HPD's new chief formally introduced at city hall Friday 2 weeks before targeted start date
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Houston Police Department's new chief is being formally introduced at city hall on Friday after Mayor John Whitmire announced the city's new top cop on Thursday.
J. Noe Diaz - a former Texas Ranger and Katy police chief - was revealed as the new department head for Houston police.
"My vision is to just basically get back to being a servant, a servant leader," Diaz said after being introduced by Mayor Whitmire.
RELATED: City of Houston taps Katy's former police chief, Noe Diaz, to lead HPD
Here's what we know about the new leader:
According to Mayor Whitmire's letter, Diaz's law enforcement career spans over 20 years. He began as a correctional officer in 1987 and has worked for Harris County Precinct 5 and the Narcotics Division for the State Police.
"This gentleman is the best crime fighter based on his experience, collaboration, and commitment to the job," Whitmire said. "This is a fresh start."
Our 13 Investigates team spoke with the new chief's colleagues, who spoke highly of him and said he "is a great cop who plays by the rules" and has "fantastic investigative skills."
ABC13 spoke with Houston Police Officers Union President Doug Griffith about the choice.
"We believe we have good people inside, but sometimes, it takes someone from the outside to come in and shake things up and make us better," Griffith said. "I think he's going to do just fine here."
Diaz, who has partnered with HPD but never was an employee, will be taking over for Acting Chief Larry Satterwhite, who was named after former chief Troy Finner recently retired over the fallout of nearly 264,000 cases that were suspended due to a "lack of personnel."
However, some in HPD's rank and file have told 13 Investigates they are concerned about the increase in the number of employees Diaz will be taking in. The Katy Police Department has 91 employees, whereas the HPD has over 6,000.
When 13 Investigates' Kevin Ozebek asked Diaz about those concerns, Diaz vowed that the skills he gained at Katy PD would transfer to leading HPD.
"It's not something that I take lightly. It's very basic. It's about servant leadership. Whether you have five people at your job, at your company, or you have 6,200, right? (It's about) treating people with respect, with dignity, giving people the autonomy to do good," Diaz said.
VIEW FULL INTRODUCTION AT CITY HALL OF NEW HPD POLICE CHIEF
Retired Texas Rangers Capt. Tony Leal worked with Diaz for 20 years while they were both DPS troopers and then Texas Rangers. He thinks Diaz is a great pick.
SEE HERE: HPD says over 81K reports reviewed of the 264K cases suspended due to lack of personnel
"A leader is a leader, whether a leader of many or a leader of few, and I think that's what the department is looking for. That's what the mayor is looking for; just like at DPS, now and then, someone is brought in from outside to put new eyes on something, and I think that's what's happening here," Leal said.
Diaz's official first day on the job will be Aug. 14, after Houston's city council approves him.
