SAN ANTONIO – On the heels of the arrest of a third Bexar County Sheriff's Office deputy in less than a week, Sheriff Javier Salazar announced Monday that his agency plans to add a law enforcement psychologist.
The position will need final approval by the Bexar County Commissioners Court on Tuesday as part of its regular budget process for the next fiscal year. But the vote on adding the position appeared to be a mere formality, based on comments made Monday by Salazar and Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.
A budget memorandum released by the county Monday afternoon states that the position will cost the county a total of $118,000 next year.
"It'll give us a whole other depth to prevent those issues from ever becoming issues," said Salazar, who said the yet-to-be hired psychologist will play a key role in screening BCSO applicants.
Salazar said after funding for the position is approved, BCSO will conduct a nationwide search.
The San Antonio Police Department, where Salazar previously worked, has three law enforcement psychologists.
Salazar said his agency has been without one for close to three decades.
Since Wednesday, three detention officers have been arrested in separate incidents.
Officer Ta-Vian Gloeckler was arrested last week after investigators said he challenged an inmate to a fight at the jail and lost. Gloeckler faces charges of assault and official oppression.
Two days later, Corporal Kailin Kruger, a member of the agency's elite Special Emergency Response Team, was arrested while off duty on a charge of driving while intoxicated.
Kruger was pulled over in the 8200 block of Interstate 10 West before 3 a.m. Friday, when a San Antonio Police Department officer noticed her driving without her vehicle's headlights on, according to a preliminary arrest information provided by SAPD.
Kruger also made a lane change without signaling, according to SAPD.
Over the weekend, Aida Santos, a part-time detention deputy, was arrested while off duty in the 8500 block of State Highway 151 on a family violence charge.
Santos' arrest marked the 18th arrest of a deputy on criminal charges since the start of the year.
"We are better than what's being portrayed on TV," Salazar told reporters after his remarks to Commissioners Court.
In addition to a law enforcement psychologist, commissioners are also expected on Tuesday to approve funding for BCSO to hire a full-time uniform SWAT team and more detectives.