HOUSTON — Nearly three months after former Houston Police Chief Troy Finner announced his retirement, a new chief of police was named for HPD.
J. Noe Diaz is the new HPD police chief, first announced in a letter sent from Mayor John Whitmire to City Council members on Thursday.
“A fresh start.” That’s what the mayor said he hopes the new police chief represents for the department.
Diaz said he aims to continue his career as a public servant in this new role.
At a news conference introducing the newly-appointed chief, the mayor said Diaz was highly acclaimed and recommended among peers in the region and looks forward to the new era for HPD.
“This is a fresh start. That’s what I really want you to take away from here today. A fresh start at HPD,” the mayor said.
Diaz will take over the role permanently this month.
“My vision is to get back to being a servant leader working collaboratively with all the other agencies. I already have those existing partnerships,” Diaz said.
The announcement comes at a critical time for the department. It comes just days after Acting HPD Chief Larry Satterwhite presented a report to Houston City Council about controversial coding that led to more than 260,000 cases being suspended.
RELATED: Here are the findings from the final report on HPD's use of ‘suspended – lack of personnel’ code
Whitmire and Diaz are hoping this is the beginning of a new era and a fresh start for the department.
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The Houston Police Department has a new chief.. Or soon will.
And he says citizens should NOT be concerned that he’s coming from a MUCH smaller agency.
Jason Miles is live downtown where the new chief was formally introduced today.. Jason?
Jason:
HPD’s last three chiefs came from either within the department or from Austin.
This one comes from Katy.
But his career includes far more than leading that suburb’s department.
(PKG)
(them walking out?)
John Whitmire’s first pick for a PERMANENT police chief since being elected mayor did not require a nationwide search..
(SOT/11:11:39-:52/Mayor John Whitmire, City of Houston)
“I talked to chiefs around the state, I talked to legislators, I talked to some local council members – and it kept taking me back to Noe Diaz”
(track)
(keep up or tight of Diaz in background today)
Diaz did not wear a Texas Rangers hat that we’ve seen him in before..
(GFX from PKG last night)
But his career includes an 11-year stint as a Ranger, more than 20 years with DPS in total, work as a deputy constable and correctional officer as well.
He’s served as Katy’s police chief for the last five years.
(SOT/11:31:24-:34/J. Noe Diaz, New HPD Chief)
“this is a phenomenal city with a fantastic police department – so for the citizens, I ask that you trust in us, let us do our jobs”
(track)
(HPD file)
Diaz says addressing staffing issues is among his priorities along with getting the department past the suspended cases scandal.
But fighting crime is the mayor’s main objective – so it will be his as well.
(SOT/11:18:23-:30/Diaz, no super here)
“I’m not going to get on my soap box about the crime rate or anything like that – but I think that this city should be the pinnacle”
(track)
(more HPD file)
Diaz is jumping from a department of about 70 officers to a police force of 5000..
A huge difference that does not immediately alarm the Houston Police Officers Union.
(SOT/11:52:17-:23/Douglas Griffith, HPOU President)
“if you put the right people in place and I think that he will – I think we’ll move forward and we will not have an issue”
(track)
(Diaz talking today)
Diaz says his previous working relationships with other agencies already brings a collaborative component to his new role..
One that won’t be official until August 14th.
Jason:
As for interim HPD Chief Larry Satterwhite..
It was announced that he will take over as director of the Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Reporting live, Jason Miles, KHOU 11 News.
Diaz's history
Diaz comes from the Katy Police Department, serving as chief since March 2019.
Katy Mayor Dusty Thiele called Diaz a "remarkable public servant" who improved efficiency, responsiveness and community engagement" while serving as police chief.
Diaz previously worked with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice from 1987 to 1994.
He worked for the Harris County Precinct 5 Constables Office until 1996 when he took an assignment with the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was then assigned to highway patrol in Katy.
In 2008, Diaz was promoted to the Texas Rangers and served in Rio Grande City before returning to Houston, where he worked for more than 10 years. He also was part of the FBI's Public Corruption Border Task Force.
Finner's departure
In an email sent to HPD employees late in the evening on May 7, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced he had accepted the retirement of Troy Finner as police chief.
Since then, Larry Satterwhite has been serving as the acting police chief. According to a letter sent to City Council members, Satterwhite is taking a job as the Director of the Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security starting Aug. 14.
Finner had been chief of Houston police since being appointed to the post in March 2021 by then-Mayor Sylvester Turner. He was tapped as chief to replace outgoing chief Art Acevedo, who had accepted the chief job with the Miami Police Department.
Before becoming chief, Finner, a 34-year veteran of the department, was an HPD executive assistant.
RELATED: Former Houston Police Chief Troy Finner says he was forced out of job, Houston Chronicle report says
In the wake of his retirement, Finner publicly said he was forced out of the position.