tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post1345701586354124839..comments2024-02-18T07:48:00.866-06:00Comments on Crimes, Criminals, and the Cops Who Chase Them: Herman Short - A Police Chief during times of changeLarry Wattshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11286644849607299645noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-81677027248746519822020-01-21T17:39:43.167-06:002020-01-21T17:39:43.167-06:00Chief Short was friends with my granddad from Hugh...Chief Short was friends with my granddad from Hughes Tool. I believe the chief's house was on Alameda-Genoa rd., 2 lane highway at the time. He also was one of the first chiefs to allow the service revolver be upgraded from .38 cal. To the .357<br />Mwboydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11282699922544253760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-10459229586944547722017-07-25T17:20:32.873-05:002017-07-25T17:20:32.873-05:00I was elected the first chairman, now a position k...I was elected the first chairman, now a position known as president, of the American G.I. Fourm, of the first chapter in Houston. The organization was founded by World War Two veterans led by Dr.Hector P.Garcia, a former U.S.Army Lt.Colonel in W.W.II. The founding city is Corpus Christi where Dr.Garcia, two sisters and two brothers were all practicing doctors. I, being born in Corpus two months /two days before the date that lives in of infamy, and with my dad a vet and five cousins who fought in W.W.II also, I became an active war history nut.<br /> Dr.Garcia was very pleased that a fellow Corpus Christian organizing a chapter in Houston. This was in 1967, and Dr.Garcia had been appointed a U.S. ambassador to the U.N. by President Lyndon Johnson. On one of his trips home to Texas, I arranged a trip to Houston to meet with new chapter, the majority of the members were Chicano lawyers and all of them U.S.Armed Forces veterans. The issue we confronted with at that time was that Houston top cop Hermann Short was not hiring Chicanos. We knew that Short was a huge racist, some folks even saying Short was a member of the KKK. I do not know how true that allegation was - never knew. There was a large number of Chicanos coming home from the service, many from 'nam. These kids had paid their dues and needed jobs and Short seem like he ddid give a rat's ass about the issue. So I visited the cop shop Reisner to try to talk one on one with Short. No one else even the lawyers wanted to talk to Short face to face. I waited from aound 10:30 a.m. to 12 sitting in a wooden bench right outside his office in the hallway. Short never gave me the courtesy to talk to him, and his assistant told me was too busy to speak to me, and that was going to lunch. I said I'll come back and downstairs to the basement where there was a sandwich shop. I ate and went back upstairs. I sat in the same spot when Short's assistant calls me in, and in the front office there was Short and started his rant, "who the hell are you and what do you want? i am a busy man I don't have time to talk to every person that comes in here." I started my own line of bull shit explaining what was purpose of being there and some background on the organization. Short responded that he never heard of our organization or of Dr.Garcia and to get out. So I gave his assistant my card and to call me anytime they needed veterans. Apparently Short asked his assistant who Dr.Garcia was and that changed his mind about my purpose of the visit. By the time I arrived at my little furniture store and checked my phone calls, A call from the chief's office was pending and I gave it my ultimate attention. I never spoke to Short again but he gave instructions for any vet that wanted to join the p.d., to call directly the p.d. recruiting office and that all vets had priority for screening qnd process. After that things seem to run pretty smoothly for chicanos wanting a career with the Houston P.D.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />i JJ Garcia Jrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14129798461535152186noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-82187341179424173082016-10-03T15:00:15.147-05:002016-10-03T15:00:15.147-05:00DID NOT KNOW HIS WIFE WAS KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVER -...DID NOT KNOW HIS WIFE WAS KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVER - JUSTICE SERVED.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15617421100070249221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-47229222593364483452015-09-16T14:38:40.289-05:002015-09-16T14:38:40.289-05:00and I towed an illegally parked car from in front ...and I towed an illegally parked car from in front of this building when several of the men in the photo were there and less than a week before Hampton was shot.JRLawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10030433154204988720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-58581117038590438562015-09-16T14:34:28.894-05:002015-09-16T14:34:28.894-05:00Carl Hampton was not killed at the PPII headquarte...Carl Hampton was not killed at the PPII headquarters at 2800 Dowling. He was killed on a stage at night in Emancipation Park when he gave the order to burn 3rd Ward. He was shot by Bo Norris from the church about a block away. Ovide Duncantell was also on that stage and I believe he was wounded in the heel. It was at this time that virtually the entire police force was mobilized into 3rd Ward; we were on standby for this eventuality. The riots never materialized due to our swift and overwhelming response. Carl Hampton was the only casualty and the PP2 (a front for the Black Panthers) headquarters was the only building that burned. Our handling of this situation (as directed by Herman Short) saved Houston from LA style riots. The Black Panthers soon left town - they tried to re-organize in the Montrose area but their meetings were continually disrupted. The Black Panthers left Houston for a time and Houston was spared the problems that plagued other large cities during that period. Herman Short was not a racist - he was a hero. It hurt me deeply when his wife was killed at her mail box by a drunk driver. We were under strict orders coming down from Short to handle this suspect properly despite our feelings and loyalty. I was on the 3rd floor when that suspect was brought in for testing and booking.JRLawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10030433154204988720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-53195642304920353312013-07-30T06:44:38.862-05:002013-07-30T06:44:38.862-05:00The Sixties were touch, challenging and, sometimes... The Sixties were touch, challenging and, sometimes, unforgiving for men like Herman Short. Navigating the dramatic changes underway in that era was difficult for anyone, but especially for someone whose idea of justice was defined along a narrow line. I did read a humorous story on the police union website about how Short once stopped a speeding motorist and warned him about going too fast. He happened to be in his civilian clothes at the time, and the motorist asked him who he was. Short reportedly answered "I'm assigned to the chief's office." When the speeder asked him what he did there, he answered, "I'm the chief of police." Interesting guy.thomasrizzohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00762315714546553945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-1120736124048232622013-07-29T16:28:08.619-05:002013-07-29T16:28:08.619-05:00I remember Chief Short and Larry Watts wrote a rea...I remember Chief Short and Larry Watts wrote a really fair representation of the man. Chief Short was no nonsense but almost all of the Officers who worked for him at the time thought very highly of Chief Short and he had the absolute respect of the Houston Police Department.James Murphynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-47380074887928759792013-07-29T16:15:36.112-05:002013-07-29T16:15:36.112-05:00Thank you, Breck. A note to all. I have received...Thank you, Breck. A note to all. I have received other complimentary comments about this story, however, they were submitted anonymously. I have a policy of posting comments only from identified viewers. Thanks to all.Larry Wattshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11286644849607299645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6732812286476665747.post-60593247337320038072013-07-29T13:45:53.127-05:002013-07-29T13:45:53.127-05:00I know of no one more qualified to write about the...I know of no one more qualified to write about the Houston Police Dept. and it's history than Larry Watts.<br />I worked at HPD during Herman Shorts administration. Some say he was the best chief the HPD ever had.<br />Breck Porter, Jr.Breck Porterhttp://thepolicenews.netnoreply@blogger.com