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March 29, 2024
News + Updates
Keep Up with ACT4SA
Learn more about resources, actions, and news surrounding our fight for police accountability in San Antonio.
Actions
WHY ARE WE ATTENDING A VIGIL EVERY WEEKEND?
In the wake of U.S. Airman, son, friend & community member Aaron Bushnell self immolating, there is a heavy energy in the air. The San
March 13, 2024
Actions
ACT 4 SA UNEQUIVOCALLY STANDS WITH THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE
We must speak power to truth: The actions of the government of Israel is, and has been for decades, state mandated genocide. We are witnessing
November 1, 2023
Actions
Family Members of Police Violence Victims Hold Remembrance Event in Honor of National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality
***MEDIA ADVISARY*** CONTACT: Ananda Tomas- ananda@act4sa.org ; Deborah Bush- deborah@themjfoundation.love Oct 21 2023, SAN ANTONIO, TX — On Saturday, October 21st from 2-4 PM at
October 26, 2023
News
KSAT Article On National Day Of Protest Against Police Brutality
ACT 4 SA Stands In Solidarity.
October 26, 2023
News
ACT 4 SA RESPONSE TO RUBEN GARCIA & RICHARD RODRIGUEZ’S MURDERS- TWO SAPD KILLING IN ONE WEEK
SAPD IS ON THEIR WAY TO BEING THE DEADLIEST POLICE FORCE IN AMERICA THIS YEAR San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) has just murdered its second
October 24, 2023
ACT 4 SA CELEBRATES COMMUNITY WINS IN FY2024 CITY BUDGET
Working towards a new view on public safety. Expansion of SA CORE ACT 4 SA celebrates the expansion of the SA CORE program– literally doubling
September 14, 2023
Actions
Family Unveils Mural Memorializing Victims of SAPD Violence
***MEDIA ADVISARY*** CONTACT: Ananda Tomas- ananda@act4sa.org ; John Allison- hohinc99@gmail.com Sept 1st 2023, SAN ANTONIO, TX — On Saturday, September 1st from 6-8 PM, friends
September 1, 2023
News
ACT 4 SA LAUNCHES SAPD BUDGET DASHBOARD
DASHBOARD TRACKS SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET AND SPENDING FROM 2019 THROUGH THE PROPOSED 2024 BUDGET ACT 4 SA has released a dashboard showing San
August 15, 2023
ACT 4 SA has now added Bexar County Sheriff data to CoptheData.com
SAN ANTONIO, TX – ACT 4 SA has launched the next update to its public dashboard highlighting suspensions of local law enforcement agencies in Bexar
July 27, 2023
News
San Antonio Police Officers Association (SAPOA) fined $5,000 by the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) for violating Election Code
SAN ANTONIO, TX – In February 2023, ACT 4 SA’s Executive Director Ananda Tomas filed a complaint against SAPOA for violating Section 254.261 of the
June 30, 2023
News
ACT 4 SA RESPONSE TO MELISSA PEREZ’S MURDER
TRUE JUSTICE WOULD BE MELISSA ALIVE & STILL WITH US ACT 4 SA condemns the actions of SAPD police officers, Sgt. Alfred Flores, Officer Eleazar
June 24, 2023
Actions
Prop A Coalition To Hold Press Conference In Response to Opposition Tactics
***MEDIA ADVISARY*** CONTACT: Ananda Tomas- ananda@act4sa.org, Alex Birnel- alex@movetexas.org SAN ANTONIO — On Wednesday May 3rd at 2:30 PM the San Antonio Justice Charter coalition
March 16, 2023
Actions
Prop A Launch Party Will Feature Wendy Davis, Greg Casar, Alejandra Lopez, and more guest speakers
***MEDIA ADVISARY*** SAN ANTONIO — On Thursday, March 16th from 6-8 PM the San Antonio Justice Charter coalition will host its official Prop A Launch
March 16, 2023
News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Opponents file frivolous challenge to SA Justice Charter
San Antonio, TX – ACT 4 SA and Ground Game Texas strongly maintain that all of the items in the proposed charter amendment fall under
February 14, 2023
News
Complaint filed against the San Antonio Police Officers Association (SAPOA) for violating Texas Ethics Commission rule
San Antonio, TX– On February 13th, ACT 4 SA filed an Ethics Complaint against the San Antonio Police Officers Association (SAPOA) for violating Title 15
February 13, 2023
News
BREAKING: San Antonio Justice Charter initiative officially for placement on May ballot
New charter initiative would decriminalize abortion care and marijuana possession, ban no-knock police warrants and chokeholds, and encourage citations instead of arrests for nonviolent crimes.
February 8, 2023
News
AXIOS: San Antonio police firings data shared by police reform group
Police reform nonprofit Act 4 SA has released a trove of new data and information about San Antonio Police Department officers who have been fired or suspended over
February 1, 2023
News
Texas Activists Submit Signatures To Put Marijuana Decriminalization, Police Reform And Abortion Rights On San Antonio Ballot – Marijuana Moment – Marijuana Moment
Texas activists have turned in more than 37,000 signatures to place a measure on the San Antonio ballot in May to decriminalize marijuana, prevent the
February 1, 2023
News
San Antonio activists collect 37,000 signatures in bid to put marijuana, abortion decriminalization before voters – kens5.com
The local activist group says their effort represents the most groundbreaking criminal justice reform San Antonio has seen in years. [from kens5.com]
February 1, 2023
News
Coalition submits 35,000 signatures aimed at sweeping changes to city charter amendment – KSAT
A coalition of more than a dozen organizations delivered more than 35,000 signatures to the city clerk’s office in hopes of making sweeping changes to
February 1, 2023
News
San Antonio Justice Charter headed to likely vote after activists get more than 38,000 signatures – San Antonio Current
If passed by voters, cannabis possession and abortion would both be decriminalized in San Antonio. [from San Antonio Current]
February 1, 2023
News
Footage shows Edgewood ISD police officer putting knee on neck of teen – KSAT
Cell phone camera footage shows an Edgewood Independent School District Police Department officer kneeling on the neck of a teenager following a fight off campus.
February 1, 2023
News
‘It may not seem pretty’: SAPD defends using harsh language during crisis negotiations – KSAT
San Antonio police officials have defended the harsh and at times rude language used by the department’s crisis negotiators during several barricaded subject incidents the
February 1, 2023
News
Team ACT 4 SA Thought you’d like to know…
Rick James said, “What will be the deal in the end if to live we’ve got to steal. But the money’s walkin’, money’s walkin’.”
January 30, 2023
News
ACT 4 SA has launched CoptheData.com to highlight officer suspensions and ‘wandering’ officer issue in Bexar County
“Wandering officers are a serious problem across the nation, but especially here in Bexar County. It will be hard now for our local law enforcement
January 26, 2023
Dashboard
Police chiefs are often forced to put officers fired for misconduct back on the streets – Washington Post
Departments have had to take back hundreds of officers over the past decade after appeals required by union contracts. [from Washington Post]
January 20, 2023
Dashboard
Over The Last Decade, Two-Thirds Of Fired San Antonio Police Officers Got Their Jobs Back – TPR
A recent investigative series by the KSAT 12 Defenders, “Broken Blue,” looks into why officers involved in some of SAPD’s most notorious firings were… [from
January 20, 2023
News
San Antonio could vote to decriminalize abortion, marijuana in 2023 – kens5.com
The group ACT4SA says it is close to reaching the petition signatures necessary to put police reforms on the May ballot. [from kens5.com]
January 17, 2023
News
Group petitioning to let San Antonio voters decide to decriminalize weed nearing 30,000 signatures – San Antonio Current
The petition would also let voters decide whether to decriminalize abortion, ban police chokeholds and prohibit no-knock warrants. [from San Antonio Current]
January 17, 2023
Proposed charter amendment in San Antonio aims to decriminalize abortion –
Proposed charter amendment aims to decriminalize abortion [from ]
January 17, 2023
News
San Antonio charter change effort seeks to ban chokeholds and decriminalize abortion – San Antonio Express-News
The Justice Charter Coalition has collected more than 37,000 signatures on petitions for a… [from San Antonio Express-News]
January 17, 2023
News
Texas Activists Submit Signatures To Place Cannabis Decriminalization, Cops Reform And Also Abortion Civil Liberties On San Antonio Tally – Hempwave – Hempwave
Texas protestors have actually kipped down greater than 37,000 trademarks to put an action on the San Antonio tally in Might to legalize cannabis, stop
January 17, 2023
News
Texas Activists Submit Signatures To Put Marijuana Decriminalization, Police Reform And Abortion Rights On San … – Marijuana Moment › Bexar Brief Newsfeed – Bexar Brief Newsfeed › Bexar County And San Antonio Newsfeed
Texas activists have turned in more than 37,000 signatures to place a measure on the San Antonio ballot in May to decriminalize marijuana, prevent the
January 17, 2023
News
Texas Activists Submit Signatures To Put Marijuana Decriminalization, Police Reform And Abortion Rights On San Antonio Ballot – The Buzzed Report
Texas activists have turned in more than 37,000 signatures to place a measure on the San Antonio ballot in May to decriminalize marijuana, prevent the
January 17, 2023
SA Justice Charter
TUESDAY: San Antonio Justice Charter Coalition Submits 35,000 Signatures for May Ballot
San Antonio, TX (Friday, January 6, 2023) – On Tuesday, January 10th at 3 PM, Ground Game Texas, Act 4 SA, and a coalition of
January 9, 2023
Dashboard
OUTSIDE VIEW: Fired cops keep getting rehired elsewhere in Texas – New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung Online
Texas’ approach to regulating law enforcement is toothless. [from New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung Online]
December 21, 2022
Initiatives
SA Justice Charter
The San Antonio Justice Charter will amend the City Charter of San Antonio to adopt a justice policy that will reduce unnecessary arrests, mitigate racial bias, and save scarce public resources through a comprehensive set of popular reforms.
October 17, 2022
Statements
Charges Should be Brought Against Ex-SAPD Officer James Brennand
In the early morning hours of Oct. 2nd with no visible cause, then Officer James Brennand shot and critically wounded 17-year-old Erik Cantu while responding
October 10, 2022
Statements
RE: People’s Budget SA Coalition Response to FY ‘22-23 Budget
(ACT 4 SA is proud to be a part of the People’s Budget SA Coalition)
September 16, 2022
News
60 days vs 72 hours: Time to review SAPD’s police bodycam policy? – San Antonio Report
A fatal police shooting in San Antonio this week has again raised the issue of how quickly law enforcement video should be released. [from San
June 22, 2022
News
Rally was held for 13-year-old after he was shot by police – KABB
SAN ANTONIO – A local family says they’re looking for justice in an officer-involved shooting that left their 13-year-old loved one dead. Thursday they gathered
June 22, 2022
News
Sheriff defends decision to withhold body cam video of April 5 shooting that wounded deputy, left suspect dead – KSAT
Sheriff Javier Salazar said there is precedent for taking a family's wishes into account on releasing video, and he plans to keep that within BCSO
June 22, 2022
News
San Antonio City Council approves new police union contract – San Antonio Express-News
San Antonio’s civilian review board for police misconduct complaints shouldn’t fall… [from San Antonio Express-News]
June 22, 2022
Actions
Join ACT 4 SA and the family of AJ Hernandez, 13-year-old killed by SAPD, for a rally and vigil in his honor
SAPD ignored protocols that could have saved AJ’s life, and we demand they tell the truth and take action NOW. ACT 4 SA sends
June 7, 2022
Statements
Response to VIA Transit Police Chief Mark Witherell’s Comments on Accountability
via KSAT12 >> San Antonio, TX – When we met with VIA Executives last month, we were hopeful. After changing their board meeting date at
May 31, 2022
Statements
ACT 4 SA Statement on CBA Contract Approval
We are so proud of our community for sending hundreds of emails, calls and tweets, and participating in numerous testimonies asking Council to be brave
May 13, 2022
Statements
Statement: City Council Needs to Address Key Issues in SAPOA-Approved CBA Contract
If this new 5 year contract is approved, we will remain the only major city in Texas without an independent Citizen’s Review Board. While the
April 26, 2022
Statements
Statement on the SAPD Shooting of Kevin Johnson
Yesterday afternoon, SAPD opened fire on 28 year old Kevin Johnson in broad daylight allegedly striking him nine times in the back. ACT 4 SA
March 15, 2022
News
After one year, here's where police union contract talks are at in San Antonio – San Antonio Report
While a few major sticking points remain, most notably around discipline, negotiators say they see a new contract in sight. [from San Antonio Report]
February 24, 2022
Statements
Statement on Commissioners court decision to approve budget for updated body camera & taser technology
This shows no good-faith effort from our Sheriff to even attempt to follow the wishes of the community. We are disappointed in the court for
February 10, 2022
Actions
Accountability for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department
We need your voice! Join us at Commissioner’s Court to add your public comment demanding accountability for the Sheriff’s Office.
• Tuesday, Feb. 8th at 9 AM
• Second Floor of Bexar County Courthouse, 100 Dolorosa, Suite 2.01
• You must sign up by 8:45 AM in person only
February 3, 2022
Initiatives
Accountability for VIA Transit Police
After we were made aware of ongoing issues with VIA Transit police, the ACT 4 SA team sat down with VIA to ask questions about some of the problems that currently exist.
February 3, 2022
Statements
Statement on Sheriff Salazar’s announcement on Citizens Advisory Board
This is a step in the right direction- but should by no means be considered the best solution. We can still do better. ACT
January 26, 2022
News
DA to move case of man killed during mental health crisis to grand jury – San Antonio Express-News
Damian Daniels, 30, was killed more than a year ago at his far West Side home. [from San Antonio Express-News]
December 8, 2021
News
DA: Grand jury will hear case of man killed by deputy by end of month – San Antonio Report
Damian Daniels, an Army veteran, was fatally shot last year by a Bexar County Sheriff’s deputy during a mental health call. [from San Antonio Report]
December 8, 2021
Actions
SA Stands: Manny Pelaez betrays community’s efforts for a comprehensive cite and release policy
SAN ANTONIO, TX — Yesterday the SA Stands coalition learned that Councilman Manny Pelaez filed a Council Consideration Request (CCR) for an incomplete cite and
December 2, 2021
News
Twice-fired cop accused of sending woman her own explicit photos fighting to get his job back – KSAT
Javier Perales Jr. is appealing the indefinite suspension he received in January 2018 for allegedly taking explicit photos off a woman’s phone and then using
November 17, 2021
News
San Antonio activists want parallel pilot programs for mental health responses – with, and without police – KSAT
Having failed to keep police out of a new mental health response team the City of San Antonio will try out beginning next spring, activists
November 17, 2021
News
Role of police in planned emergency response team draws dissent – San Antonio Report
Advocates asked San Antonio officials to remove police from a proposed team that will respond to mental health calls. [from San Antonio Report]
November 17, 2021
News
San Antonio deserves the right response to mental health crises – San Antonio Report
Commentary: San Antonio should consider alternatives to co-responder teams that don’t involve police for mental health calls. [from San Antonio Report]
November 10, 2021
News
SAPD officer fired for repeatedly punching handcuffed pregnant woman still fighting to win back job – KSAT
San Antonio Police officials have released body worn camera footage showing one of its officers repeatedly punching a handcuffed pregnant woman before leaving her in
November 2, 2021
News
San Antonio police accused of turning off body cameras rarely suspended, investigation shows – San Antonio Current
Cops accused of breaking the San Antonio Police Department’s body-worn camera rules are seldom suspended for those violations, a new KSAT news investigation reveals. Department…
October 28, 2021
News
SAPD officers accused of body camera violations suspended less than 20 percent of the time, records show – KSAT
San Antonio police officers accused of violating the department’s body-worn camera policy are rarely suspended, a months-long investigation by the KSAT 12 Defenders found. [from
October 25, 2021
News
Ex-cop fired 7 times in 2 decades, accused of shooting at Tennessee deputy in July is city of San Antonio’s top earner – San Antonio Express-News
Former Lt. Lee Rakun, now charged with attempted murder, got about $447,000 in total… [from San Antonio Express-News]
October 25, 2021
Dashboard
SAPD officers accused of body camera violations suspended less than 20 percent of the time, records show – KSAT
San Antonio police officers accused of violating the department’s body-worn camera policy are rarely suspended, a months-long investigation by the KSAT 12 Defenders found. [from
October 25, 2021
Dashboard
Ex-San Antonio police officer tops city’s payroll list in 2020 – KSAT
Across 13,394 employees, the city of San Antonio paid a total of $842 million in wages and $1.2 billion in total compensation to fire, police
October 15, 2021
News
Past incidents haunt Bexar deputy’s record – San Antonio Express-News
The Bexar County sheriff’s deputy who killed Damian Lamar Daniels, a Black military… [from San Antonio Express-News]
September 19, 2021
News
San Antonio organization aims to reimagine public safety –
San Antonio organization aims to reimagine public safety [from ]
September 17, 2021
Statements
Re: CoSA FY2022 Budget
Studies worldwide show that the greatest precursor to lowering crime rates is addressing poverty, not the over-policing of our community.
ACT 4 SA is disappointed in the increase to the police budget when there are so many other areas where funds are more greatly needed. This is especially alarming when the city is already facing a $2 million deficit in projected revenue for next year.
September 16, 2021
News
Activists want police out of most responses in proposed mental health pilot program – KSAT
The City of San Antonio is planning to try out a new way of handling mental health calls through a three-person team made up of
September 13, 2021
News
Activists want to keep police from responding to 911 mental health calls – San Antonio Report
ACT 4 SA and more than a dozen groups want guns and badges taken out of the first-response equation for mental health calls. [from San
September 8, 2021
News
Ex-San Antonio police officer charged after shootout with Tennessee deputies – KSAT
A former San Antonio police officer was indicted Monday after allegedly shooting at deputies in Sevier County, Tennessee. [from KSAT]
September 1, 2021
Actions
Re: Local organizations and community advocates oppose current crisis response team model
Dear San Antonio City Leaders, We the undersigned are urging you, as our elected city leaders, to reject the current proposal for a mobile crisis
August 30, 2021
News
‘My mugshot is going to go out on the news’: Fired SAPD detective worried about publicity during family violence arrest – KSAT
Days before a fired San Antonio police detective is scheduled for arbitration, records obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders show he was worried about negative
August 25, 2021
Dashboard
How Fired Cops Make It Back on the Force Through Arbitration – San Antonio Report
In the past decade, arbitrators have overturned 10 San Antonio Police Department firings, allowing cops accused of serious wrongdoing to stay on the force. [from
July 12, 2020
News
Bid to put policing issues on San Antonio ballot moves forward – San Antonio Report
The City Clerk’s office has 20 business days, until Feb. 8, to verify more than 38,000 signatures gathered on a petition. [from San Antonio Report]
January 13, 2020
