Chief’s Advisory Panel reviews cite and release, crime trends

Crime is up in San Marcos, most notably violent crime, Chief of Police Stan Standridge said during the most recent Chief’s Advisory Panel meeting.

Standridge and members of the panel discussed crime trends, cite and release statistics, active attack best practices and the department’s policy following the Supreme Court’s opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade during the July 20 meeting.

Standridge said violent crime in San Marcos was up 10% in the second quarter of this year compared to 2021.

“Think about that, 2021 was the highest year we’ve had, to my knowledge, for violent crime,” said Standridge, adding that the San Marcos Police Department is seeing many family violence offenses. “The second quarter of 2022 was up 10% above that from 2021.”

Standridge also went over cite and release statistics from the second quarter of 2022.

San Marcos’ Cite and Release Ordinance, which has been in effect since May 31, 2020, directs SMPD officers to issue citations instead of arrest for some misdemeanors offenses, including Class C misdemeanors other than public intoxication, assault or family violence; possession of marijuana less than 4 ounces; driving without a valid license; Criminal Mischief Class B misdemeanor; Graffiti Class A or Class B Misdemeanor; Theft of Property less than $375; and Theft of Services less than $375.

San Marcos was the first municipality in Texas with cite and release outlined as an ordinance rather than a resolution.

“A lot of people think that there is no arrest associated with cite and release,” Standridge said. “That’s not accurate. Remember, if you have a cite-and-release offense and the officer issues the citation with the promise to appear, the defendant has to appear at the Hays County Jail … during a certain time whereupon they go and they will be fingerprinted, their mugshot is taken, they will be magistrated and then they are never physically booked. But there’s still an arrest process.”

In the second quarter of 2022, 663 arrests were made with 144 eligible for cite and release. Thirty people were arrested who committed cite and release eligible offenses — 22 for other non-citeable offenses, four arrests for an outstanding arrest warrant, two for living outside of Hays County, one for imminent danger and one who demanded to be magistrated.

Possession of drug paraphernalia was among the most citeable offenses committed — 34 for possession of drug paraphernalia - general; eight for drug paraphernalia - container; and seven for drug paraphernalia - pipe. Twenty-three were cited for theft under $100, nine for fighting, nine for open container, seven for possession of marijuana less than 2 ounces; four for driving without a valid license; four for failure to ID, three for violation of city ordinance, two for criminal mischief under $100, and two for minor in possession - alcohol.

Standridge later reviewed active attack best practices. The discussion came following the Uvalde school shooting.

“I had the opportunity, or misfortune, to testify at the Capitol, here in Texas,” said Standridge who spoke to the Senate select committee on school violence and the House committee on school violence. “I started with an apology. Why? Because I feel like we, as my chosen profession, our chosen profession, failed the community of Uvalde. No ifs, ands or buts, we failed.”

During his testimony, Standridge said he made several recommendations to improve active attack response. He said checkbox training should be ended and recommended officers should go through Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Level I operations training when going through a basic peace officer academy.

“Believe it or not, it’s not a requirement that they complete an operational active shooter class in a basic peace officer academy. We believe it should be,” Standridge said.

He added that recommendations were made that a student’s disciplinary history and any behavioral threat assessments done travel with a student if they move schools.

SMPD’s Chief of Police also went over the department’s new Violent Encounter Response Strategies policy, which states: “It is the policy of this agency to respond and neutralize an active attack or other violent encounter and administer aid to the victims. Safety priorities shall be: innocent civilians, first responders, suspects/actors. The purpose of this policy is to provide protocols for assessing an active threat or violent encounter and immediately responding to it to stop the killing, stop the dying, and provide rapid casualty evacuation.”

Standridge said a multidisciplinary response, including police, fire, EMS and schools, is needed.

“Y’all have all read about, ‘well, this was done wrong within the school system,’ so there has to be an accountability within all of these disciplines so that’s where you get this concept of a multidisciplinary response team,” Standridge said. “We have been working internally to build and leverage those resources and adopt policies.”

SMPD’s policy includes a checklist with multiple items for police, fire, EMS, unified command and communications for violent encounters and mass casualty incidents.

The chief’s advisory panel also briefly went into how the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade would impact SMPD.

Standridge went over the department’s policy, which states, “The Department shall not investigate elective abortion-related crimes unless an abortion or attempted abortion causes the loss of life or serious injury of the expectant mother unrelated to a lawful medical procedure.”

The chief’s advisory panel meets publicly once every quarter with meetings announced on the SMPD website and social media.

For the full agenda and to watch the last meeting visit: https://www.sanmarcostx.gov/3234/Chiefs-Advisory-Panel.