For Clemente Rodriguez, the new Chief of Police at UHD, the goal is simple: ensure every Gator feels the same support he felt decades ago, when he walked the halls of One Main Building as a student. “I’m a Gator,” he said. "I graduated back in 1998, and without the opportunity this university gave me, I don’t know if I would have been as successful as I am today. It feels like I’ve come home.”
A native Houstonian and first-generation college graduate, Chief Rodriguez returns to his alma mater by way of the Rice University Police Department, where he began as an officer and was promoted to chief during his two and a half decades of service. He brings to UHD a leadership philosophy built on what he calls “compassionate policing,” in which rather than a reactive approach, Rodriguez will emphasize high visibility, professional courtesy, and community outreach.
And there are clear, actionable objectives, Rodriguez said, the completion of which will allow UHDPD to live up to the values he brings to the department: filling existing vacancies to increase visibility and presence, encouraging all officers to obtain the Master Peace Officer certification, and prioritizing additional mental health training are just a few of his stated goals.
He also plans to tap into his existing relationships with local law enforcement like Metro Police Department, Houston Police Department, and Harris County Sheriff’s Office, since UHD’s campus requires collaboration with all the agencies whose jurisdictions overlap and intertwine with the downtown campus.
When he isn’t at work, Rodriguez spends time with his family, cheers for the Texans, Astros, or Rockets, and walks his rescue dog, Chip, a routine he said keeps him grounded and connected to the city.
Ultimately, it’s that same connection with the city, and with UHD specifically, that he hopes will permeate the department. “Whether it’s an interaction with a student, faculty or staff member, or a visitor, I want our officers to be a blessing to everyone they come across.”