SAN ANTONIO — One day after three former Bexar County sheriff’s deputies were arrested and fired on criminal allegations, 16 new detention officers were sworn in.
"Before we get on with the rest of our ceremony, let me talk about the elephant in the room a little bit," said Sheriff Javier Salazar, referring to the indictment and arrests of Gabriel Ortiz and Ruben Hernandez on federal drug charges.
The two were hired in July 2017. They were fired on June 22, 2018 after Salazar said a sting revealed the men were smuggling meth into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center.
U. S. Attorney John F. Banks, federal prosecutor Greg Surovic, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, and Sheriff Salazar addressed the arrests in a news conference on Thursday.
The sheriff is also talking about the arrest of Limbar Rodriguez. He was arrested on an allegation of DWI. He was hired in September 2017. Rodriguez was fired on Thursday.
"Yesterday was not a bad day for the BSCO," Sherrif Salazar said. "It was a bad day for three individuals."
According to Salazar, when someone is tasked with running a large organization, there are a select few who are in the profession for the wrong reason. He said that no one should doubt he's willing to do what needs to be done to eliminate the problem.
"That badge is there until the day they decide they don't want to wear it anymore," Salazar said.
Michael Webb was selected by his class to deliver a speech at the ceremony about their 11-week experience in the BCSO academy.
"In the same way we protect the staff and the public through what we do inside of the jail, know that we protect you as well," Webb said. "We have to hold you dear, and we have to have you hold us accountable."
Webb said that his goals and upbringing will keep him off of the path recently soiled by three former deputies.
Sheriff Salazar is hoping this class of officers will join the approximately 1,500 deputies whom he says do their job effectively every day.