Texas Civic Leader Says He Was Treated Like a Suspect

As a civic club leader, Travis McGee has been trying to foster a better relationship between Houston police and his Sunnyside neighbors in hopes of stopping the rash of robberies and burglaries plaguing the area.

He has met with Chief Charles McClelland, and he has met with other police brass in Councilwoman Wanda Adams' office a month ago to discuss launching a Neighborhood Watch program.

Last Friday, he had another meeting with police, one that ended much less favorably.

McGee said he was treated as a suspect simply for inquiring about a shooting in his neighborhood. McGee said he was detained for 45 minutes while police searched his truck, his barbershop and checked his concealed handgun license.

"The only difference between the average street gang and the bad police officers is that the police officers have the law on their side," McGee said after he spoke to the City Council about the incident on Wednesday.

By McGee's account, when he approached police to get a suspect description he could share with neighbors and customers, an officer responded with intimidation and questioning and an attempt to bring him to the scene of the crime to see if anyone would identify him as the gunman.

A complaint by McGee is being investigated by the Police Department's internal affairs office.

Three council members apologized to McGee from the dais during a half-hour discussion of the incident.

"How do we put the trust back into our communities, with community leaders like Mr. McGee, so we can be able to work together to decrease crime?" Adams asked.

Some not surprised

Norma Bradley, president of the Greater Third Ward Super Neighborhood Council, was not familiar with McGee or the incident, but said she was not surprised to hear of it.

"This has been going on in the community forever. They (police) are always talking about having the storefront in the community so the police can get to know the community, but they turn around and do the same thing," Bradley said. She said when officers approach residents of her neighborhood and say they are the law, "They make their law as they go along."

For those on the City Council who did not know him, McGee distributed a brief description of his community involvement: president, Sunnyside Gardens Bayou Estates Civic Club; vice chairman of the Super Neighborhood group for Sunnyside; barbershop owner; CEO of a non-profit; president of a scholarship fund; basketball coach; high school advisory board member.

McClelland acknowledged that he knew McGee, but said he could not comment on a matter under investigation. He said, though, that his officers already host monthly meetings to get acquainted with neighborhood residents and their concerns.

Call for information

Councilman Ed Gonzalez, a former policeman, said that before condemning the officer involved, more information is needed, such as what the officer knew about the shooting suspect before he encountered McGee.

"We don't want the public to come into an active crime scene," Mayor Annise Parker said. "(When) police are responding, full lights and sirens, guns are drawn, citizens need to stay out of that crime scene until everything is under control and the police are ... ready to take information from the public."

McGee said he was satisfied by assurances he received from council members and other officials that the city would do more to establish better relations with neighborhood residents.

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