About the Chief

Chief Christella Rodriguez is a lifelong resident of Matagorda County. Chief Rodriguez began her law enforcement career in 1987 and has over 35 distinguished years of service with the Bay City Police Department. During her tenure, she served as Patrol Officer, Warrant Officer, Support Services Sergeant, Training Coordinator, Patrol Sergeant, SWAT Team Commander, Patrol Lieutenant, Support Services Lieutenant, Police Captain, and Interim Chief of Police. 

On December 19, 2022, Chief Rodriguez was appointed by the City of Bay City Council as the first female Chief of Police. Chief Rodriguez has over five thousand five hundred combined education and training hours with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). She has also attended the Texas FBINA Leadership Command College Program, the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas Leadership Command College, and a graduate of class 267 FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.  

Since beginning her tenure with the Bay City Police Department, Chief Rodriguez has implemented numerous departmental policies and practices. She has also implemented additional internal controls to facilitate improved performance including the startup of the departments first warrant division, field training program, receiving the departments first TCOLE training agreement which started the departments first Training position. Chief Rodriguez also assisted in facilitated the Department attaining the status of “Recognized Agency” with the Texas Police Chief’s Association which began in 2012. The department has continued to retain the status of a Recognized Agency with the guidance of service facilitators in the department.     

Chief Rodriguez is a member of the Southeast Texas Police Chief’s Association, Texas Police Chief’s Association, and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.  She is actively serving as a Board member on the Texas Police Chief’s Association Women’s Leadership Committee, serving as a board member of the Bay City/Matagorda Boys and Girls Club, Bay City Rotary Member, and Coordinator of the Local Holiday Food Drive. Chief Rodriguez supports programs that will assist victims of crimes, the elderly and special needs, boy/girls clubs, students, and other community organizations. She has a proven track record of bringing unity with other law enforcement agencies.

Chief Rodriguez has been a part of a local movement which encourages females to actively pursue a professional career in Law Enforcement. The national average of women in uniform per police department is less than 12%. Chief Rodriguez is proud of the fact that the uniformed female officers for Bay City Police is at 37%, twice the national average.