SAN ANTONIO – The latest Pickup Lines segment features San Antonio’s top cop, police Chief William McManus.
The Philadelphia native is celebrating 50 years in law enforcement in 2025. Currently in his second stint with SAPD, McManus left the department in 2014 when he was recruited to take a top security job at CPS Energy.
“The CEO from CPS Energy, for about two years, had courted me. I ran into him on a Super Bowl Sunday, and the average tenure for a major city chief, you have three to five years, maybe a little longer if you’re lucky. And I had been there for nine going on 10. So, I figured ... why push the odds? I might as well give it a shot. And then I got over there, and I immediately had buyer’s remorse."
McManus eventually returned to SAPD. He admitted that growing up, he had no interest in becoming a cop.
He was a talented high school and college athlete, playing football at Villanova, and even turned up for a tryout with the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) of the NFL.
When that didn’t pan out, McManus entered grad school and eventually entered the academy at the Washington D.C. Metro Police Department.
Away from work, the chief has long had a passion for outdoor grilling and smoking meats.
“Well, I love the barbecue. I mean, I’ve never had a brisket better than mine. I take pictures of everything I cook, make things from scratch at home. I mean it’s just, I have three different smokers, and I’ve got a Blackstone and I make great use of them.”
Watch the full Pickup Lines with Chief William McManus in the video player above.
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Ernie Zuniga started Pickup Lines, a digital talk show, straight from his vehicle. The segments feature a diverse range of guests, including executives, small business owners and everyday individuals, as they share personal journeys, news and stories.