SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio wants to hear what expectations residents have of the San Antonio Police Department.
City officials are scheduling a series of virtual community hearings in April and May in each of the 10 council districts that will allow residents to weigh in on their expectations of the role SAPD has in the community and alternatives in how police respond to some 911 calls.
The hearings are part of a multi-faceted review process of the San Antonio Police Department that City Manager Erik Walsh established as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 Adopted Budget. The review process centers around addressing foundational issues, community expectations of interactions with police, community input and response alternatives.
“Through this process we will better understand what our residents expect when interacting with police, how certain calls for service should be addressed and mitigate hazards for officers responding to certain calls for service,” Walsh said in a news release. “This community process provides different avenues for residents to participate in ways that are most convenient to them.”
According to the release, the first step in the process is a survey being conducted by a national research firm that aims to better understand residents’ expectations of encounters with SAPD and the appropriate role the police department could have in meeting the public’s safety needs.
The survey results will serve as the foundation for the community meetings. Data and information gathered from the meetings will be used in the development of recommendations to the Public Safety Committee and the City Council.
In addition to the meetings, the city will also host a series of city-wide virtual community discussions, telephone town hall meetings, a dedicated event for Spanish speakers and a series of meetings with local stakeholder groups.
The city and the San Antonio Police Officers Association are currently in negotiations on a new police contract.
Click here for more information about the San Antonio Police Department services review process.
To sign up to receive information about the events, residents can text COSAGOV to 55000.
Listed below is the schedule of the community hearings:
| Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, April 5 | 7-8 p.m. | District 10 Community Meeting |
| Thursday, April 8 | 6-7 p.m. | District 2 Community Meeting |
| Monday, April 12 | 6-7 p.m. | District 3 Community Meeting |
| Wednesday, April 14 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | District 4 Community Meeting |
| Saturday, April 17 | 9-11 a.m. | District 6 Community Meeting |
| Saturday, April 17 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | District 1 Community Meeting |
| Tuesday, April 20 | 6-7:30 p.m. | City-wide Community Conversation |
| Wednesday, April 21 | 6-7 p.m. | District 1 Community Meeting |
| Thursday, April 22 | 6-7 p.m. | District 7 Community Meeting |
| Saturday, April 24 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | District 7 Community Meeting |
| Tuesday, April 27 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | District 5 Community Meeting |
| Thursday, April 29 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | District 5 Community Meeting |
| Saturday, May 1 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | City-wide Community Conversation |
| Tuesday, May 4 | 6-7 p.m. | District 3 Community Meeting |
| Thursday, May 6 | 6-7 p.m. | Telephone Town Hall |
| Tuesday, May 11 | 6-7:30 p.m. | City-wide Community Conversation |
| Wednesday, May 12 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | District 4 Community Meeting |
| Thursday, May 13 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | District 8 Community Meeting |
| Saturday, May 15 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | District 6 Community Meeting |
| Monday, May 17 | 6-7 p.m. | District 9 Community Meeting |
| Tuesday, May 18 | 6-7:30 p.m. | City-wide Community Conversation |
| Saturday, May 22 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | District 10 Community Meeting |
| Saturday, May 22 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Plática con Nuestra Comunidad |
| Wednesday, May 26 | 6-7 p.m. | Telephone Town Hall |
WATCH: District 10 councilman wants more turnout in community meetings focused on SAPD expectations