Arrests are up and crime is down in most categories this year, city-wide in San Antonio.
Call it a year-end gift everyone gets to enjoy.
Police Chief William McManus gives all the credit to the feet on the street, the officers and detectives of the agencies that make up the Violent Crime Task Force. In addition to the San Antonio Police Department, the task force relies on help from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, DPS, DEA, FBI, ATF, the Secret Service, and HSI.
“They've done a fantastic job. I can't speak highly enough of them. Anything I would say would be an understatement,” McManus said.
Discussing year-end statistics, McManus said “I don't think it could be working out any better than it is right now."
In 2018 the Violent Crime Task Force made more than 3,300 drug arrests.
McManus said more than 730 gang members went to jail and officers cleared more than 9,400 outstanding warrants.
"Arrest numbers are up 64% year to date," McManus said.
Seizures of contraband are up as well, with more than 443,000 grams of illegal narcotics taken off the streets.
McManus said "The seizures of drugs are just astronomical. They're just off the charts. I mean these officers and detectives are being so pro-active. They're working with intelligence that they get from the Fusion Center analysts.”
The Task Force also confiscated more than 1,115 weapons and more than $1.17 million in cash.
One troubling category remains. In east San Antonio, the numbers for murder and capital murder are up 22 percent, year to date, but police say even these statistics are trending in the right direction. Back in March, the numbers were up by 60 percent.
Looking ahead to what citizens can expect in 2019, McManus said: “Hopefully the same thing and even better."
"Our officers are up for the challenge and our goal is to keep those numbers down going through the next year," McManus said.