DEPARTMENT: Police Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT: Fiesta San Antonio 2016 Safety Plan
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this briefing is to provide the Criminal Justice Committee with an overview of the Fiesta Safety Plan developed by SAPD as it relates to the open carry law that went into effect on January 1, 2016.
BACKGROUND:
In response to the enactment of the open carry law, the following Fiesta venues/events will display signage prohibiting individuals from openly carrying firearms: La Villita, NIOSA, Carnival, Oyster Bake and Sunken Garden. These venues will be able to legally prohibit open carry because each has controlled public entry and exit points and are private property.
Individuals will be checked at the entrance of each venue to ensure there are no visible firearms. Anyone observed carrying a firearm will be denied entry. If someone is seen with a firearm within the venue, officers will ask the person to leave. Anyone refusing to leave will be removed and cited for Criminal Trespass.
Open carry will be permitted at all parades since all parade routes are on public property and lack controlled entry/exit points. Police officers assigned to parades have been advised to notify the Lieutenant in charge of any individuals observed openly carrying a firearm so that those individuals may be assessed and monitored.
A total of 3,703 police officers will be assigned to Fiesta throughout the eleven (11) day schedule. In addition to SAPD, personnel from various local, State and Federal agencies, to include the Bexar County Sheriff's Office, FBI and Department of Public Safety, will participate in coordinated law enforcement activities. SAPD and San Antonio Fire Department will share unified command posts for all parades and other high profile events. In addition to field command posts, daily operations are coordinated through the incident ...
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