Full disclosure – as a veteran police officer with twelve years experience, eleven of these with the UTSAPD, I have worked as a patrol officer at all our campuses. I also served as Crime Prevention Officer and finally served as Project Manager in charge of developing physical security systems throughout our community. Using the training, education and experience I successfully transitioned into security consulting. I am now proud to be a full-time student at UTSA. Is the UTSAPD necessary? The answer is a resounding YES. Those who suggest otherwise are either unaware of, or simply fail to recognize, the role of law enforcement in our UTSA Community and perhaps even the role of law enforcement in any community.Let’s look at some important facts. UTSA has in its community the third largest law enforcement agency in the San Antonio metro area behind SAPD and BCSO. The UTSAPD has been granted all the same authorities of every other law enforcement agency in the State of Texas in order to provide public safety services for a community of thirty-thousand students, faculty, staff and visitors. Of these local agencies, only the UTSAPD and SAPD are currently Nationally Accredited. Additionally, the UT System Police Academy has been ranked among the top academies state-wide, and at one point was third behind DPS and Dallas PD. So it should go without saying that our PD has some of the best trained and most dedicated Officers of any agency in the state. For someone to insinuate otherwise simply ignorant and is insulting to our PD, our UTSA Community and to all Law Enforcement Officers.The UTSAPD makes a pointed effort to make sure that the massive influx of activity within the first two weeks is well served by providing additional staffing across our campuses. This means no vacation, no extra days off, and full staffing (to include Administrative Staff, Guards and civilian staff…yes, you may even have seen the Chief, Assistant Chief and Captains directing traffic…something I doubt you’d see from a municipal police department). And this is in addition to the officers who are regularly assigned to respond to calls from the community.The UTSAPD anticipates that after the first couple weeks our regular community will have become oriented enough to negotiate the campus according to their schedules without additional assistance. It is then that the UTSAPD resumes normal patrol schedules. So, yes, after a couple weeks you won’t see Officers on every corner and intersection. Would you expect SAPD to continue to monitor at the same level following Fiesta? No, they and all the other agencies staffing that event go back to their regular schedules. So how effective is our PD? First, let me recommend that everyone take the time to read the “Runner Beat” when it shows up in your email (or from the UTSAPD web page). The UTSAPD has taken the time and effort to provide informative, educational commentary about the safety and security of our campus. This is the type of PR more agencies should seek. The best agencies and the best officers do not look to be on the front page making public arrests and showing the community that they can uphold the law through “use of force.” With that in mind let’s look at how effective our PD really is. With thousands of calls for service each semester, the average response time of the UTSAPD for a call for service is under five minutes. A response from SAPD Prue Road would be substantially longer for any call, sometimes not even the same day. UTSAPD’s response for a traffic accident – under two minutes; SAPD – a couple hours. UTSAPD crime prevention programming – daily; SAPD – not sure I’ve ever seen one. Which would you consider more “effective” for the community?Speaking about crime prevention campaigns by the UTSAPD…I’m guessing most of you have seen the city of San Antonio/SAPD crime prevention campaign called “Lock It, Lose It.” Would you consider this a waste of time and money or would you consider this an educational campaign to create awareness? Are you aware that the largest percentage of thefts on our campus is caused by unsecured and unattended property? Wouldn’t you think that effective policing would also include an effective education campaign? There is no way anyone can quantify crimes that were ‘prevented’, but by educating our community on how to prevent crimes the UTSAPD can see the number of offenses reduced. This is the case in the number of thefts on campus. When I first came to UTSA percentage of thefts from unattended property was over 80%. Under our current PD Administration and Crime Prevention Program this has dropped substantially (again, check out the “Runner Beat”, I know there have been articles on crime statistics).Those who publicly criticize our UTSAPD without any provocation should take the time to research their comments before they speak out. They should educate themselves on the facts rather than ranting based on some grudge against...

As an individual with law enforcent in your family the question I have is have you ever talked to them?
Any Police agency will tell you that each shift has a different set of issues that they deal with each unique to their location and demographic. During the day on campus at peak about 10-14 thousand students are here, fighting over whats left of our 9 thousand parking spots. this means accidents, fender benders, bumps ,unknown damage claims , thefts.
UTSAPD responds to each and every one in person. If your car gets jacked in San Antonio if you havent heard for the last 2 years no one shows up you have to call it in by phone and if its late enough all you can do is press option 1 or 2 on the phone .. Big difference
Afternoon shifts more of the same but later on campus activities start and students filter back to their housing and find things missing or issues that require possible assistance like roomate issues, or relationship issues UTSAPD wil show up every time if called. See how fast SAPD shows up if you tell them your insignificant other is sending harrassing texts.
After dark things get interesting, its not uncommon to have 3-4 DWIs a week on campus ,a lot of times its just non students cutting through campus or visitors showing up drunk. How many students are alive today because UTSAPD took a drunk driver off the campus streets.
How many students are still alive because UTSAPD broke up a party and stopped indiduals from getting in their vehicles. The campus policy is zero tolerence for drugs and alcohol, we have a lot of students that are struggling with the concept of zero. If you call and say your neighbor is having a loud party or music is too loud ,and wont comply UTSAPD responds every time. SAPD puts you on a priority list.
If you need medical assistance and call you will get UTSAPD, first reponders, and EMS, every time, and transported to a facility if you want.
The Officers are certified Texas Police Officers not just campus cops. Take time to talk to them as I have done when I bump into them on my way to and from classes you will be surprised at how approachable they are.
It doesnt matter if they have a Chief or Interim chief, the officers are going to be there when you need them.
They may be invisible to you somedays, but call when you need one and see what happens then.