Houston police chief Charles McClelland has been given a one-day unpaid suspension by Mayor Annise Parker after video showed him running over pedestrian James Harris in his city-owned Jeep Cherokee at the intersection of Travis and Clay.
The accident took place on September 4. The video shows pedestrian James Harris, 47, crossing the street. Harris gets about six paces into the crosswalk when a Jeep Cherokee slams into him. This sends Harris flying further into the street.
Harris suffered a broken arm in the accident. Shortly after the accident, a police spokesman made comments that appeared to put Harris at fault. He said: "[McClelland] made the left turn and suddenly an adult male stepped off the curb into a moving lane of traffic." Traffic camera footage obtained at the intersection of Travis Clay showed otherwise.
McClelland, for his part, has been contrite in accepting his responsibility for the accident. He told media. "I just want the public to know as leader of this organization, it's my responsibility to set the tone. You have heard me say, 'If we mess up, we clean up, we fess up.' That's why I think it's very important for me, as a leader who issues discipline frequently, that I not hold myself to the same standards and accountable as the average officer — I hold myself to a higher standard."
The police department did not give McClelland a citation, saying docking him a day's pay and giving him a citation would constitute double punishment. McClelland said one day's pay is about 10 times more than the max he would be penalized from a citation.
McClelland's annual salary is $211,150. Based on 20 work days per month, a day's pay would be $879. That means either (A) the penalty for hitting a pedestrian with your car is only $87.90 or (B) Charles McClelland isn't really good at math.
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