SAN ANTONIO — While officials are not yet in panic mod, the San Antonio Police Department is keeping a close eye on a noticeable dip in applications coming in for prospective officers. SAPD says it is experiencing a small decrease in applicants compared to this time last year.
“What we’re seeing from a recruitment standpoint and what’s been shared is that some might be looking at the untraditional (path),” Alisia Pruneda said.
Pruneda, who works in SAPD's media services detail, is approaching her fifth year as a San Antonio Police officer.
“My husband and I frontloaded parenting our children,” she said. “We started parenting very early in our life.”
It left space for Pruneda to pursue the itch of service that kept bubbling in her blood. She said the department has a high standard of its members.
“I would lay down my life for somebody. I would run into danger,” Pruneda said. “That’s still a part of the job—no matter the scrutiny or the sentiment that might be lingering in society right now.”
SAPD records show 1,600 applicants wanted to be an officer from the start of 2019 through the beginning of September that year. That number dropped to 1,524 candidates seeking to become officers so far in 2020.
Pruneda said the department won’t have a full picture until the year is over. But they are already considering smaller cadet classes.
The department is not sure if cries for police reform in 2020 is turning prospective employees away. They are very certain, however, that the coronavirus has squashed traditional methods of recruitment.
SAPD recruiters cannot travel to job fairs and colleges to sign up potential job candidates. Instead, the department is hoping boosted efforts on social media flurry will help by giving them a chance to tell their story, in their own way.
“I don’t think it’s any tougher or easier than what it has been. I’ve been on 27 years,” Officer Scott Hermes said. “You just got to get in your mind to do the right thing all the time.”
Hermes is part of the department's Fear Free Environment Unit, and also an advisor with the San Antonio Public Safety Corp., a group of 14-to-21-year-olds the department introduces to community service and law enforcement in hopes of growing a future officer.
He said turnover is a regular thing for them. But his message is consistent to the more than 1,000 kids whose lives he’s touched in 10 years.
“There’s going to be people that hate you. There’s going to be people that love you,” Hermes said. “You deal with all those kinds and you’re willing to serve them equally.”
Angela Gonzales is a McCollum High School graduate who has her heart set on wearing the badge. The 21-year-old is preparing to submit her application to SAPD.
“This is what I want to do,” Gonzales said. “This what God has for me.”
Her goal is to work street crimes.
Pruneda said the department, due to COVID-19 restrictions, does as much candidate review as possible on digital platforms or by phone.