San Antonio’s Shrinking Police Force

Since Obama, police have been blamed for enforcing the laws while criminals are excused for breaking them. Nationwide, police officers have retired early or quit their careers while hiring and recruiting are down.

San Antonio is no different. While the city grows in population and area, the police force is not keeping up.

For example, SAPD had a Repeat Offender Unit (ROP), which sought and arrested the most violent repeat offenders with outstanding warrants. After the national George Floyd upheaval, SAPD ROP detectives were limited by SAPD leadership in their operations while their staff numbers got smaller.

Second was the SAPD Narcotics unit, which was critical because the city’s proximity to the border also shrank. SAPD leadership combined the Narcotics unit with ROP three years ago to create the “Covert” unit.

The new Covert unit is stretched thin by officers who are overworked and stressed during a period of high crime.

Third is the SAPD Traffic Division, which is woefully understaffed. Sources say it has 30 street patrol officers and 30 motorcycle patrol officers for a city of 1.5 million people and almost 500 square miles. It is little wonder there are so many deadly and violent traffic accidents on San Antonio’s streets when there are so few traffic police on duty.

Furthermore, police officers are concerned about being disciplined by SAPD leadership over frivolous complaints by ticketed drivers. Street patrol officers feel the lack of public respect and political support for law enforcement daily.

San Antonio citizens and taxpayers need a mayor and city council that will hire more police and support them to enforce the laws.