The City of San Antonio is seeking input from residents about their expectations regarding the role of law enforcement in the community and how the police department responds to 911 calls.
More than 300 San Antonians have taken part so far and virtual meetings will continue throughout May, primarily to gather feedback about if and how the San Antonio Police Department should respond to certain types of 911 calls.
The stated goal is to find possible “alternative responses” for the kinds of calls that don't necessitate a police response — such as those considered low priority, which account for most calls the police receive — or that would be better suited for primary response by another agency, such as those involving an individual in mental health crisis or experiencing homelessness.
The city originally organized a team to review data regarding police interaction with the public in the wake of the racial justice protests last summer. The team reportsto SAPD Chief William McManus.
What types of 911 calls for service should police officers respond to, and which calls would be better handled by a non-police response?
How will this public input be used to determine the metrics to measure success, moving forward?
The City of San Antonio’s next virtual community conversation regarding public needs and expectations of the San Antonio Police Department takes place Tuesday, May 11, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Click hereto learn how to participate and for a list of all other police services community meetings throughout the month of May.
Guests:
- María Villagómez, Deputy City Manager for the City of San Antonio
- Rob Tillyer, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice and associate dean for graduate student success in the College for Health, Community and Policy at the University of Texas at San Antonio
- Chief William McManus, San Antonio Police Department
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255, email thesource@tpr.org or tweet @TPRSource.
*This interview was recorded on Tuesday, May 11.