Published on March 12, 2026
Councilmembers File Resolution to Keep San Antonio on Track with Independent Police Staffing Recommendations
SAN ANTONIO (March 12, 2026) – Today, Councilmembers Marina Alderete Gavito (District 7), Misty Spears (District 9), and Marc Whyte (District 10) filed a three person memo under the City Charter to place a resolution on an upcoming City Council agenda to reaffirm their commitment to the police staffing recommendations provided by an independent study and to keep San Antonio on track toward meeting the city’s public safety needs.
In 2023, the City of San Antonio commissioned an independent staffing analysis of the San Antonio Police Department conducted by Weiss Consulting. The analysis concluded the city needs 360 additional officers to adequately meet call volume, response time expectations, and modern public safety best practices.
Following the study, the City developed an implementation plan to hire 100 officers in the first year and 65 officers annually over the next four years. While the City initially followed that plan, funding 100 officers in the first year and 65 the following year, only 40 officers were funded in the current fiscal year, slowing progress toward the staffing goals identified by the independent analysis.
“San Antonio asked independent experts to evaluate our public safety needs, and they gave us a clear, data-driven roadmap,” said Councilmember Alderete Gavito. “As our city’s population grows, our public safety staffing naturally has to grow as well to correspond with the increase of 911 calls. Staying on track with this plan will help improve response times, keep our streets safe, and ensure officers have the capacity to work alongside programs that address the root causes of many 911 calls.”
“Public safety is the most fundamental responsibility of city government,” said Councilwoman Spears. “When independent experts evaluate our police staffing needs and recommend a path forward, we must listen and execute. As San Antonio continues to grow, ensuring our police department has the personnel and resources needed to respond quickly to keep our communities safe must remain our top priority.”
“When we commission professional analysis on something as critical as public safety, we have an obligation to follow through,” said Councilmember Whyte. “The experts told us what San Antonio needs. We created a plan. Now we need to honor that commitment. Our residents deserve a City Council that keeps its word and a police department with the resources to protect and serve every neighborhood effectively.”
The resolution filed by the Councilmembers expresses their intent to prioritize the hiring of 65 officers in the FY27 budget, consistent with the City’s original implementation plan. The resolution does not mandate specific budget allocations or bind the City Manager. Instead, it signals the Councilmember’s commitment to continue the implementation plan originally developed in response to the Weiss Consulting study as the City approaches the FY27 budget process.