As San Antonio begins the search for its next police chief, outgoing Chief William McManus has a clear recommendation for who should lead the department after his departure.
McManus says it should be Assistant Chief Jesus “Jesse” Salame Jr., who oversees the department’s Operations Support Bureau.
When asked what qualities the city’s next police chief should possess, McManus said, “I think that Jesse Salame has got them all.”
McManus announced Wednesday that he is stepping down early after nearly 20 years leading the San Antonio Police Department to become vice president of safety and security for Silver Ventures. City officials have said interviews for his replacement will be conducted in August, with a final selection expected in September.
During a wide-ranging conversation with the San Antonio Report Thursday, McManus reflected on why he decided to leave the department, the changes he is most proud of during his tenure, how policing has evolved over the past two decades and what advice he would offer to his successor.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
In your announcement, you said you’re ready for a new chapter. What made this the right time to step away?
My initial plan, a long time ago, was to retire when my kids were done with school. I have one daughter who graduated from medical school two years ago, my son is nearly finished with law school, and my youngest graduated from Southwestern back in December and now works for the city, so they’re all taken care of.
Over the past couple of months, I’ve been in conversation with Silver Ventures. They offered me a great position, and I decided that was a great opportunity. So that’s why I’m leaving right now.
After nearly 20 years as police chief, what are you most proud of?
I don’t know that there’s any one thing that I’m most proud of. There are so many significant changes that have occurred for the benefit of the community and for the benefit of the department that have made such a difference in what we do and how we do it. One example is our pursuit policy. We walked that way back so we don’t pursue people for traffic violations anymore. We only pursue violent felonies and misdemeanors involving a gun.
Another example is domestic violence. Twenty years ago, we didn’t serve warrants for domestic violence offenses and we do that now and so much more when it comes to handling domestic violence cases.
Is there anything you wish you had started sooner or approached differently that you would encourage your successor to prioritize?
No. Everything comes in time. I think we’ve accomplished what we were supposed to accomplish in the time we were supposed to accomplish it.
Everything has its time and we hit ’em all over the last 20 years, now it’s up to the next person to build on all of that.
During your tenure, policing changed dramatically — from technology to public expectations to recruitment. What has been the biggest shifts you have seen?
I’ll give you two examples.
One of the biggest things we’ve focused on internally is officer wellness, and we’ve done so much along those lines.
And number two is the work we’ve done within the community, making them a partner in everything we do to improve the quality of life and reduce crime.
As the city begins searching for your successor, what do you think are the biggest challenges awaiting the next police chief?
There are two considerations. If someone were to come in from outside, the biggest challenge would be to establish credibility and gain the trust of both the department and the public.
The biggest challenge for someone inside is continuing to build on what we’ve accomplished over the last 20 years. Continuous improvement is what we strive for.
What qualities should San Antonio be looking for in its next police chief?
I think we have someone inside who’s qualified in Jesse Salame.
A chief beginning their tenure should be humble. They have to establish credibility, which Salame has. They have to be capable. I think every quality that the next chief should possess, Jesse Salame has got them all.
If you could offer advice to the person who eventually takes over the department, what would it be?
Be humble. Be kind. And be patient.
Looking ahead, what excites you most about this next chapter with Silver Ventures?
Part of the job has a public face to it, so I’m going to enjoy interacting with the public, finding out what their needs are and what their expectations are.
I’ve been hired to look at the safety and security operations from the ground up and build on what they have in place. I’m looking forward to working with their team.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you, San Antonio, for 20 years.
