Caught in the act: Footage shows fired SAPD officer struggle with security over stolen items, gun

Stephanie Solis convicted of felony drug possession in August

SAN ANTONIO – A now-fired San Antonio police officer concealed fragrances in a bag and grappled with security officers over her weapon as they attempted to take her into custody, police body-worn camera footage obtained by the KSAT Defenders shows.

The San Antonio Police Department was forced to release video of the January 2018 arrest of Stephanie Solis inside Macy's at Ingram Park Mall after she pleaded guilty to felony drug possession in August.

Prosecutors dismissed a misdemeanor theft charge against Solis related to the incident.

In the nearly 14-minute clip, an SAPD officer called to the store walks up and finds an off-duty Solis in handcuffs and appearing to be disheveled.

Solis eventually admits that she is an SAPD officer, assigned to the department's mental health unit.

An asset protection officer is seen on the footage handing over her gun, a Springfield XD .40, and her SAPD badge.

"I wasn't resisting. I was holding my gun," said Solis.

One of the security officers, however, disputed that account and said the weapon and its holster fell from her waist as he and another security officer attempted to take her into custody.

A closed circuit television screen recorded by the officer's body-worn camera shows security and Solis struggling against a store counter for several minutes. 

Bystanders shopping in the store eventually helped security handcuff the off-duty officer.

"I'm like 'Are you armed?' She goes 'Yes, I have a gun on me.' She keeps making gestures like that. I had to put her in handcuffs," said the security officer.

Solis put her foot on the weapon and refused to let security confiscate it, according to an SAPD arrest report.

A search of Solis uncovered $438 worth of fragrances from the store that she did not pay for, a knife and prescription pills of morphine, clonazepam, zolpidem and tramadol.

SAPD could find no evidence that the pills in Solis' possession were prescribed to her.

Solis, a nine-year vetern of SAPD, was terminated in July 2018.

According to an interview she gave to SAPD internal affairs after the incident, she said she had no memory of being at the mall the day of her arrest.

"I was not in my right mind," Solis said in the audio recording.

RELATED: SAPD fires officer charged with shoplifting, accused of stealing from woman while in uniform

Solis was also the focus of an unrelated Castile Hills Police Department investigation last year that accused her and an unidentified man of taking a woman's wallet and $5,000 worth of perfume from her car.

It does not appear, however, that Solis was ever criminally charged in connection to that investigation.

An attorney who represented Solis in the theft and drug possession cases did not respond to a request for comment this week.

SAPD Chief William McManus refused a request to be interviewed for this story.


About the Authors:

Emmy-award winning reporter Dillon Collier joined KSAT Investigates in September 2016. Dillon's investigative stories air weeknights on the Nightbeat and on the Six O'Clock News. Dillon is a two-time Houston Press Club Journalist of the Year and a Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Reporter of the Year.

William Caldera has been at KSAT since 2003. He covers a wide range of stories including breaking news, weather, general assignments and sports.