Houston Mayor John Whitmire appoints former Texas Ranger Noe Diaz as new police chief

In their own words

Diaz said he believes the Houston Police Department will benefit from his experience as a trooper, police chief and investigator.

"I am very familiar with every discipline in the police business," he said. "Be it the patrol division ... I know the investigative process ... and the narcotics division. I am intimately involved with every process. The only thing I don't know how to do is fly a helicopter, but I'm going to work on it."

As the new chief, Diaz said he will focus on issues such as recruiting younger officers, dealing with public corruption and enhancing technology within the department.

"My vision it to get back to being a servant, a servant and a leader," he said.

Something to note

Acting Police Chief Larry Satterwhite will serve as the new director of Public Safety and Homeland Security. Satterwhite served as the acting police chief for 3 months after former police chief Troy Finner announced his retirement in May.

Whitmire also replaced former Houston Fire Chief Samuel Peña in July with Thomas Muñoz, the city's coordinator for the Office of Emergency Management.

Whitmire said he expects the new department heads to help turn Houston into one of the best cities in the U.S. in terms of criminal justice and combating crime.

"I want Houstonians to know, and I will be held accountable, that we will have one of the safest big cities in the nation," he said.