Charles McClelland

For the American political systems analyst, see Charles A. McClelland. For the American judge, see Charles P. McClelland.
Charles McClelland
Born Center, Texas

Police career

Department Houston Police Department
Badge number Chief
Years of service 1977 - Present
Rank

Sworn in as a Police Trainee - 1976
Patrol Officer - 1977
Assistant Chief of Police - 1998

Executive Assistant Chief of Police
Police Chief - 2010

Charles A. McClelland, Jr. is the police chief of the Houston Police Department (HPD). Joining the department in May 1977, McClelland worked his way up through the ranks, from rookie to assistant chief in 1998,[1][2] before being asked to step in as acting chief. A graduate of the University of Houston–Downtown,[3] University of Houston–Clear Lake,[4] and the FBI National Academy,[5] he oversaw the department's implementation of tasers[6] and a real-time crime analysis program.[7]

Education

McClelland holds a bachelor's degree in criminology from the University of Houston–Downtown[8] and a master's degree in sociology from the University of Houston–Clear Lake,[4] and a graduate from the FBI National Academy.[5]

Career

McClelland became a patrol officer in May 1977, and worked his way up through assignments with sex crimes units and the homicide division.[9]

When racial tensions at the city's Northeast Patrol Division boiled over in 1992, McClelland and Capt. Mike Thaler were brought in to remedy discrimination complaints by black patrolmen.[1][10] As an assistant chief, he has been at the center of some of HPD's most controversial incidents of recent years, one being the approval of the August 2002 raid on a Kmart parking lot where nearly 300 bystanders were arrested during a crackdown on street racing. McClelland later testified he never saw a subsequent memo authorizing the arrests of spectators as well as racers. He also oversaw the department's implementation of tasers[6] and a real-time crime analysis program, which allows for improved overall crime tracking and analysis 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.[11] Known as a meticulous investigator, McClelland was brought into one patrol division to quell racial tensions.[9]

Before becoming acting police chief, McClelland oversaw HPD's investigative operations as an executive assistant chief, which include 1,500 officers, 12 divisions and a $117 million budget.[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "McClelland Confirmed As HPD Chief
  2. ↑ McClelland Confirmed As HPD Chief." KPRC-TV. Wednesday April 14, 2010. Retrieved on April 26, 2010.
  3. ↑ New Police Chief, New Airport Director for Houston
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "UHCL applauds Distinguished Alumni". University of Houston–Clear Lake. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 New HPD Chief Officially Sworn In
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Two years after HPD armed itself with the stun guns, questions linger over how and how often the weapon is being used.
  7. ↑ New HPD Chief McClelland no stranger to obstacles
  8. ↑ "New Police Chief, New Airport Director for Houston." KRIV-TV. Wednesday April 14, 2010. Retrieved on April 26, 2010.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Pinkerton, James. "New HPD Chief McClelland no stranger to obstacles." Houston Chronicle. April 14, 2010. Retrieved on April 26, 2010.
  10. ↑ "McClelland To Be Next HPD Chief." KPRC-TV. March 30, 2010. Updated on March 31, 2010. Retrieved on April 26, 2010.
  11. ↑ "New Chief: New Houston Police Department Chief Officially Sworn In". KIAH. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
  12. ↑ Pinkerton, James and Bradley Olson. "His dream just got bigger." Houston Chronicle. March 31, 2010. Retrieved on April 26, 2010.