City official responds to the arrest of Andy Harvey, former LPD Chief finalist

KGNS+
By KGNS Staff
Published: Sep. 25, 2023 at 3:12 PM GMT-7

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A city official is responding to the arrest of the man who was the city manager’s first choice to lead the Laredo Police Department.

Yesterday, former Pharr Police Chief Andrew Harvey was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and silent abusive call electric communication to a 9-1-1 service.

This morning, District One Councilmember Gilbert Gonzalez, who opposed Harvey as Laredo Police Department chief, says the council got it right.

If the city found itself caught in that situation, Councilmember Gonzalez says they would have had to open up the position again at taxpayer’s expense.

The councilman also shared what he thought were red flags with potentially choosing Harvey saying, “Well, first of all he didn’t have a job. He was unemployed and the last job he had been there just two years and two months. So he was very inconsistent.”

Councilmember Gonzalez went on to say that in contrast, current LPD Chief Miguel Rodriguez offered more stability.

Gonzalez pointed out the 25 years of experience Rodriguez had with LPD as a factor.