SMPD chief shares 2020 cite & release report

San Marcos Chief of Police Stan Standridge shared the 2020 compiled Cite & Release Report during Wednesday’s Chief Advisory Panel meeting.

“Incarceration for nonviolent offenses as a model isn't working,” Standridge said. “The struggle I have as a professional police officer is we have difficulty identifying plan b and developing capacity for plan b. What do you do in lieu of arrest?”

The report contains data related to cite and release minus the first quarter of the year because they had not yet been requested to collect this data.

Of 1,167 incidents, 27%, or 317, were citation eligible offenses. Eighty-four of those individuals were arrested due to reasons outlined in the cite and release ordinance.

Six were arrested because they had outstanding warrants, 16 were not Hays County residents, 52 were arrested for other non-citation eligible offenses, four fell under the category of imminent danger to themselves or others, three demanded to see a magistrate and two had insufficient identification.

For all of 2020 there were 91 street diversions and 2,996 citations. In quarter two, there were 13 street diversions and 753 citations; in quarter three, there were 22 street diversions and 1,028 citations; and in quarter four, there were 56 street diversions and 1,215 citations.

“Street diversions preexisted cite and release,” Standridge said. “Officers are using their discretion to take no enforcement for really legitimate reasons.”

The advisory panel meeting also shared the SMPD racial profiling report.

“Racial profiling is not only about who gets stopped,” Standridge said. “Nine times out of 10, cops do not know the race of the occupants of the car. Racial profiling has more to do with searches and subsequent arrests than who gets stopped.” During 7,217 traffic stops in 2020, SMPD did not know the race of the occupants prior to the stop; in 243 traffic stops or 3.26% of the time, race was known prior to the stop. Of all traffic stops, 4,388 resulted in a verbal warning, 2,017 resulted in citation, 872 resulted in a written warning, 101 resulted in citation and arrest and 75 resulted in arrest. Standridge shared that SMPD searched 96 of 7,460 people who stopped in traffic; 1.286% of the time. Of all traffic stops, 328 were African Americans, and 150 of those were nonresidents. “There may be some validity to crime and its impact with San Marcos has a lot to do with external influences to our citizens,” Standridge said.

Standridge and Assistant Police Chief Bob Klett also shared during Wednesday's meeting how SMPD supported the community during the recent winter storm; a nontraditional event called for nontraditional policing, Standridge said.

“We found ways to work outside our label,” Standridge said. “Ultimately our role is helping folks.”

All police officers were called to work a 12-hour shift every day during the disaster.

During the day they gathered to make and deliver sandwiches and water to residents staying in motels and collaborated with social service agencies to support daily feeding operations. They performed welfare checks on seniors and supported healthcare workers by providing rides to and from their shifts at the hospital.

In the middle of the night they were called to a multitude of car wrecks and drivers sliding off the interstate.

“When you think of your police department we typically think in strong stereotypes,” Standridge said. “Recognize your police officers fulfill many community roles and many community expectations. We are so much more than that ticket or that arrest.”