The group is made up of retired SAPD officers that will be protecting the downtown area unarmed.
SAN ANTONIO — A new unit is hitting the downtown streets of San Antonio. The Crisis Response Team is part of Centro San Antonio. It is made up of former police officers.
Centro San Antonio President & CEO Trish DeBerry said their mission is safety in downtown.
“By and large, I believe downtown is incredibly safe,” she said. “They are going to focus on hotspots within the public improvement district, areas of concerns and problems that we have.”
Right now, the team has three members. They’re all retired San Antonio Police Officers. They will not be carrying any weapons.
“We don’t want to turn downtown into a police state,” DeBerry said. “We want it to remain friendly. We just felt like right now there is not that need.”
Levon Harrison is part of the team, which will be fitted in a black uniforms.
“I have been grateful to serve in the Air Force the 14 years that I did,” he said.
They are up against petty crime and people living in the streets.
“We are just listening,” he said. “We are not giving them any hate or forcing them to get into these resources that are out here.”
Harrison said their biggest weapon is their ability to speak.
“If you can speak to somebody who feels like they are seen, it won’t elevate to that other level,” he said.
DeBerry said experience, and instinct is what makes them stand out.
“Their eyes and ears on the ground based upon their years as a police officer becomes incredibly important,” she said.
DeBerry said the team is instrumental if they want to keep up with downtown growth. They will will also be collecting data and tracking how they’re helping. She added it is possible this group could get bigger.