Recognizing the Joe Campos Torres Plaza Dedication

Floor Speech

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Ms. GARCIA of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the plaza dedication in honor of Jose ``Joe'' Campos Torres taking place Saturday, April 2, 2022.

On May 5, 1977, Army veteran Joe Campos Torres died of injuries inflicted by several on-duty officers of the Houston Police Department (HPD). Following a cruel, racially-motivated beating that evening, the police officers took him to the city jail where the jail staff refused to process Joe due to his grave visible injuries. Officers were instructed to transport him to the hospital for medical care. Outrageously, the officers instead pushed Joe off a wharf into the Buffalo Bayou. Tragically, he did not survive.

Joe Campos Torres was taken from his family and our community too soon, but his legacy was the light shone on violent police incidents plaguing Latinos and minorities in 1977. This set a new course of police reform for HPD. In 2021, Houston Police Chief Troy Finner issued a public apology for the brutal murder at the hands of HPD officers more than 40 years ago. Following sincere attempts to address racism within their ranks, today, HPD reflects the diversity of the city and is committed to building powerful relationships with minority communities. Joe Campos Torres' sacrifice sparked this movement and continues to protect countless numbers of Latino and minority community members.

Madam Speaker, let the record show Jose ``Joe'' Campos Torres is a national and local hero. With this plaza dedication in honor of his life, residents across Houston and the State of Texas will welcome a permanent memorial worthy of his legacy.

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