Jose Selvera Jr. is an original member of the Houston Police Department’s legendary Chicano Squad, the groundbreaking group of bilingual Mexican American officers whose story is chronicled in the A&E docuseries The Chicano Squad.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served during the Vietnam War, Jose went on to dedicate more than five decades to law enforcement and public service in Houston. During his career with HPD, he investigated some of the city’s most serious crimes, including homicides, kidnappings, and organized criminal activity. Among his most memorable cases was helping secure the safe return of kidnapped infant Lillian Reyes from Mexico and reunite her with her family in Houston.
As a member of the Chicano Squad, Jose helped build a unit that earned national recognition for its investigative success and its connection to Houston’s Mexican American community. In 1997, the National Latino Peace Officers Association recognized the unit after it achieved a 91 percent clearance rate.
Jose retired from HPD in 2010 after receiving numerous honors, including multiple Officer of the Year awards, an HPD Blue Heart Award for injuries sustained in the line of duty, and a life-saving award for saving his partner’s life. He later continued his service as a reserve deputy and lieutenant with the Harris County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office and as an investigator with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Jose holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston and has received numerous local, state, and national honors recognizing his service. His experiences as a member of the Chicano Squad are now part of a larger story about Houston, public service, Mexican American history, and the importance of preserving the stories of those who lived it.
