Disciplinary actions and criminal charges continued to cast a shadow over law enforcement in San Antonio this year, as KSAT reported a worrying pattern of arrests among San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) officers and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) deputies in 2023. These charges, include grave offenses such as murder and crimes against children.
Despite a 40% decrease from the previous year, nine BCSO deputies faced arrest in 2023, with the severity of charges escalated to include murder and indecency with a child, as pointed out by KSAT. One incident involved a BCSO corporal arrested for a fatal hit-and-run while another deputy was charged with leaving his infant child in a vehicle for hours leading to the child's critical condition, according to BCSO officials.
The SAPD also faced scrutiny with nine officers arrested in 2023, marking a slight uptick compared to the seven arrests in 2022. High-profile cases included the indictment of three SAPD officers on murder charges following the shooting of a woman during a mental health crisis, a narrative developed by KSAT’s investigation. In a separate case, an SAPD officer was taken into custody for invasive visual recording of his ex-girlfriend and her daughter.
The previous year, 2022 had seen a stark difference in arrest numbers, with BCSO deputies more than doubling the arrests over their SAPD counterparts, a statistic put forth by a KSAT report. Notably, BCSO saw officers ranging from fresh hires to seasoned veterans caught up in offenses that included drug deals, DWI, and violent crimes, magnifying concerns over conduct within the ranks.
