HOUSTON, TX (Covering Katy News)—Katy Police Chief Noe Diaz is a leading candidate to become the next Houston Police Chief according to Mayor John Whitmire.
"I've worked with Noe for over twenty years," Whitmire told KPRC. "He knows Houston, and I'm in conversations with him."
Diaz became the Chief of Police for the Katy Police Department in March 2019, succeeding Bill Hastings, who retired and later ran for Mayor and won.
Diaz is the fourth Chief of Police in Katy's history. Prior to this role, he served with the Texas Department of Public Safety for 23 years, including 11 years as a Texas Ranger. His earlier career includes working as a correctional officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice from 1987 to 1994, and as a Deputy Constable for Harris County Precinct Five from 1994 to 1996.
Houston Police Chief Troy Finner was forced to retire following revelations that the department used a code to suspend more than 264,000 incident reports, effectively erasing them from records and denying justice to crime victims. Former Mayor Sylvester Turner selected Finner to run HPD and his tenure continue into the Whitmire administration.
"Choosing someone with the integrity and professionalism of a DPS officer and Texas Ranger can only benefit HPD," said former HPD Police Officer and former Houston City Council member Knox. "I believe HPD will benefit from this selection," Knox told KPRC.
Knox also told KPRC he has friends at the Katy PD and they believe that Diaz is Whitmire's pick and will be leaving Katy for Houston very soon.