The Chicano Squad, a documentary airing on A&E, chronicles the story of a groundbreaking team of bilingual patrol officers who were promoted to detectives, forming the first all-Latin homicide unit in Houston, Texas, in 1979. The squad was tasked with tackling the city’s soaring rate of Latin homicide cases and given just 90 days to solve all open Latin murder cases.
Known as “The Chicano Squad” by the Houston media, the team became one of the most highly decorated law enforcement units in the history of Houston. The documentary features interviews with original squad members, including Jim Montero, José Selvera, Raymond Gonzales, U.P. Hernández, and Cecil Mosqueda, who share their firsthand accounts of revolutionizing community policing.
The Chicano Squad explores the widespread police brutality and corruption within the Houston Police Department in the 1970s, which led to hundreds of unsolved homicides in the city’s Latin neighborhoods. Officer Jim Montero envisioned a unique unit to address these issues. Despite facing racism, discrimination, and a lack of homicide investigation experience, the Chicano Squad proved their worth, ultimately clearing 80% of their cases and becoming a permanent fixture within the Houston Police Department.
The Chicano Squad: Part 1 airs on A&E on Monday, September 2, 2024, at 9:00 p.m.
