Those of us with police officers in our families know how important it is to get rid of bad cops. The San Antonio Police Officer’s Association (SAPOA) has a history of criminal conduct, political corruption, and strong- arm politics aimed at protecting BAD COPS. The association has become a large political contributor to council and mayoral campaigns for the purpose of keeping a flawed anti-citizen contract. The City of San Antonio and the Association are in contract talks now, but many are saying that it is bent on using bad faith tactics at their disposal. For years, citizens that filed an abuse complaint against an officer were threatened by the so-called union with threats of lawsuits and perjury charges.
In addition, the association has used racist arbitrators to prevent the discipline of an officer for calling a black man the “N” word multiple times and used a flawed contract to let a bad cop escape that fed a homeless man a feces sandwich. The effort to remove this association will come to a head on April 19th (Early Vote) and on May 1st of this year. Studies show that many unarmed citizens have been shot in the back and there is no discipline for it. This association has to change its anti-people philosophy or it must go on May 1st.
SAPOA, like many other police unions across the country, has condoned harassment of Black Lives Matter demonstrators. In fact, one leaflet being placed on doorsteps shows a riot from another city being used to imply that voting yes for Proposition B is in support of violent acts that white racists perpetuated. One of side of the leaflet it has a photo of a black protestor with a “Defund” mask which the leaders of FIXSAPD never supported. The association is engaging is racist and bald-faced HOGWASH. It makes sense because the association never cared about black citizens or black police officers. SAPD had few black officers in its ranks for many years and making that problem worse was the criminal leadership of SAPOA at that time.
Back when Harold Flammia was in charge of the association he was engaging in political corruption and was sent to prison as he tried every trick in the book to protect corrupt officers and make a living using corrupt methods. According to an Express News article, the association (SAPOA) President Harold Flammia, was strong-arming a lawyer for money, “It started with a “recruiting fee” of $25,000. Then he started getting checks of just more than $4,000 a month. But every time Souza’s firm got a raise, so did Flammia . . . . Soon Flammia was earning $72,000 a year. By the time he was indicted, his tab totaled more than $500,000.”
Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is being investigated for federal crimes, he is calling for the removal of Chief William McManus because he refused to obey a racist order to detain migrant workers. Now, guess what group took a racist position? SAPOA! According to Channel 5 News, former SAPOA president Mike Helle, is the one that called upon the Texas Attorney General to file against McManus. Most important is the use of false rhetoric that is reminiscent of the KKK by John Diaz, the new political boss of SAPOA, when he falsely accused FIXSAPD efforts from folks from out of town when over 50% of SAPD officers do not live in San Antonio. Many Union members are supporting the ballot Proposition B because protection of bad cops is a violation of human rights and civil rights and not just about collective bargaining. Voting yes for Proposition B has nothing to do with fire fighters The effort to prevent bad cops from being police officers has nothing to do with any other union.
Good officers must be thanked, but not the corrupt and racist ones that threaten the community at large. We expect a mountain of lies from them claiming that we will lose police officers and safety and other HOGWASH, but the real issue must be BAD COPS must go.