A Houston Police Department officer has been fired after a series of viral videos showed her making racist remarks and suggesting she would abuse her authority in the field.
According to the Houston Chronicle, Ashley Gonzalez, a relatively new recruit who joined the department in January 2024, was fired by the Houston Police Department following an internal review into the videos.
The videos, which spread rapidly across social media, show a woman using racial slurs and making offensive statements about Black people, including comments referencing slavery. In another clip, the woman appears to describe targeting Black individuals during police calls.
The footage was initially shared through Instagram’s “Close Friends” feature before leaking publicly.
Gonzalez, who was assigned to the South Gessner Patrol Division, was placed under Internal Affairs investigation prior to her termination. She was ordered to turn in her badge and department-issued equipment during the investigation.
Gonzalez was terminated on Friday, April 24, following the department’s review of the incident. Police Chief Noe Diaz confirmed the decision to terminate Gonzalez.
Houston City Councilmember Abbie Kamin said she was “extremely disturbed” by the content of the videos, while a protest formed outside police headquarters demanding Gonzalez’s removal.
Activist Candice Matthews warned, “We will not allow our officers to cause friction between the police and the community,” signaling broader concerns about trust and accountability.
Former HPD training division head Dr. Greg Fremin said the situation is especially troubling given the department’s screening process, which evaluates recruits on how they handle “stress, anxiety, and anger.”
He added that the overwhelming majority of officers are committed to serving their communities, making incidents like this damaging beyond a single case.
Department policy explicitly bars officers from using race-based derogatory language or from posting content that could harm the agency’s reputation—standards now central to the investigation.
Following her termination, Gonzalez may still appeal the decision under Texas law, leaving the final outcome potentially unresolved for months.
