San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus is promising to hold accountable those who leaked details about Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones’ extensive security protocols after KSAT and other media outlets reported on them late last week.
“In consultation with the City Manager, I have directed Internal Affairs to open a thorough and immediate investigation to determine how these sensitive details were leaked to the media and who is responsible,” McManus said in a statement to Texas Public Radio.
Despite the recent media reports, Jones’ high level of personal security has been an open secret at City Hall among staffers and Council members for months. In its report, KSAT described the precautions as “unprecedented.”
However, it remains clear after the news reports how much Jones’ security detail is costing taxpayers.
When Jones first took office, she reportedly asked that SAPD provide her with a ballistic vest, sources familiar with the matter told the Current. Citing unnamed sources. KSAT also reported on the vest.
KSAT’s reporting also detailed the SAPD executive security detail that accompanies Jones while she’s conducting official city business. Past mayors have also received similar security measures while on duty.
However, Jones’ detail became more elaborate after 24-year-old Marcos Olvera in an August social media post allegedly threatened to kill the mayor after she questioned the use of city funds on a new arena for the Spurs.
Following the threat, Jones asked that two SAPD officers be stationed overnight at her downtown apartment building, according to KSAT. One officer must be stationed in an inside hallway, while another must be posted outside the building, the station reports, citing unnamed sources.
Sources inside City Hall who spoke on condition of anonymity shared similar details about Jones’ security precautions with the Current. The Current also has independently confirmed an overnight police presence at the mayor’s property.
Jones also requires that an SAPD officer tail her when she leaves the building, either on foot or in a car, from a “respectful and discreet distance,” KSAT reports, citing documents it obtained.
Among Jones’ top campaign promises was to bring transparency to City Hall. However, the city has yet to release information on how much Jones’ security is costing taxpayers.
Even so, McManus told TPR that KSAT and other news outlets stepped out of bounds when they described the intricacies of Jones’ security.
“Our mission is to safeguard public officials while preserving transparency and accountability. Protecting the public’s right to know must never come at the cost of compromising safety,” McManus told the radio station.
The protection offered to Jones is unusual when compared to past mayors, even those who also received threats.
Despite her husband’s vehicle being struck by gunfire during a drive-by, Ivy Taylor — San Antonio’s mayor between 2014 and 2017 — never had SAPD officers stationed inside or outside her home, she told KSAT.
Previous Mayor Ron Nirenberg only had temporary SAPD patrols of his home at times when there was an active threat, the TV station also reports. However, SAPD reportedly parked a patrol car near Nirenberg’s home for a single, eight-hour shift as tensions grew between activists and City Council over a proposed Israel-Hamas ceasefire resolution.
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