Pubdate: Mon, 23 Apr 2001
Source: Houston Chronicle (TX)
Copyright: 2001 Houston Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.chron.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/198
Author: John W. Gonzales

SAN ANTONIO POLICE COPING PUBLIC BUOYS FORCE AFTER SCANDAL, OFFICERS' SLAYINGS

SAN ANTONIO -- For local law enforcement officers, 2001 has already been 
quite a year.

In the past few months, two city policemen have been slain. Seven Bexar 
County officers and a suburban policeman have been accused of misconduct 
that ranged from drug trafficking to mishandling confiscated vehicles.

Those woes, piled on top of long-standing community concerns about 
excessive use of force and discrimination within law enforcement, have 
rocked the 2,000 police officers and 435 deputies who patrol this metropolis.

Fortunately, the officers have been spared the outcry and demonstrations 
that badgered other beleaguered police departments in Los Angeles, New 
York, Cincinnati, Philadelphia and Chicago in the wake of misconduct 
allegations.

"We're always going to have our critics," said Police Chief Al Philippus. 
Even so, "I think (officers') credibility is extremely high here."

Though many citizens were disappointed by the corruption charges, there 
appears to be no wholesale outrage against police, who routinely get the 
benefit of the doubt when testifying against suspects. As one criminal 
defense lawyer put it: "They walk on water" in the minds of most citizens, 
including jurors.

The recent troubles experienced by the San Antonio Police Department, 
especially the two officers' slayings, have produced an outpouring of 
support from a variety of sources. On Hallmark cards and folder paper, 
ordinary citizens, students, clergy, civil groups and other law enforcement 
agencies took time to write messages that were part condolence, part pep 
talk and always appreciated.

About 300 such letters, along with scores of e-mail and phone messages to 
the department, have buoyed the spirits of rank-and-file officers, said 
Philippus, who had some of the poignant missives posted in the department's 
roll-call rooms.

"Police rule. I just want to say I'm praying for you," said a note from an 
elementary school student.

"We are not in a state of crisis," Philippus said.

To reinforce that contention, the chief declined to participate in a local 
TV station's upcoming special program because its working title is Cops in 
Crisis.

"Our focus is the future. We are going to move forward with our head held 
high, with a tremendous amount of pride, to serve a community that has 
literally wrapped their arms around us and embraced us during a very 
difficult time," he said.

"It didn't happen by accident," he added.

Chief since 1995, Philippus took charge amid divisive allegations that the 
department discriminated against Hispanic officers. And in the years 
leading up to his promotion, the department had been rocked by intermittent 
incidents of corruption, brutality and other unprofessional conduct.

But none of those problems seemed to compare to the succession of sad 
events of recent months. On Feb. 2, SWAT team member John "Rocky" Riojas 
was shot to death with his own gun by a fleeing suspect. On March 29, 
patrolman Hector Garza was slain along with a spousal-abuse victim when he 
responded to a domestic disturbance.

The second killing came a painful week after eight patrol officers were 
indicted and arrested as a result of a four-year FBI sting operation, in 
which federal agents posed as drug dealers needing police protection for 
their bogus cocaine shipments.

Last week, the accused officers -- all of whom have proclaimed their 
innocence -- were mulling plea-bargain deals offered by federal 
prosecutors. Also charged in the sting were a veteran sheriff's deputy and 
a reserve constable.

In an unrelated case, a Balcones Heights officer who used to supervise an 
anti-narcotics task force was accused of drug use and taking confiscated 
weapons. And earlier this month, Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez said he 
was investigating five deputies in his auto-theft unit in connection with a 
questionable auction of confiscated vehicles in which deputies were among 
the buyers. No charges have been filed in those cases.

As a result of the indictments, however, Bexar County District Attorney 
Susan Reed dismissed 36 pending criminal cases in which the accused 
officers would have been important witnesses. Thirty of the cases involved 
only one officer -- the sheriff's deputy, who transported suspects or evidence.

"I think the citizens here recognize that you're talking about a few 
officers out of 2,000," Reed said. She said she hasn't detected any sudden 
loss of confidence in police among jurors or the general public.

"We haven't seen, as of yet, that kind of fallout," Reed said. Nor has 
there been "a public outcry to do something about the Police Department," 
she said.

"I think Philippus and his leadership of the department have had a lot to 
do with the public's respect for the police," she said. "He's out front 
about it. He certainly doesn't sweep anything under the rug."

Criminal defense lawyer Jimmy Parks, who represents one of the policemen 
indicted in the sting, agreed that the police force benefits from good 
leadership and a good reputation.

"If there was a lot of brutality and problems, I would be seeing people 
wanting to file suits and civil rights cases and complaints. ... But 
there's not a lot of it out there," Parks said. "That's why I've got a lot 
of respect for the department."

Philippus said he has been trying ever since he took charge to "change the 
culture" of the department. His first challenge was dealing with a large 
number of Hispanic officers with discrimination complaints. He said he told 
his critics, "I can't change the color of my skin, but give me a chance and 
I'll make some changes."

In addition to mending fences with Hispanic officers as well as community 
and minority advocacy groups, Philippus said he has implemented several new 
policies to enhance police integrity. They include voluntary reporting of 
any use of force and an "early warning system" to identify patterns of 
misconduct. He also has made it a firing offense for an officer to lie 
under oath, and drug testing of officers begins this summer.

Building community support -- the department's "greatest strength" -- 
didn't happen overnight, Philippus said. But once it's developed, it will 
be there "when you need it the most. And that is exactly what has happened 
here," he said.
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