San Antonio City Council Budget Session for Fire, Police, and Municipal Court - August 19, 2025

On August 19, 2025, the San Antonio City Council held a budget session focusing on the Fire Department (SAFD), Police Department (SAPD), and Municipal Court. Presentations covered proposed FY2026 budgets, staffing, response times, and public safety strategies. Council members discussed adding 65 police officers, a fire needs assessment, drone technology, and court efficiency. No formal votes were taken, but consensus emerged to prioritize funding for additional officers and evaluate service gaps.

Fire Department Presentation

• Chief Chris Frost presented a proposed FY2026 budget of $443.6 million. The department has approximately 1,900 uniformed and 129 civilian employees across 54 stations.
• Medical calls account for 80% of incidents; average response time is 8 minutes 40 seconds, slightly above the target.
• Initiatives include adding two squads at stations 10 and 21 (operational July 2026), purchasing drones ($291,000), and a comprehensive needs assessment ($1.4 million) to address staffing, facilities, and equipment gaps.
• Cost drivers: 8% salary increase from collective bargaining and a contract with UT Health Science. Overtime reductions of $1 million and civilian position cuts are proposed without impacting service.
• New fire stations 52 and 53 are being built; stations 21, 33, and 10 are in design phases.

Police Department Presentation

• Chief McManis reported a proposed budget of $72.8 million (plus $630 million from general fund, arrest center, and restricted funds). The department has 2,893 uniformed officers, 141 park police, 44 airport police, and 992 civilians.
• Crime statistics for January–July 2025 show total crime down 9% (crimes against persons) and 19% (crimes against society). Property crime also decreased. Arrests increased to nearly 46,000 in 2024–2025.
• Response times: emergency calls under 6 minutes; non-emergency calls ~19 minutes. Goal is 18 minutes by 2026.
• Staffing: 65 vacancies currently. A staffing study recommended adding 360 officers over 3–5 years to achieve a 60% proactive patrol / 40% call-response ratio. Currently at 49% patrol time.
• Initiatives: 25 new detectives for domestic violence, 24 sworn officers on traffic, real-time crime center, body cameras with AI video analysis, and a south-side substation (opening spring 2027).
• Proposed revenue: increasing commercial and residential permit fees, and raising the officer escort fee from $1.50 to $10.00.
• Key request: Adding 40 officers in FY2026 would cost $2.1 million; 65 officers total would cost $5.9 million in FY2027. Council members expressed strong support for funding the full 65 officers.

Municipal Court Presentation

• Judge Carla Obledo and Secretary Fred Garcia presented a proposed FY2026 budget of $16.8 million (down from $14.1 million in FY2025?). Funding comes from general fund ($13.9 million) and a $14 fee distributed among three restricted funds.
• The court handles misdemeanors (traffic, animal cruelty, code violations) with a focus on procedural justice and alternatives to incarceration. Specialized dockets include youth driving, homelessness, and animal care.
• Juvenile case management: 92% of high school students remained enrolled after court intervention. Truancy prevention programs are active.
• Magistrate duties: probable cause determinations for all arrests, informing defendants of rights, and setting bail. The court noted a dual-magistrate process with the county, which may create inefficiencies.
• Fine collections: $180,000 uncollected in criminal cases and over $1 million in civil cases. Council members raised concerns about repeat offenders and code enforcement.

Discussion and Council Comments

• Council members widely praised the presentations and emphasized public safety as a top priority. Several members (Viagrán, Spears, Mesa González, Munguía, Castillo, and others) explicitly supported adding 65 police officers to meet the 60–40 patrol ratio.
• Council member Castillo questioned the ROI of adding officers vs. investing in lighting and other preventive measures. He also raised privacy concerns about drone and AI technology.
• Council member Galván highlighted the need for expanded mental health services and coordination with Bexar County.
• Council member White and others stressed the importance of retention incentives and state-level support for officers.
• The fire department’s squads were praised for reducing call volumes on high-demand engines. The president of the firefighters’ association advocated for a fourth platoon to reduce overtime and stress.
• Mayor Jones requested a written summary from police on addressing community concerns, and a follow-up meeting on magistrate efficiency.

Key Outcomes

• Consensus to fund 65 new police officers (40 in FY2026 at $2.1M, 25 more in FY2027 at $5.9M) to move toward the 60–40 patrol ratio. Council will restructure the budget around this priority.
• The fire department’s needs assessment, squads, and drone program received support. The assessment will inform future station and staffing plans.
• Municipal court will provide additional data on case dismissals and magistrate process efficiency. The mayor will engage with Bexar County to reduce dual-magistrate duplication.
• Staff will provide follow-up information by Friday, August 22, 2025, including a list of community organizations receiving city funds for court-related services.