J. Noe Diaz, Jr., Houston Chief of Police, grew up in the small town of Harlingen, Texas. As a boy, Diaz recalls his fascination with state troopers, and at five or six years old, he made the decision to follow in their footsteps. “I didn’t have the ability to go to college, so I went to work. I started in a state prison, and most of my formal education was on the job,” said Diaz. While working, Diaz attended classes at Houston Community College and eventually enrolled as a part-time student at UHD’s Police Academy. After completing the program, he worked at Harris County Precinct Five Constable’s Office before earning a position with the Texas Department of Public Safety Academy. After graduation, Diaz worked as a Trooper for the Katy Highway Patrol, followed by several years working for the state’s Narcotics Division.
In 2008, Chief Diaz was appointed as a Texas Ranger and received his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and Political Science from UHD in 2011. “UHD afforded me sit-down time with my instructors, and they understood I was a functioning police officer,” said Diaz. “My story is a path of struggle. A path of challenge. It wasn’t an easy one.”
Later, Diaz served the Greater Houston area as Public Corruption Ranger, a Task Force Officer for the FBI Public Corruption Border Task Force, and finally, as the Chief of Police for Katy. In 2024, Diaz was appointed the Chief of Police for Texas’ largest law enforcement agency.