San Antonio police are actively investigating two confirmed shootings of dogs. Credit: Shutterstock / 4kclips

A San Antonio police officer was suspended without pay for 30 days over alleged violations of department policy observed by a potential recruit participating in a Civilian Police Academy “ride along,” disciplinary records show.

Officer Gabriel Sanchez served the suspension from Oct. 29 through Nov. 27 after being accused by the “ride along” participant of violations including operating a side business while on duty and declining to investigate a suspected instance of family violence, according to department documents.

What’s more, SAPD investigators reported that Sanchez used racist and sexist language while interacting with the public and the potential recruit, verbally disparaged his police duties and delayed his response to a call so he could finish his lunch.

Contacted by the Current via phone, Sanchez said he was dealing with PTSD at the time of the alleged incidents. He said he suffered from nightmares and lack of sleep from a case involving the beating death of a 2-year-old child.

“I’d already called in two times that week,” he said. “I should have called in a third.”

Citing an emailed complaint by the person on the “ride along,” disciplinary records state Sanchez stopped twice during an eight-hour shift to conduct business for a heating, ventilation and air-conditioning business he ran. The officer didn’t have the required department approval to operate the company, according to SAPD.

Sanchez also told the person on the “ride along” that they shouldn’t pursue traffic stops once they earn a badge, according to disciplinary records. “If somebody blows a stop sign, who gives a fuck?” the officer could be heard saying on body-cam footage, paperwork states.

Further, Sanchez told the potential future officer that he does the minimum expected from his job, adding that even if he performs up to expectation, SAPD officials are “gonna find something to fucking hammer you with,” according to police records.

After responding to an “assault in progress” call and speaking to the person issuing the complaint, Sanchez didn’t investigate or file a report, disciplinary reports show.

Even so, Sanchez found the time while on the call to lecture a 14-year-old male who wasn’t involved in the assault, disciplinary documents show.

“Find yourself a God-fearing woman, because if you get one of these new modern women, they’re gonna see more chile than a molcajete has,” Sanchez told the youth, according to SAPD paperwork. He also reportedly told the youth that he would “have more Hispanics backstabbing you and fucking you over more than any other race.”

The “ride along” subject’s email complaint also stated that Sanchez used other offensive language during their interactions, according to disciplinary records. “You need to think more like a beaner rather than a white person. Why pay for something when you can get it for free?” Sanchez said at one point, according to the paperwork.

During interactions with the potential cadet, Sanchez also said he treated his work for SAPD as a “part-time job,” according to disciplinary documents, adding that he tells other officers that if he’s fired he’d “have another job and not be crying like a bitch.”

While assigned to a call and interacting with the public, Sanchez was also picked up on body camera expressing similar sentiments, according to SAPD records. The officer referred his work for the department as a “side hustle,” adding if
“[SAPD] were to fire me today, I really wouldn’t give a shit.”

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This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 10, 2024.

Sanford Nowlin is editor-in-chief of the San Antonio Current. He holds degrees from Trinity University and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and his work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative...