By Edmond Ortiz
San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh announced Sept. 2 the appointment of Assistant Police Chief Jesse Salame as the city’s next permanent police chief.
City Council is expected to confirm the appointment Sept. 10, as Salame succeeds longtime Chief William McManus, who is retiring from public law enforcement effective Sept. 30.
What you should know
According to a press release, city officials performed a nationwide search for the San Antonio Police Department’s next top leader, but Salame was seen as an ideal candidate because of his leadership experience and skills.
A native San Antonian who joined the SAPD in June 1999. Salame was appointed deputy police chief in December 2022, serving as chief of staff and overseeing internal affairs, the training academy, public information office and open records.
According to the release, Salame advocated the creation of SAPD’s officer wellness unit, and helped the department toward becoming the nation’s first law enforcement agency to achieve Level 1 Foundational Trauma-Informed Care Organizational Certification.
Additionally, Salame was appointed as SAPD’s LGBTQ+ liaison officer, serving as a command-level representative between the police department and the LGBTQ+ community.
City officials also cited Salame helping SAPD’s recruitment and staff operations, overseeing efforts that yielded the appointment of 1,000-plus police cadets since 2022.
Salame was appointed assistant chief of SAPD’s operations support bureau in 2024, providing oversight of specialized investigative and support divisions, including the mental health unit and SA CORE (Community Outreach and Resiliency Effort).
In those latter roles, Salame served as SAPD’s representative on a multi-agency mental health diversion and recovery committee, which has helped to find ways for police officers answering emergency calls to divert from jail individuals struggling with mental health, intellectual disabilities, or substance abuse issues.
The council’s public safety committee voted Aug. 31 to send to the full council consideration of a pilot jail diversion program and the establishment of a facility on the near East Side for diverted individuals.
Salame addressed the public safety council, expressing his support for the proposed jail diversion pilot initiative. He also has been publicly visible in recent days as different city services and CPS Energy conducted a multi-day response to the aftermath of a severe storm that struck the city Aug. 29.
What they are saying
After McManus announced he was pushing up his planned exit as police chief in mid-July, Walsh tapped Salame as acting police chief.
Walsh said Salame impressed in his interviews with two council-appointed panels of residents, a third group of community stakeholders, and a fourth panel of randomly chosen SAPD employees.
Walsh and Deputy City Manager María Villagómez met with top candidates that emerged from the interview process, according to the news release.
“Over the past 27 years, (Salame) has steadily moved through the ranks, spending 15 years in the field and investigative units, demonstrating exceptional leadership and commitment to the police services provided to the community every day,” Walsh said in a statement.
“I have the utmost confidence in (Salame’s) ability to lead the San Antonio Police Department in its mission to improve quality of life in San Antonio by creating a safe environment in partnership with the people they serve. Throughout his tenure, he has prioritized relationships across the City organization, throughout the community and among SAPD employees at all levels. His vision of a department built on trust, respect and transparency make him the ideal choice to lead the police department into the future.”
District 8 Councilmember Ivalis Meza Gonzalez voiced her confidence in Salame’s promotion in a statement issued Sept. 2.
“I am pleased to support the appointment of Chief Jesse Salame to lead the San Antonio Police Department. Chief Salame brings nearly three decades of service to SAPD, along with the institutional knowledge, leadership experience, and deep understanding of our community that this important role demands,” Gonzalez said.
“As a native San Antonian who has risen through the ranks of the department, Chief Salame understands both the challenges our officers face and the expectations our residents have for safe neighborhoods, strong community relationships, and accountable policing.”
