Houston’s top cop resigns

HOUSTON — Half of the city’s police force has resigned.

Houston Mayor Sandy McDonald said Capt. John Rhyshek, who was in charge of the city’s two-person department, has tendered his resignation.

Rhyshek was the first, and at times the only, Houston Police Department officer. He was hired six years and two mayors ago under then-mayor Dale Adams. Rhyshek, a former Alaska State Trooper, helped build the department from scratch. The Houston PD expanded and contracted, but has never included more than two officers. Most recently, Officer Jason Holmgren joined Rhyshek. Holmgren is now the department’s only officer.

McDonald said Rhyshek resigned in person May 15. She could not speak to Rhyshek’s reasons for leaving, citing confidentiality rules in personnel matters.

“It was for his own reasons, and those I’m not at liberty to discuss,” McDonald said. “I wish him well in his future endeavors.”

Shortly before his resignation, McDonald and Houston City Councilman Lee Himes confirmed rumors that the council was set to discuss an issue relating to Rhyshek’s position with the city. Himes would not speak to the substance of those discussions, referring questions to McDonald, who declined comment.

Rhyshek returned from vacation shortly before he resigned and could not be reached for comment.

McDonald said the city council will decide on how to address Rhyshek’s departure.

“We’ll probably have to have a work session on just how we actually want to fill that position, whether we will work on restructuring or just find somebody to replace him,” McDonald said.

During his tenure, Rhyshek added new equipment, hired Holmgren and moved the department into its own station in a dedicated wing of Houston’s fire hall.

Then-mayor Steve Frost awarded Rhyshek a commendation at the opening of that station for his work rescuing the occupants of an overturned canoe.

But Rhyshek’s tenure was not without controversy. A vocal minority of Houstonites in 2006 testified about what they believed to be an over-reaching police style. Leading the charge at the time was Roger Purcell, who had a plan for community policing in the area and a board to oversee police activities.

Purcell went on to unseat Adams and is a Houston city councilman.

The city has recently been going through a rocky period. Frost resigned in February and last month Councilwoman Carla Hendrix followed suit.

Prior to that, the city’s longtime clerk, Daleann Pond, left, as did the city’s deputy clerk. The city has not yet selected replacements for the clerks and has been using temporary help to fill in.

McDonald said while that might appear to be a shakeup, Rhyshek is the only city employee to leave under her tenure on the city council. Overall, she believes morale is high among the city’s employees and its residents.

“You can’t please everybody, but the public seems to be happy with what they’re seeing happen,” McDonald said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.