DEPARTMENT: Police Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT: SAPD Quarterly Update
SUMMARY:
In 2016, cities across the nation experienced a significant increase in crime. While there has been no consensus with respect to the factors that contributed to this increase, over the last year, the San Antonio Police Department has implemented several initiatives, in coordination with local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies, to intensify its efforts to proactively identify and address crime throughout the City.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Violent Crimes Taskforce
In January 2017, the SAPD introduced the Violent Crimes Taskforce (VCTF) which is an intelligence-driven, multi-agency taskforce that will focus on individuals engaged in criminal activity rather than specific geographic areas. In addition to our local, State and Federal partners, this Initiative is also comprised of all SAPD Covert units to promote synergy and ensure that all SAPD resources are dedicated to proactively reducing crime. The results achieved through April 7, 2017, are detailed in the table below:
|
Persons Arrested |
1,140 |
|
Felony Warrants |
533 |
|
Felony Charges |
579 |
|
Narcotics Charges |
508 |
|
Firearms Recovered |
185 |
|
Gang Members Arrested |
125 |
|
Field Contacts |
1,010 |
|
Drugs Seized (grams) |
77,293.24 g |
|
Currency Seized |
$308,768.00 |
|
Stolen Vehicles Recovered |
30 |
The Street Crimes Unit (SCU), in particular, has played a prominent role within the VCTF and is responsible for many of the arrests that have been made to date as part of this initiative. The arrests made by the SCU through this Initiative represent a 85% increase compared to the 615 arrests made by the Unit in 2016, through April 7.
The increased activity represented by the VCTF coincides with the continued decrease in formal, line and use of force complaints against the Department since 2015. As of April 7, there has been a 35% decrease in complaints against the Department compared to last year which can be attributed to training that has been introduced over the last several years, through both the police cadet curriculum as well as in-service training. The SAPD will continue to introduce training and implement policies that enhances the Department’s relationship with the community, promotes public safety and results in a significant decrease in complaints.
Street Crimes Unit Enhancement
In an effort to enhance the impact of the Street Crimes Unit (SCU), the SAPD proposes the assignment of additional officers to the Unit. The costs associated with this mid-year improvement, which will be comprised of three sergeants, two detective investigators, ten patrol officers and seven patrol vehicles, are outlined below:
|
Year |
Amount |
|
FY 2017 |
$727,232.00 |
|
FY 2018 |
$1,296,319.00 |
|
TOTAL |
$2,023,551.00 |
It is recommended that the additional positions be funded utilizing the $1,042,123 allocated through the FY 2017 Adopted Budget as a required match for the COPS Grant, which the SAPD applied for last year but was ultimately not awarded. The additional positions will strengthen the role of the SAPD within the VCTF and allow the Taskforce to proactively expand its efforts throughout the City.
Over the next several months, the SAPD will be developing a strategic plan to include a personnel increase to support the ongoing programs and initiatives that have been implemented to reduce crime throughout the City.
Hiring
The SAPD remains committed to implementing recruitment strategies that attract qualified candidates and promote a diverse workforce. Over the last several years, the SAPD has implemented the strategies summarized below to bolster recruitment. As a result of these efforts, since October 2015, a total of 216 cadets have been selected for the Academy.
• Modified Academy
The Modified Academy is available to experienced, certified Texas Peace Officer and is a 16 week training curriculum as opposed to the 33 week traditional training for new cadets.
• Housing Incentive
The City of San Antonio offers a First Responder Housing Incentive that encourages first responders to live in the City Limits. Employees may receive a loan at 0% interest that is forgivable after five years. The amount of the loan varies between $7,500 and $15,000 depending on designated areas within the city.
• Bonus
There are two types of bonuses available: the traditional new cadet receives a $5,000 hiring bonus. Certified Texas Peace Officer applicants receive a $7,500 hiring bonus.
• Revised Hiring Process
The police cadet application has been shortened and the application processing time has been reduced to 6-8 weeks which has allowed the SAPD to remain competitive with other law enforcement agencies throughout the State.
There are currently 149 sworn vacancies. A total of 60 cadets are currently in the Academy with an additional 28 probationary officers on their promotional training period. The table below provides information on the three remaining cadet classes for FY 2017:
.
|
Cadet Class |
Start Date |
Graduation |
Cadet Goal |
|
2017 B |
4/24/2017 |
12/1/2017 |
50 |
|
2017 C** |
7/10/2017 |
10/27/2017 |
20 |
|
2017 D |
7/31/2017 |
3/9/2018 |
50 |
**Modified Academy for lateral transfer program applicants
Based on the number of cadets, probationary officers in the FTO program and the anticipated number of cadets in the upcoming classes, it is expected that the Department will achieve its normal vacancy rate by the end of the calendar year.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost of the additional officer positions through FY 2018 is $2,023,551.00.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the proposed sworn personnel increase, to enhance the Violent Crimes Task Force, be approved for inclusion as a mid-year budget improvement.