Mayor Annise Parker officially named veteran police administrator Charles A. McClelland Houston’s new police chief today, citing his long service and leadership skills.
McClelland, 55, has served as acting chief of the Houston Police Department since the retirement of Chief Harold Hurtt in late December. A key part of Parker’s mayoral campaign last year was a restructuring of policing in Houston under a new chief she pledged to find within the department.
Parker said she personally interviewed every member of HPD’s command staff, the Houston Police Officers Union and “community members,” as well as the four finalists selected by the Washington-based Police Executive Research Forum before choosing McClelland. Independently, the forum also recommended him as the best choice, she said.
Calling it her “most critical” appointment, Parker predicted, with 10 of the 14 City Council members standing around her, that McClelland would be confirmed in two weeks and harkened back to some of the highlights of her campaign promises for public safety.
We more or less knew this was coming. The stars definitely seem to have aligned for Chief-to-be McClelland, so hopefully his tenure will be as smooth and uncontroversial as his selection appears to be. Good luck to you, Chief.
Charles McClelland is the right choice for this position. He is a professional with a deep and abiding passion for the City of Houston it’s citizens and it’s Division of Police.
I congradulate him and I praise the Mayor for making this choice.
I often visit Houston I can now continue to do so knowing that the Police Division is in excellent hands.
R. L. Stewart
Columbus Ohio
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