DEPARTMENT: Police
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Immigration practices
SUMMARY:
The San Antonio Police Department's current policies and procedures effectively protect the safety and security of all persons contacting police for assistance.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The San Antonio Police Department wants and needs all residents and visitors to San Antonio to feel safe and secure in calling police for necessary assistance or to report a crime. Unless officers have reasonable suspicion to believe a person has committed a crime or are witness to a crime, officers do not have the authority to detain or arrest any person.
The San Antonio Police Department has released an Immigration Practices document which outlines and explains the activities and processes that a San Antonio Police Department officer will take in regards to addressing immigration issues. This was developed in order to create an open dialogue with the community and insure a focus and prioritization on public safety in San Antonio. These practices outline how the San Antonio Police Department ensures that all residents, regardless of immigration status, should not fear contacting the police if they have been a victim or a witness to a crime. In addition to the Immigration Practices document, officers of the San Antonio Police Department follow the Department's General Manual regarding service to all the public and prohibitions on racial/bias profiling. Finally, officers continue to receive training, at in-service on an annual basis, that includes how to address these issues and protect the rights of all people they interact with.
The San Antonio Police Department maintains these practices for several reasons, one being that victims and witnesses of crimes are often fearful of coming forward because they believe that they will be deported if they are contacted by police. To combat this fear, the ...
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