SAPD Officer Found Unresponsive Outside Bar While Armed; DA Rejects Case
SAPD Officer Jacob Barcena was found unresponsive outside a San Antonio bar while carrying a handgun, according to disciplinary records. He was arrested and later suspended without pay, but the District Attorney’s Office rejected the criminal case.
Edinburg Police Sergeant Suspended After Resuming Surveillance in Personal Vehicle
Edinburg Police Sgt. Joaquin Mendoza was told by two supervisors to keep a narcotics surveillance operation within city limits. Records show he clocked out, went home, exchanged his unmarked police unit for his personal vehicle and returned to the area—later describing himself as “working for free.”
SAPD Detective: ‘2629, Get the F— Out of My Way’ During Stop That Led to Suspension
“I got a fucking detective that needs help right now, and you fucking stopped me,” SAPD Detective Narciso Marte told the fellow officer who pulled him over, according to disciplinary records. Investigators later cited unsafe driving, the profanity-laced confrontation and a written account contradicted by Fleet video in imposing a 30-day unpaid suspension.
Applicant Screening Led to Edinburg Officer’s Suspension for On-Duty Sex
Newly released records show messages found during an Edinburg police applicant’s background screening led to an investigation of Officer Evaristo Carrion. He admitted to two on-duty sexual encounters and served a seven-day unpaid suspension.
SAPD Officer Accessed Active Investigation and Shared Details With Suspect-Linked Friend
San Antonio Police Officer Domingo Rios III received a 15-day unpaid suspension after SAPD found he accessed an active felony investigation without authorization and shared case information with a friend connected to the suspect. The discipline follows a separate 12-day suspension in 2024.
San Antonio Officer Suspended After Chasing Driver at 88 MPH in 35 MPH Zone
SAPD Officer Lucas Zapot was suspended for 15 days after disciplinary records say he pursued a driver for a traffic infraction, reached 88 mph in a 35 mph zone, ran red lights, and continued following the vehicle after it sped away without supervisor authorization.
SAPD Officer Indefinitely Suspended After Detainee Found with White Powdery Substance
SAPD Officer Hannah White was indefinitely suspended after department records say she failed to properly search a detainee before transport, leading detention officers to find a white powdery substance hidden in his sock during jail intake. The suspension also cites missing evidence, alleged truthfulness violations and White’s prior 40-day discipline in a suspected DWI crash investigation.
New Braunfels Fire Lieutenant Threatened Firefighter in Facebook Dispute
City records released this year detail how New Braunfels Fire Department Lieutenant John Weige was investigated for threatening Engineer Robert Garcia, using derogatory language, and making religion‑based and personal attacks during a dispute connected to the Kerrville flood response. According to the internal affairs report, Weige admitted posting the Facebook comments and sending a text message that investigators classified as a threat of physical harm.
The city sustained multiple findings, including harassment, workplace bullying, discrimination, discourtesy to a fellow employee, and conduct prejudicial to good order. Fire Chief Ruy Lozano initially recommended demotion, but after the Civil Service Commission found probable cause, the case ended in a settlement that replaced the demotion with an eight‑day suspension.
The investigation highlights concerns about threats, racial and religious language, and cyberbullying within the New Braunfels Fire Department.
Former Dispatcher Who Worked for SAPD, Helotes and Live Oak Police Indicted in Child Sex Abuse Case
A former police dispatcher who worked for SAPD, Helotes Police and Live Oak Police has been indicted in Bexar County on child sex abuse and child pornography-related charges. Court records show some alleged offense dates overlap with periods when Aracili Garcia was employed as a telecommunications operator for local law enforcement agencies. The records do not state the alleged conduct happened while she was on duty or using agency equipment, but the timeline raises public-trust concerns. Garcia is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
New Braunfels Can Keep Short-Term Rentals Out of Some Residential Areas, Court Rules
A federal appeals court has sided with the City of New Braunfels in a years-long fight over short-term rentals, ruling that the city can continue restricting vacation-style rentals in certain residential neighborhoods. The case comes in a tourism-heavy community known for Schlitterbahn, the Comal and Guadalupe rivers, Wurstfest and millions of annual visitors, where short-term rentals remain a major issue for property owners, neighbors and city officials. The Fifth Circuit said Texas law does not recognize a protected property right to use a home specifically as a short-term rental, and found the city had a rational basis for trying to preserve residential neighborhood character.