Hot spot policing assigns more officers in areas where there are higher crime rates. The idea is that the higher police presence will eliminate the influence of criminal activity in those areas. 

UTSA professor and criminologist, Michael Smith, presented the Public Safety Committee Board with a crime reduction strategy brief. This presentation was given on March 17 and consisted of a two-year evaluation of the implementation of the violent crime reduction strategies led by researchers at UTSA within  San Antonio. On the following day, District 10 Councilmember Marc Whyte announced the plan of shortening the timeline for hiring 200 additional officers from three years to two. Smith spoke on the evidence presented to Whyte that led to this decision. 

“I think what he keyed in on was the strategies. One of the primary strategies that we use to help reduce violent crime in San Antonio and elsewhere is an evidence-based strategy called hot spots policing. 

 “Its efficiency has been evaluated in the peer reviewed literature many times, which is why it’s part of our strategy,” said Smith “My team itself has evaluated its impacts in all of our partner cities including San Antonio many times as well.”

Hot spot policing does not come without its faults. Smith states that hot spot policing is not the end all be all. 

 “It’s not a panacea. It’s not going to fix violent crime all by itself. It helps lower the crime temperature, but the analogy is that it’s like a fever reducer” 

According to SA.gov, the study showed 22.4% reduction in violent crimes in these targeted hot spots, which resulted in Whyte to submit the memo to the city manager for the revision. When asked about the upcoming memo, the councilmember’s outlook seemed positive.

“If the city council is presented with the same data that those of us on the Public Safety Committee were presented with, I would be hard pressed to believe my colleagues wouldn’t support getting more officers on the streets in a more immediate fashion. 

“Public safety is our council’s top priority now. The rest of my colleagues and I look forward to having this debate with them.” 

The possible increase of police presence in District 10 community relations was a topic of discussion. 

 “We want our police to be trusted, and you know just members of the community that our residents feel like they can rely on,” said Whyte. “SAPD already makes great efforts to ensure that all of our police officers are just that, and I would assume that with any new officers that are hired that will continue.” 

The budget discussions begin next month. The San Antonio Violent Crime Reduction Plan is public domain and can be found at the San Antonio City Website.