State audit finds local campus security records deficient

SAN ANTONIO – Citywide, there are five Alamo College campuses, 59,000 students and a total of 67 security officers covering those schools.

More than a third of those officers were found to have personnel files that were incomplete.

"It is a little surprising. I would expect that everybody would be up to date with what they need to have," said student Victoria Meyers.

In a 2014 audit, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Agency revealed one officer was missing psychiatric evaluation records, 10 did not have documents showing physicals and/or drug screens had been completed, and 21 officers did not have adequate certification for firearms training.

"Others were fingerprints, they had to go out and be fingerprinted again and brought in," said Associate Chancellor of Communications of the Alamo Colleges Leo Zuniga.

"It shouldn't take a state audit for them to say, 'Oh, wait, we're behind,'" said student Jammila Ward.

"I'm paying for a reason, I'd like to at least feel a little safe on campus," said student Abel Chavira.

According to Zuniga, in some cases, the required evaluations had never been done.

"It was a series of things. Some of them were missing, some of them were thought to be in one office, some were thought to be in another office, but a complete search and audit was done and all of the records were brought up to standard," Zuniga said.

The Alamo Colleges were given 30 days to come into compliance, which they did.

During that time, seven of the officers were taken out of uniform, but according to Zuniga, campus security was never compromised.

"There was overtime assigned to the remaining officers on the force, to cover their duties and responsibilities of the seven officers that were out for five to 10 days," Zuniga said.

Administrators have since changed the way they manage and keep records.

They are now keeping both digital and hard copies in two different locations.

"It was a learning experience and we gained from it and we've improved the process as a result of this," Zuniga said.

To see the state audit, click here: