Dear Art Acevedo,

Today, you stood outside the funeral home where a fallen police officer had just been transported to make preparations for his burial. It was a bad day for the City of Houston. Instead of honoring the fallen officer and his family, you choose to take the opportunity to make a political statement blaming the NRA and several members of Congress for the officer's death. Even in the worst of times, you cannot keep your divisive political comments to yourself. 

Just to be clear, the NRA did not kill Sgt. Brewster, nor did any member of Congress; a criminal with a gun did. If you truly believe that a law would have affected the outcome of this weekend’s tragedy, then you have learned nothing in your law enforcement career.

Please stop looking for a camera to talk into to push your liberal agenda and try being there for the officer’s family instead. I realize that the TV cameras may not be allowed in there, but maybe you could put the family first instead instead of making this about you. No, instead you chose to make a political statement and capitalize on the publicity so your views could get air time.

Here are some irrefutable facts for you: 

Crack is illegal, yet criminals have it.
Heroin is illegal, yet criminals have it.
Murder is illegal, yet criminals do it.
Assault is illegal, yet criminals do it.
Rape is illegal, yet criminals do it.

You know why laws don't stop criminals? Because criminals don't follow the laws and that is why your department works so hard everyday. 

It is already illegal for a felon to have a firearm (Lautenberg Amendment, 1997), yet they acquire them through illegal means. Learn the law, sir. If you are entrusted to enforce the law, you should probably learn the law. 

If you want to make a political statement, why not ask why this guy was on the street in the first place. Look at his criminal record and then tell us what the real problem is.

Why has the DA given deferred adjudication to over 1,500 violent offenders? Why are over 1,000 armed robbers walking the streets on deferred status in the City of Houston? Why are over 250 felons who have been found in possession of firearms in the City of Houston walking free today? Many of these folks were arrested by the hardworking men and women of the Houston Police Department, where is your outrage? 

Chief Acevedo, it is clear to all that sign this petition that you are not fit for duty and should resign immediately after you issue a formal apology on camera to the family of Sgt. Brewster, the Officers of the Houston Police Department and the citizens of the City of Houston. You are a hard working man and probably have a future in political activism, but you are not cut out to run the Houston Police Department.