Laredo deputy chief briefs youth on department operations; visit cut short by active homicide investigation

Deputy Chief Andre Grama of the Laredo Police Department told a group of visiting high-school youth leaders that the department is ‘‘very fluid’’ and that an active homicide investigation required staff to leave the tour, shortening the planned agenda.

Grama, speaking during a recent visit to the department, outlined Laredo PD’s staffing and technology plans, described internal performance standards and recounted a personnel termination he said was for cheating on an academy test. He also described new capabilities coming online, including a real-time crime center, a drone program and expanded forensics.

The visit matters because it offered students a look at the department’s operations and how police officials are using data and technology to try to reduce response times and…