SAN ANTONIO – The Bexar County Judge, Peter Sakai, held the first of his four “community conversations” Tuesday night.
The community conversations leave it up to those who attend the meeting to choose what issues or topics garner the most attention.
The first meeting was held at the Davis Scott Family YMCA in Precinct 4; those in attendance had concerns with roadways, sewage, and homelessness, but the elephant in the room was the recent uptick of shootings between suspects and law enforcement.
“It’s happening over and over again, like what is changing?” said Bennie Price, with Big Mama’s safe house.
“If we’re going to continue doing a revolving door where they are going and they’re coming in, and they’re going out, we’re not going to fix the problem,” added Rose Hill.
With finger-pointing between the Bexar County District attorney and the San Antonio Police Chief about repeat offenders on the street, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai says county and city leaders need to work together.
“We’re going to look at the criminal justice system and the various parts we want to look at arrest, booking, magistrate, and we want to look at the bond process,” said Judge Sakai.
Sakai adds it’s not just one issue, so he asked district court judges to study the bond process.
“Yes, I’d love to lock up all violent offenders, all repeat offenders, but we also have a duty to set fair and reasonable bonds,” said Sakai.
The county judge promises to look into anything and everything to find a solution, which includes working with the D.A.
When asked by KSAT’s John Paul Barajas, “Are you satisfied with the district attorney’s work?” Judge Sakai said, “That is another issue that [he] need[s] to investigate.”
It is unclear if or when an investigation into the District Attorney’s work will be conducted, when city and county leaders plan to meet, and when a study of the bond process will be completed.
FULL VIDEO: Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai hosts Precinct 4 community conversation
For more information on the next community conversation, click here.
