Mayor Sylvester Turner names Martha Montalvo as interim HPD police chief

HOUSTON -- Mayor Sylvester Turner has named Martha Montalvo as interim police chief of the Houston Police Department. Montalvo is the first Latina to hold the position.

Former Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland announced his resignation earlier this month.

Montalvo has been with HPD for more than 30 years and most recently served as the police department's executive assistant chief of Administrative Operations, which includes the following departments: Internal Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Inspections, Human Resources, Training Academy, Psychological Services and the Crime Analysis/Command Center.

According to a Houston Police Department blog, Montalvo was originally born in Ecuador, South America. She moved to Houston in 1963 and entered the Police Academy in January 1980.

On Thursday, she had a message for little girls who want to one day become a police chief, too.

"Follow your dreams. I've always wanted to be a police officer, that's what I did. It wasn't easy. it was something that I had to work for very hard. I was promoted through the ranks. I did it the right way," Montalvo said.

Cheif McClelland's last day is February 26. The city still needs to fill his position permanently.

Montolvo says she's in the running.