Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in San Antonio, Texas
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
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| • Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) • Ballotpedia CBA dashboard •Reform proposals •CBA areas of inquiry and disagreement •Arguments about police collective bargaining • Index of articles about criminal justice policy |
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This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in San Antonio, Texas. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Through the lens of 40 research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline, Ballotpedia examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicates how San Antonio handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | YES |
Condition: Certain disciplinary action can be appealed to arbitration; Selection: Both parties agree on an arbitrator or alternately strike names from a list provided; Provider: The American Arbitration Association may provide a list of seven arbitrators; Arbitrator authority: The arbitrator decides whether the disciplinary action is supported in whole or in partDemotion, suspension, or indefinite suspension can be appealed to an arbitrator. The arbitrator can reduce an indefinite suspension to a period of at least 45 days. | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: City of San Antonio, Police Department; Types: Demotion, suspension, termination; Restricted aspects: N/A; Challenge/appeal process: ArbitrationOfficer shall be informed of charges and contemplated disciplinary action, with the chance to rebut within 7 days. Chief has the authority to suspend no more than 120 days. | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
| Legal limitations or provisions | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit collective bargaining with police unions? | NO |
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | YES |
Board name: Citizen's portion of the Complaint and Administrative Review Board Seven citizens serve on the citizen's portion of the board, but chief of police makes final rulings | |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | NO |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Investigative procedure. Minor allegations investigated within 21 days of receipt of complaint. Internal affairs investigations applies to all non-criminal investigations of misconduct. | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | YES |
Conditions: N/A; Timeline: Must receive notice at least 24 hours prior to the investigation; Content: Must include the nature of the investigation; "rank, name and command of the Officer in charge of the investigation, and the identity of all persons present during the interview." | |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | YES |
Timeline to launch: N/A; Timeline to conclude: 21 days for minor misconduct, 180 days for other disciplinary proceedings | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | YES |
If an officer's criminal charges are acquitted or dismissed, the chief of police has 30 days to charge the officer with violation of Civil Service Rules. If the chief fails to charge the officer in that time, they will be reinstated with backpay and benefits. | |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | NO |
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | NO |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | NO |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | NO |
City has right to hire, promote, transfer, assign | |
See also
Footnotes
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