Growing up in the barrio, with brothers on the wrong side of the law, Cecil Mosqueda had every reason to distrust the police. He became a cop to try and show his family there was a different way. But in the wake of José Campos Torres’ death, his loyalties to his commnity and his brothers in blue will be tested like never before.
Map of Houston’s Latino neighborhoods in 1979 – Via the Houston Post.
Episodes
Chicano Squad: Episode 11 – Whose Stories Get Told
Forty years after it was founded, the Chicano Squad was almost completely forgotten. In our final episode, a look at how a dedicated few made sure the Squad’s legacy would live on, and questions about what we can learn from them today.
Chicano Squad: Episode 10 – The Ones That Stay With You
After twenty years, the Chicano Squad had an extraordinary 91% clearance rate. But there were some cases where justice eluded even them.
Chicano Squad: Episode 9 – The Sting – The Fall of Bobby Gatewood Part 2
Bobby Gatewood used to be one of the Chicano Squad’s stars, until temptations led him to make bad choices that got him suspended indefinitely. Benched and in financial free fall, how far will Bobby go to try and change his fortune?
Chicano Squad: Episode 8 – Temptations – The Fall of Bobby Gatewood Part 1
The Chicano Squad has handled cartels, kidnappings, and cop killers. But can they handle corruption from within?
Chicano Squad: Episode 7 – Little Girls Lost
When two little girls go missing in Texas, only 11 days apart, it’s a race against the clock to bring them home safely. One will have the attention of the entire country – the other has the Chicano Squad.
Chicano Squad: Episode 6 – Officer Down
Officer Jaime Escalante’s tenacious investigative style and work with confidential informants has earned him the fear and respect of the Colombian cartels. But when a police officer is murdered, finding the killers will mean more than just going up against drug dealers – he’ll have to stand up to other police officers, too.
Chicano Squad: Episode 5 – Cocaine Kings
Just when the Squad has begun to make real headway against the murders plaguing Houston’s Latino neighborhoods, a new, more sinister threat emerges. The Cartels have arrived in Houston – and they’re leaving a trail of bodies in their wake.
Chicano Squad: Episode 4 – One Squad Against the Unsolvable
On their first day, the six Latino police officers who will become the Chicano Squad are handed a stack of fifty-two whodunits. These are murder cases with no leads and no hope. Until now
Chicano Squad: Episode 2 – One Dollar for a Life
When the officers involved in the drowning of José Campos Torres get off with little more than a slap on the wrist and a dollar fine, decades of racial tensions explode in what would come to be known as the Moody Park Riot. With its back against the wall, HPD needs to try something new.
Chicano Squad: Episode 1 – The Death of José Campos Torres
Forty years ago, the body of 23-year-old José Campos Torres was discovered in the waters of Buffalo Bayou. The city of Houston would never be the same.