By Jennifer Litz
Editor
February 27, 2008

Outsiders have attacked the incumbent’s administration. But Police Chief Tim Vasquez says crime’s gone down on his watch.

And he’s got a few new things up his sleeve.

Some of them, like implementing “progressive patrolling techniques” to analyze and proactively tackle problem sites, seem like no-brainers that could—maybe should—have already been implemented. Others utilize up-and-coming technology.

“We’re going to implement some progressive patrolling techniques that will have specific officers focusing on specific crimes, in specific areas, and during specific times,” Vasquez says. “We’ll use our crime analysis unit, which is designed to be able to read stats and recognize crime patterns, to compare them to years past, and almost predict what we are likely to see. For instance: We may have a rash of burglaries every June in this two-week period in this neighborhood. During that time we’ll focus our efforts on that.”

Another way Vasquez plans to home in on crime includes using newly installed GPS systems to pinpoint crime scenes in action, so that the closest, most efficient squad or police car can be deployed in response. “So if a call goes out, once it goes into our computer system, the computer will tell us which unit is closest to that call,” Vasquez says. “So at any given time, we can look at a map of the entire city and see where a police car is. And if we see a major incident, the commander of the shift could refocus some of his troops in a certain area of town where we’re seeing a rash of things happening.”

Vasquez promises a few other things if re-elected, including addressing rampant drug and gang activity by targeting schools and teaming up with US Customs to compensate and augment the local narcotics unit’s efforts.

But Vasquez’s re-election campaign stresses what he’s accomplished at least as much as any other platform. He stresses the drop in crime during his tenure.

“Overall, crime is down a little over 21 percent since I took office,” Vasquez says. “Overall crime—that’s the crime the Department of Public Safety takes out of our computer system from the information inputted. So I’ve had the question, ‘What do you think caused that?’ I really believe it was the help of the community.”

Vasquez also extols the virtue of minimum work standards, a practice some opponents have used against him. It’s a point system with a bottom “score” officers must achieve through daily activities like arrests, stops, etc.

“This standard is a road map to productivity for officers,” he says. “Some have said we’re taking the officers out of the neighborhoods. In truth, burglaries are down over 26 percent since we implemented this program: We’ve had 1,600 fewer burglaries in 2007 than in 2003. I believe that’s happened because instead of burglaries, productivity has skyrocketed. We saw a 39 percent increase in self-initiated officer activity. That means officers going out and looking for things: making traffic stops, making probable cause cases, making burglary arrests. Instead of being reactive they’re proactive.”

Something else he turns to his advantage: The shortage of manpower. Vasquez said the department was about 18 men short at one point, which he attributes to uncompetitive pay (“that’s why I pushed for the comparative pay studies the city did”) and the War in Iraq.

“As long as we’re at war, and unemployment is extremely low, we’re always going to have difficulty maintaining a fully staffed department,” says Vasquez, who notes that 30-plus recent applicants are currently clamoring to fill 14 SAPD openings. “Abilene, which pays much more than us, is 22 officers short,” he says. “The type of people that serve in the military are the type that serve on police departments. So until we bring our troops back, every department that has this problem is going to continue to have [it]…”

Vasquez seems undaunted by criticisms of corruption in his administration. He reflects on Texas Ranger Shawn Palmer’s probe into an incident involving Vasquez and another police chief candidate, Jeff Davis:

“There’s a lot of things that I can’t discuss [about the incident]—but I took a polygraph and passed it,” Vasquez says. “And the other person involved chose not to do a polygraph at all.”

Some police chief candidates have balked at Vasquez’s stint as drummer and vocalist in local band Funky Munky, but the current chief insists it’s not a bad thing. “I’ve grown up playing in bands. My family is very musically oriented,” he says. “[They] make it sound like I’m playing all these bars. I play at church, at benefits; we’ve done a benefit for the Children’s Miracle Network, and United Way . . .

“And my band is full of local business owners making an impact. The keyboard player is the director for downtown San Angelo. One of our guitar players owns Bentwood Country Club. Our vocalist is a former Miss San Angelo.”

Vasquez focuses on the positives, divulging the department’s latest award. The Texas Police Chiefs Association Foundation recently recognized the SAPD for its implementation of 152 “best practices,” an honor only four police departments have received to date. Vasquez says there will be a commemorative ceremony for the honor at the end of March.