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 Private security organizations and
SAPD
by Jerry Pittman, Assistant Chief, Operations Bureau
San Antonio Police Dept.
Traditional law enforcement, if there is such a thing, has undergone major changes since Sept. 11, 2001. Most law enforcement agencies whether at the federal, state or local level have had to grapple with the new demands placed upon them post 9/11, and with fewer resources. Law enforcement agencies are forced to be innovative in securing funding and finding resources that are not a drain to their dwindling budgets. The San Antonio Police Department is no exception.
Since the inception of the San Antonio Fear Free Environment (S.A.F.F.E.) detail of the Community Services Section, SAPD has been aggressively engaging the community as a partner in their efforts to combat crime. This endeavor was initiated in the mid 1990’s when SAPD embraced the community policing philosophy.
Post 9/11, SAPD continues to engage the community in their partnership against crime. These efforts have continued to grow and various partnerships have been established with various businesses and organizations, to include private security organizations.
The efforts of SAPD are not confined to the officers assigned to the S.A.F.F.E. details, but this shift in paradigm has permeated the whole department. Officers assigned to the Uniform Patrol Division are actively involved in engaging and working alongside with security officers assigned to the multitude of apartment complexes, hotels, and shopping malls within the incorporated parts of the city. This has been a force multiplier to the police department in that these security officers are an invaluable resource, extra eyes and ears, and have in the past provided our officers with information needed to develop a suspect and or to solve a crime. Substations commanders and supervisors are encouraged to provide area crime data and suspect information to security officers during the police department monthly line and staff grade Management Accountability Program Meetings (M.A.P).
Other measures that SAPD have been involved in are the partnerships established with the various minority groups which have assisted the department in addressing concerns unique to certain minority groups such as the Muslim, Indian, and Asian communities. Safety was a big concern to these minority groups especially post 9/11, since some of these groups were targets of hate crimes due to 9/11. SAPD has also been the impetus to establishing unique focus groups such as “BATNET,” a group of business leaders in a partnership with SAPD, focusing on efforts to reduce crime that impact their business, and their partnership with the Hotel/Motel Association.
Additionally, SAPD improved the services they provide with fewer resources by the increased utilization of citizen volunteer programs such as Cellular on Patrol, Citizens Police Academy, and Volunteers in Policing. In fact, organizations such as Zachary Construction Company have mandated that all their security employees enroll in the SAPD’s 11-week Citizens Police Academy as a condition of employment. This is a true indicator of the value placed on these programs by the business community.
Indeed, with law enforcement agencies throughout the nation facing budgetary constraints it is imperative that they look at other means to compliment their existing forces. The involvement of security professionals in our homeland security planning and crime fighting efforts has proven to be invaluable in San Antonio. We look forward to greater information sharing and interaction with the local security industry in San Antonio to ensure our city is safe and prepared to respond to any homeland security emergency.
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