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As the city of San Antonio grapples with a budget deficit, public safety funding must remain a top priority, City Council Member Misty Spears writes.<\/p>\n
Saul Pink\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
Every budget reflects what a city truly values. If public safety is our highest priority, then this budget must prove it, our guest columnist writes.<\/p>\n
Andrew J. Whitaker\/San Antonio Express-News<\/p>\n
The tragedy that took place in Stone Oak on June 18 \u2014 a domestic violence call <\/a>that claimed two lives, wounded a San Antonio police officer and left two children traumatized \u2014 was heartbreaking.<\/p>\n It\u2019s another reminder that public safety matters.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n In recent months, the District 9 community that I represent on City Council has suffered a series of violent incidents. Each incident is different, but together they remind us of one important reality: No neighborhood is immune from crime, and no community can afford to take public safety for granted.<\/p>\n While no amount of staffing can prevent every tragedy, these events force us to ask an important question: Are we giving our first responders the people, equipment and infrastructure they need to protect a growing city?<\/p>\n Every day, San Antonio police officers respond to domestic violence, violent crime, mental health emergencies, child abuse investigations, major traffic crashes and countless other situations where seconds matter.<\/p>\n These are some of the most dangerous and unpredictable calls they face. They require trained officers, experienced investigators, immediate backup and a public safety system that is built to respond when our community needs it most.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n As San Antonio continues to grow, those demands continue to increase with it.<\/p>\n That is why I have made a new public safety substation serving the Stone Oak area one of my top priorities. As North San Antonio grows, our public safety infrastructure must scale with it. A strategically located substation will reduce response times, improve deployment and give our officers the resources to better serve residents.<\/p>\n We also need to recognize an important truth.<\/p>\n A substation is only as effective as the people who serve there. The building matters because the mission matters. That mission requires enough officers, detectives, dispatchers and support personnel to protect a rapidly expanding community. Infrastructure and staffing are not competing priorities, they are partners. One without the other leaves us short of what our residents deserve.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Whether you live on the North Side, South Side, East Side, West Side or downtown, every family expects the same thing when they call 911: that someone will answer quickly, arrive safely and have the support necessary to do the job. Public safety should never depend on a ZIP code. Every neighborhood deserves the confidence that help will arrive when it is needed most.<\/p>\n That is why the upcoming city budget matters.<\/p>\n During the next several weeks, City Council will make decisions that will affect public safety for years to come. We cannot balance San Antonio\u2019s budget on the backs of public safety. As our city grows, we cannot continue asking the same number of officers to meet greater demands with fewer resources.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n