By Edmond Ortiz
San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh is expected to appoint an interim police chief shortly before or after the July 4th holiday weekend as current Police Chief William McManus is leaving the position sooner than originally planned.
McManus announced last January that he would be retiring from service to the city of San Antonio this September after spending 20 years as police chief across two stints.
But according to a July 1 press release, McManus recently accepted another job opportunity within San Antonio and, as a result, is pushing up his effective retirement date from Sept. 30 to July 10.
City officials said in-person interviews of permanent police chief candidates will be carried out in August, a process that will include panels with representatives from various parts of the community. City officials are due to recommend a permanent police chief candidate to City Council in September.
According to the news release, the city will incorporate into its police chief interview process responses given during the city’s recent police executive recruitment forum, where community members had a chance to offer feedback on what type of police chief they want, and what should be that person’s priorities in public safety.
City representatives said community members who provided input want a police chief who has strong leadership capabilities, high levels of integrity and honesty, good communication skills, and a solid sense of accountability and transparency.
Responding residents said the next police chief should prioritize such things as improving response times, crime prevention, accountability, staffing levels, building community relationships, and forging community-based solutions.
