HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Mayor John Whitmire has announced the appointment of J. Noe Diaz, a former Texas Ranger and Katy Police Chief, as the new chief of the Houston Police Department. Diaz is set to take over the position on August 14, pending confirmation by the City Council. He will be formally introduced at a ceremony on Friday at 11 a.m.
Diaz’s law enforcement career began in 1987 as a correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He graduated from the University of Houston-Downtown Police Academy in 1994 and joined the Harris County Constable Precinct Five Office. In 1996, he attended the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Academy and served as a trooper with the Katy Highway Patrol. In 2001, Diaz was promoted to the Narcotics Division of the State Police in Houston, and in 2008, he became a Texas Ranger, serving in Rio Grande City before returning to Houston.
Tony Leal, a retired chief of the Texas Rangers who worked with Diaz for 20 years, praised the appointment, stating, “A leader is a leader, whether it’s 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, every now and then, someone is brought in from the outside to put new eyes on something, and I think that’s what’s happening now.”
In addition to Diaz’s appointment, Whitmire announced that Acting Police Chief Larry Satterwhite will assume a new role as the director of the mayor’s office of public safety and homeland security, also starting on August 14. Whitmire commended Satterwhite for his dedication and commitment to public safety.
This leadership change comes shortly after the release of a report by the Houston Police Department on the suspension of 264,000 cases due to inadequate staffing, some of which were coded as “Suspended – Lack of Personnel” (SL code). The report found that investigators were using this code as directed, without specific guidelines based on the type of crime.
Douglas Griffith, president of the Houston Police Officers’ Union, expressed optimism about Diaz’s appointment, stating, “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. I think he’s going to do just fine here.”
The report and subsequent leadership changes follow a period of controversy, with former Houston Police Chief Troy Finner retiring in May. Finner had claimed to have first learned of the SL code in 2021 and ordered its discontinuation, but a 2018 email showed he was aware of the coding practice at least three years earlier.
As Diaz steps into his new role, some city leaders, including Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, emphasized the importance of cultural sensitivity and community protection in the diverse city of Houston. The community and council will be closely watching Diaz’s tenure as chief.
