Mayor Taylor makes rare appearance to address SAPOA contract concerns

Taylor believes police union contract is not place to debate discipline

SAN ANTONIO – Mayor Ivy Taylor made a rare appearance before a city council subcommittee meeting Tuesday to address concerns about officer discipline and accountability in the tentative contract between the city and San Antonio Police Officer’s Association.

Taylor was introduced at the meeting as a “citizen to be heard.”

In front of the Criminal Justice, Public Safety and Services Committee, Taylor said she feels portions of the contract are not in line with how she would like to see relations between law enforcement and the community progress, but that the contract is not the place to tackle that issue.

“Those components in the contract address discipline, which occurs after something bad has already happened,” Taylor said. “I would much prefer for us, as a community, to be proactive. Let’s talk about training. Let’s talk about recruitment. Let’s talk about de-escalation.”

Recently, District 4 City Councilman Rey Saldana raised concerns over portions of the contract that he believes do not allow an officer’s disciplinary record to be accurately reflected.

The same issues drew a crowd to City Council Chambers last week, where many expressed opposition to the contract.

The city council is set to vote on the contract with SAPOA on September 1.  

Previous stories on this issue can be seen here and here


About the Author:

Myra Arthur is passionate about San Antonio and sharing its stories. She graduated high school in the Alamo City and always wanted to anchor and report in her hometown. Myra anchors KSAT News at 6:00 p.m. and hosts and reports for the streaming show, KSAT Explains. She joined KSAT in 2012 after anchoring and reporting in Waco and Corpus Christi.