AUDIT COMMITTEE SUMMARY
June 19, 2018
Audit of San Antonio Police Department Park Police Operations
Report Issued March 29, 2018
Audit Objective
Determine if Park Police operations are managed effectively and efficiently to meet core mission objectives including deployment plans, equipment tracking, and compliance with training requirements.
Background
The San Antonio Park Police (Park Police) is a standalone law enforcement agency of the City of San Antonio. Park Police is under the direction of the San Antonio Police Chief who also is the appointed Park Police Chief.
Park Police Officers are licensed Texas peace officers whose mission is to provide law enforcement and security to more than 18,000 acres of park lands that make up over 200 City-owned parks. Park Police Officers are also responsible for patrolling other facilities including swimming pools, cemeteries, sports facilities, recreation centers, the Botanical Gardens, Hemisfair Park, Tower of the Americas, La Villita, and the San Antonio Riverwalk.
Currently, there are 177 Park Police personnel comprised of a Captain, three Lieutenants, 17 Sergeants, 151 Officers, and five Administrative positions.
Park Police is funded by the City’s general fund. Their fiscal year 2017 expenses totaled approximately $14.2 million.
Audit Scope & Methodology
Our audit scope was fiscal year 2017 and included Park Police deployment processes, equipment tracking, training requirements, maintenance of vehicles and equipment, and fiscal processes. Interviews and walkthroughs were conducted with key Park Police personnel. We reviewed the Park Police Standard Operating Procedures and General Manual Procedures as criteria for our test work. We also relied on daily commander logs, police reports, filed complaints and inventory records to ensure compliance with procedures.
Audit Conclusions
Controls are working as expected to ensure officers are appropriately deployed to provide coverage for the City’s parks and recreational areas. Also, controls are effective to ensure equipment is adequately tracked. However, we did note the following areas where Park Police should improve administrative processes:
• Established standard operating procedures exist; however, they have not been reviewed, updated, or approved in over five years.
• Completion of training courses by Park Police officers is not adequately documented, and in some cases required training was not completed during fiscal year 2017.
• Periodic inspections of Park Police vehicles and equipment are not consistently documented.
• Park Police reports are not consistently completed in a timely manner.
• Park Police management does not have the appropriate release of liability form for civilians (interns) to sign prior to participating in the Civilian Observer Program.
• User access to RMS is not disabled in a timely manner for separated Park Police personnel.