Police Chief Candidate Hernandez Announces “First 100 Days” Plan

SAN ANGELO, TX — Surrounded by 21 San Angelo police officers, former officers, and current and past law enforcement professionals, Lt. Mike Hernandez, candidate for San Angelo’s chief of police, outlined his plans for the first 100 days.

The four-pronged plan aims to reduce neighborhood petty crime, crack down on uninsured drivers, and forge deeper relationships with public and private school administrators and faculty to emphasize the importance of protecting children.

Hernandez told a gathering of supporters in the lobby of the Cactus Hotel, 36 E. Twohig, at 10 a.m. Friday, that his plan, when implemented, will reduce crime almost immediately without extra expenses or additional burdens on taxpayers.

Here are Hernandez’s four prongs:

1. Increased nighttime neighborhood patrols where officers are empowered to engage with suspicious subjects. Hernandez dubbed the program “Operation Searchlight.” “In my initiative, late-night patrol officers will be proactively looking for people on foot, wearing clothing that can conceal their identity and carrying packs with which to transport stolen items. We will not search or detain anyone unless there is legal cause. However, we will make contact, ask for their ID, and make note of them. We need these individuals to be painfully aware that we are watching them, and we know who they are. Intense scrutiny is the best deterrent to crime. It’s a strategy I have worked with in the past for gang activity, and it works. Let’s turn on the light and make them scatter,” he said.

2. Crack down on uninsured motorists. Hernandez proposes to advocate for the San Angelo City Council to pass a new law called the Uninsured Motorist Ordinance. Under the UMO, San Angelo police officers will be empowered to impound the vehicle of an uninsured driver during traffic stops and crash investigations. The car will be towed and stored at the impound lot at the uninsured motorist’s expense. “Odessa adopted a UMO last year in response to estimates that 40% of Permian Basin drivers were uninsured. Let’s address this problem in our city right now—before the problem gets that bad,” Hernandez said.

3. School safety. “I have seen the importance of positive interaction between law enforcement, faculty, and students, and how it benefits our school campuses and our streets. In my administration, you will see proactive cooperation between SAPD and San Angelo’s public and private schools,” he said.

4. A crowdsourced security camera initiative. The plan is ambitious as it will require the police department to implement a web portal where any citizen can upload doorbell and video security footage.

“Our crime analysts will take a more formal approach to cataloging and analyzing this footage. We can use it to find patterns for crime prevention and provide supporting materials for arrests and convictions,” he said.

After the press conference, Hernandez met with the press. We asked him to address some issues his opponent has brought up. The first is Travis Griffith’s plan to reduce drug use by 20% by enlisting the help of the Alcohol & Drug Awareness Center for the Concho Valley. Griffith proposed involving ADACCV with arrestees for illegal drug offenses to “reduce drug use by 20%” in the area. Hernandez said he has years of experience with ADACCV and acknowledged their value in treating addiction, but regarding the 20% reduction, Hernandez was more direct.

“I don’t believe it’s possible, and good luck with that,” he said.