Rumors about new Houston police chief emerge after Finner retires

Whitmire said on May 8 that he was not ruling out the possibility of an “internal or external leader” and that he planned to use his own personal network to find candidates and lead the search himself.

Here are some of the names that have been floated as potential people to become Houston’s next leader.

Garcia, the chief of the Dallas Police Department, emerged as a suspected candidate for the Houston job less than a day after Finner’s departure.

Dallas television station WFAA reported that Houston and Austin were “expressing interest in potentially hiring” Garcia, who has held his position since 2021. Garcia is an at-will employee and can leave at any time, the station reported .

In response to the rumors, Dallas’ city manager released a statement saying he and the city council “want to keep him in Dallas to do a good job.”

“To the cities looking for a new leader in Dallas, I have a message for you: ‘Turn around and go home,'” said Dallas Interim City Manager Kim Tolbert.

In response to rumors about Houston’s interest in Garcia, Whitmire’s office said it was “too early to discuss next steps in finding a new police chief.”

Acevedo served as Houston’s police chief from 2016 to 2021. Previously chief of the Austin Police Department, he left Houston to become chief of Miami. His stay in Florida lasted only 7 months.

Upon leaving Colorado, Acevedo was set to become interim deputy city manager in Austin, with oversight of the police department. However, just days after he was offered the position, Acevedo announced he would not accept the positions and said he did not want to be a “distraction” in the city.

Mayor John Whitmire is a longtime friend of Acevedo, but after the false start in Austin, a top City Hall official told the Chronicle there were no “imminent plans” to ask him to return in Houston.

A 34-year veteran of the department, Satterwhite served as a patrol officer, SWAT team member and special operations commander, before being named executive assistant chief of field operations in 2021 by Finner. In this position, Satterwhite oversaw some 3,000 HPD employees who work in the department’s patrol divisions. As executive assistant chef, he reported directly to Finner.

During an introductory news conference, Satterwhite said it would be “great” to be named permanent chief, but speculated that city leaders might be interested in hiring someone from outside the department loaded with scandals.