From The Houston Pravda
Jan. 24, 2005, 6:44AM
Officers disrobe to uncover sex crime
HPD changed its policy to crack down on 'spas' fronting for prostitution
By ROBERT CROWE
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
Some Houston undercover vice officers have dropped their covers altogether, getting naked to make prostitution cases during a four-month sting operation that ended with 56 arrests in November, a Harris County prosecutor said.
Assistant District Attorney Ted Wilson said Police Chief Harold Hurtt has changed a long-standing, but unwritten Houston Police Department policy to allow undercover vice officers to disrobe to persuade suspected prostitutes to negotiate sex acts.
"Someone had to do something to shut these places down," Wilson said recently. "It was just so widespread. It had almost gotten in your face."
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I support the law enforcement community. I do think that they are doing a trying job with little assets (pun intended) and little support. How far is too far? Should police have to disrobe to be able to make an arrest?
Houston is a great city though it has a few problems, like any other city. One is litter. People here seem to think it’s ok to use the freeways as their own personal trashcan and it drives me nuts.
The other problem I have is the number of sex related businesses in this town. There are cabarets (titty bars) and “personal contact spas” (cat houses). They even advertise them all over the radio at all times of the day now (thanks Clear Channel). I don’t like either, and I surly don’t like having to race to change the station when an ad come on so my kids don’t hear, and I don’t like driving down the freeway to the zoo and explaining what an executive gentleman’s club lap dance special is about to my ten year old daughter.
I support a free economy, but I also think that people should police themselves so the government doesn’t have to. Running a business that claim to be legitimate, but in fact are just whore houses is wrong and I want them shut down. I understand that there are a lot of people that want these services and thing it’s a victimless crime. I don’t care. It does have victims, it is wrong and should not be allowed. I’m glad HPD is doing something about this problem.
I just have one question for the victimless crowd. Would you want your mother, sister, wife or daughter to “work” as a prostitute?
Secret Message of the Day:
It is our own ability to convince us that we can not do something that leads to failure more often than outside circumstance.
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