San Antonio Police Chief William McManus has moved up his retirement from the department by more than two months, with his last day on July 10, after accepting a job in the Alamo City, according to a news release.
City Manager Erik Walsh will appoint an acting police chief from the SAPD command staff before McManus leaves his position next week. The search for a replacement chief has been ongoing. McManus announced in January 2026 that he would be retiring.
Interviews for the police chief position will start in August, according to the City of San Antonio. They will consist of several panels that represent the community.
A final selection is expected in September, after the city receives feedback from focus groups and the community survey used to develop the profile for the police chief position, the city said.
The city’s recruiter has received 1,875 community survey responses in which people said they want the next chief to demonstrate transparency, accountability and a strong leadership presence, according to the news release. Forty-seven community members participated in the focus groups.
Some of the challenges participants noted were police response times, crime prevention, accountability and staffing.
He led the Minneapolis Police Department for more than two years, between 2004 and 2006, and the Dayton, Ohio, police force for just over two years before that.
In all, he’s been working in various law enforcement roles across the United States since 1975 — the year he first donned a badge with the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department.