In a push to expand its patrol division, the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) is setting its sights on a grant to fund new officer positions. The city council has given its nod of approval for the department to seek out a sizable grant through the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), as gleaned from a report by KENS 5. The application put forth by the department, if successful, could result in an infusion of $6.25 million, earmarked for the addition of 50 new officers.
Hoping to bring the San Antonio Police Department closer to its goal of adding 360 officers over a five-year stretch, this funding pursuit is part of a strategy to shift officer distribution—endeavoring to ensure 40 percent of their time is dedicated to responding to calls and the remaining 60 percent is spent on being proactive on the streets. This detailed plan, according to KSAT, also involves the officers in initiatives aimed at violent crime reduction and the department’s Good Neighbor program.
The financial commitment from the city, should they clinch the grant, is substantial. Over the duration of the grant's three-year term, the city's coffers would bear the brunt of $16.9 million. As the SAPD Assistant Chief Robert Blanton stated in an interview obtained by KSAT, “I think we’ll ask for as many as we can get,” signaling the department's ambition beyond the immediate 50 positions.
Maria Villagomez, the deputy city manager for the City of San Antonio, expressed the city’s stance, remarking that with the receipt "the grand plan communicated to the council and begin hiring," the city is poised to integrate the new officers into the budget. Concomitant with these plans, the SAPD has already been bolstered by a significant increase in officer numbers in the FY 2024 budget, with half of the 100 positions partially underwritten by a prior COPS grant, as per KENS 5's findings.
The budgetary conversations for the upcoming year might present a greater challenge, in the face of a projected deficit eclipsing $10 million over the next few years. Still, the city's gambit on this grant request underscores a proactive approach to not only augment the police force but also to address various public safety concerns in the fabric of San Antonio’s communities. With the decision on the grant expected by September and the city council's budget approval slated for August, the coming months are pivotal for SAPD's strategic policing and community engagement efforts.
