SIGNIFICANT EVENTS DURING ACEVEDO’S TENURE AS CHIEF

Feb. 5, 2017: Houston hosts Super Bowl LI, bringing thousands of visitors to the city.

Aug. 17 – Sept. 2, 2017: Hurricane Harvey. Sgt. Steve Perez drowns after driving into a flooded road. The death is one of six that would befall the police department during Acevedo’s tenure.

Oct. 24 – Nov. 1, 2017: World Series. The Astros win their first World Series. The Houston Police Department oversees security as the city exults.

Jan. 28, 2019: Harding Street Raid. One of the darkest moments of Acevedo’s tenure comes when a Houston Police Department narcotics squad raids a home in southeast Houston, killing homeowners Dennis Tuttle and Rhogena Nicholas while four officers were injured by gunfire. An investigation into the incident reveals that the agent at the center of the raid lied about buying drugs from the home. The incident led to internal investigations, charges against 12 current and former officers, numerous lawsuits and overturned convictions.

Dec. 7, 2019: Sgt. Chris Brewster is killed in east Houston responding to a domestic violence call in Magnolia Park. A grieving Acevedo would later be criticized for calling out Republican lawmakers for not passing key legislation that would bar domestic abusers from owning a firearm. May 2, 2020: Jason Knox dies in helicopter crash, the third officer to die in the line of duty in three years. The crash was the first fatal crash in the Houston Police Department’s history, leading leadership to ground the fleet. June 2020: George Floyd protests. In the wake of the longtime Houston resident’s death in Minneapolis, protests erupt in cities around the nation, as residents demand police reforms. Though more than 60,000 people gather in downtown Houston on June 2 to demand change, the city sees less violence than other cities around the country. Acevedo is praised for kneeling with protesters and mingling and chatting with many of them as they demonstrate. Oct. 20, 2020: Sgt. Harold Preston is killed while responding to a domestic violence call. The sergeant spent four decades with HPD and was remembered for his steady, mentoring nature. Nov. 9, 2020: Sgt. Sean Rios dies in a shootout at a motel on the North Freeway while he’s on his way to work.

Nov. 27, 2020: Senior Police Officer Ernest Leal Jr. dies of COVID-19.

February 2021: The deep freeze hits Texas, claiming dozens of lives and shutting down the city for a week.