff Ed news and general assignment writer. charges after learning that the victim Gonzalez terminated a controversial CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 22 The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE The BLUES POLICE MAGAZINE 23