District 1 Councilmember Advances Public Safety Initiative

Published on February 10, 2025

District 1 Councilmember Advances Public Safety Initiative to Enhance Quality of Life for San Antonio Residents

SAN ANTONIO (February 7, 2025) – District 1 Councilmember Dr. Sukh Kaur is spearheading a Council Consideration Request (CCR) in coordination with the San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) and the San Antonio Police Officer’s Association (SAPOA) to improve public safety response times and enhance quality of life for residents. The proposal explores utilizing retired sworn officers or civilian city employees to address certain non-injury traffic accidents, parking concerns, and noise ordinance violations, allowing SAPD officers to focus on higher-priority calls.

"This initiative is about smarter public safety and ensuring officers are available for critical calls while still addressing everyday concerns that impact our residents," the District 1 Councilmember said. "Finding smarter ways to respond means officers can focus on urgent calls while we still take care of the everyday concerns that matter to our residents.”

The initiative has garnered support from Councilmembers Jalen McKee-Rodriguez (District 2), Melissa Cabello Havrda (District 6), Manny Peláez (District 8), and John Courage (District 9).

Key objectives of the CCR include

• Optimizing SAPD Resources: Freeing up officers to focus on urgent public safety needs while trained personnel handle lower-priority incidents.
• Enhancing Resident Services: Improving response to parking and noise complaints, ensuring neighborhoods remain safe and livable.
• Reducing Costs: Lowering expenses by assigning administrative tasks to non-uniformed staff.
• Improving Response Times: Expediting resolutions for non-urgent matters like minor traffic accidents and quality-of-life concerns.
• Easing Officer Burnout: Relieving workload pressures on full-time officers to support recruitment and retention efforts.

The city will conduct a thorough evaluation, including cost analysis and community feedback, before determining the next steps.