San Antonio officials are proposing to allocate at least $200,000 in the next fiscal year budget to pilot a program installing 10 AI-enabled security cameras downtown. While the technology may eventually incorporate facial recognition capabilities, Police Chief William McManus has expressed reservations and emphasized plans to balance public safety with privacy and civil rights.

The San Antonio Police Department is planning a one-year pilot program to install approximately 10 AI-enabled surveillance cameras downtown as part of a public safety initiative. While the proposed technology is intended to speed up crime detection, its potential use for facial recognition and advanced surveillance raises significant civil rights concerns.

The San Antonio City Council approved a 5-year collective bargaining agreement with the San Antonio Police Officers Association, which includes significant wage increases for officers and reforms in disciplinary procedures that centralize authority with the police chief. While the deal secures better pay for officers, critics have raised concerns over reduced mechanisms for independent oversight and community accountability.

San Antonio reached a tentative five‐year labor contract agreement between the City and the police union. The deal, which includes significant pay raises for officers and reforms to disciplinary procedures designed to enhance accountability, marks the conclusion of over two years of negotiations.