DEPARTMENT: Police Department
DEPARTMENT HEAD: William P. McManus, Chief of Police
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Update - Cite and Release Policy
SUMMARY:
In November 2018, the San Antonio Police Department met with District Attorney Joe Gonzales to discuss the possible implementation of a cite and release policy for Bexar County residents that commit eligible misdemeanor offenses. Over the last several months, those discussions have culminated in the development of a cite and release policy that is scheduled to begin in the early summer of 2019. The SAPD previously briefed the Public Safety Committee on November and December 2018 as well as City Council during the February 13, 2019 B Session to provide an overview of the scope, timeline and anticipated benefits of the policy and the actions taken by the SAPD to prepare for the implementation of the policy.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Policy Benefits
The primary benefit of the proposed cite and release policy is the significant savings in officer time that will be realized as a result of enhanced officer discretion to cite for eligible offenses as opposed to making a custodial arrest. Since 2014, the SAPD has made a total of 30,559 arrests for offenses eligible for inclusion as part of the proposed cite and release policy which translates to approximately 45,839 hours of officer time dedicated to arrests for minor offenses over the last five years.
Implementation of a cite and release program will also benefit young offenders by removing the stigma of custodial arrest and providing resources available through Bexar County diversion programs that will minimize the likelihood of the offender engaging in further illegal activity.
Implementation
District Attorney Joe Gonzales has identified early summer 2019 as the anticipated start date for the cite and release policy. Since January 2019, the SAPD has been working closely with the District Attorney's Office to confirm progr...
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