DEPARTMENT: Police Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Violent Crimes Task Force Update
SUMMARY:
On January 9, 2017, the San Antonio Police Department initiated the Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF) which is a proactive, multi-agency unit comprised of SAPD Covert Units, the Street Crimes Unit, SWAT and Fusion Center personnel as well as various local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies designed to effectively reduce crime throughout San Antonio. The VCTF is an intelligence-driven initiative that will strategically focus on identifying and apprehending known criminals who are responsible for a significant share of the illegal activity that ultimately culminates in violent crimes that impact quality of life.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Since its inception, the VCTF has made considerable progress in disrupting criminal activity throughout the City as evidenced by the results achieved through October 13, 2017:
|
Persons Arrested |
4,020 |
|
Felony Warrants |
1,714 |
|
Felony Charges |
2,102 |
|
Narcotics Charges |
1,682 |
|
Firearms Recovered |
664 |
|
Gang Members Arrested |
446 |
|
Field Contacts |
4,588 |
|
Drugs Seized (grams) |
244,449 g |
|
Currency Seized |
$1,059,954.45 |
|
Stolen Vehicles Recovered |
45 |
Further evidence of the impact of the VCTF in reducing violent crime is the significant decrease in murders associated with gang and drug violence:
|
Factor |
2016 YTD |
2017 YTD |
% Change |
|
Gang |
19 |
7 |
-63.2% |
|
Gang & Narcotics |
10 |
3 |
-70.0% |
|
Narcotics |
19 |
9 |
-52.6% |
The Street Crimes Unit accounts for a majority of the arrests that have been made by the VCTF which has resulted in a 101% increase year-to-date in arrests made by the Street Crimes Unit in comparison to 2016.
In an effort to enhance the impact of the Street Crimes Unit, 14 additional officers were assigned to the Unit as a FY 2017 mid-year budget improvement utilizing the $1,042,123 allocated through the FY 17 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 have strengthened the role of the SAPD within the VCTF and allow the Taskforce to proactively expand its efforts throughout the City.
The VCTF will be a permanent unit dedicated to proactively identifying and targeting crime trends as they emerge. To this end, the SAPD hosts bi-weekly VCTF meetings with representatives from all participating agencies to facilitate communication and coordination. In addition, this unit will further enhance our partnerships with local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies providing vital resources through their ongoing participation in other public safety initiatives.
RECOMMENDATION:
The SAPD will continue to work in coordination with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to proactively identify and address crime throughout the City.