Katy’s Chief of Police Appointed as Houston Police Chief

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

August 2, 2024

By Natalie Cook Clark

Houston Mayor John Whitmire has appointed J. Noe Diaz as the new Chief of the Houston Police Department. Diaz is currently the Chief of Police for the Katy Police Department.

Photo credit: City of Katy

Houston Mayor Appoints Katy Chief to Houston Police Chief

Police Chief J. Noe Diaz of the Katy Police Department has been appointed as the new Chief of the Houston Police Department. He’s expected to start the new position on August 14, 2024.

“I have known Chief Diaz since he was with the Texas Highway Patrol in the lat 1990’s, and I would consider Noe a personal friend outside of our professional relationship,” says Chris Harris, City of Katy Mayor pro-tem and councilmember. “I wish Noe well, and he will be an excellent Police Chief for the City of Houston.”

Houston Mayor John Whitmire addressed the city this morning at 11:00 a.m. to formally introduce Chief Diaz at that time. You can see the livestream and follow the HPD on Facebook.

Former Police Chief Troy Finner retired in May amid ongoing internal investigation of over 264,000 cases, including over 4,000 sexual assault reports. Assistant Chief Larry Satterwhite, who took over of acting Chief, submitted a report to the Houston City Council stating that the cases were suspended due to controversial coding.

Finner had been the Houston Police Department Chief for more than three years.

Katy Mayor Dusty Thiele Praises Leadership

Mayor William H. "Dusty' Thiele formally announces the resignation of City of Katy Police Chief Jose Noe Diaz, Jr., to be effective August 14, 2024. Chief Diaz will be assuming the new Chief of Police position with the City of Houston.

Chief Diaz has been a remarkable public servant, dedicating his career to the safety and well-being of our community. Throughout his tenure, he has made significant improvements to the City of Katy Police Department, enhancing its efficiency, responsiveness, and community engagement. Under his leadership, our police force has become a model of excellence and a pillar of our city's safety.

We are immensely proud of his accomplishments and confident in the continued success of the City of Katy Police Department. The city's loss is undoubtedly the City of Houston's gain, and we wish Chief Diaz all the best in his new role as the City of Houston Police Chief. When opportunity knocks, it is essential to embrace it, and we know that Chief Diaz will bring the same dedication and excellence to Houston.

As a testament to Chief Diaz's outstanding leadership, the City of Katy Police Department will continue to operate seamlessly during this transition period. We are committed to finding a new Police Chief who will uphold the high standards and values that Chief Diaz has instilled in our police force. With Chief Diaz at the helm, a safer Houston is a safer Katy.

Chief Diaz will remain a true and faithful friend to the City of Katy, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact he will undoubtedly have in his future endeavors.

Please join me in expressing our deepest gratitude and best wishes to Chief Diaz.

Sincerely,

William H. "Dusty" Thiele

Mayor of the City of Katy

U of H Grad, Texas Ranger

Chief J. Noe Diaz was hired as the Chief of the Police for the Katy Police Department prior to having served as a correctional officer with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice from 1987-1994.

Chief Diaz is a graduate of the University of Houston Downtown Police Academy. Diaz has also worked in the Narcotics Division of the State Police where he was stationed in Houston.

He also served as a Texas Ranger in the Rio Grande City before he returned to Houston. You can find his full bio, for the time being on the City of Katy page.

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