Police Chief William McManus was on the hot seat today as he explained to City Council how his department will recover from the scandal involving the failure to investigate dozens of cases filed with the Special Victims Unit over the past several years, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
McManus said a top to bottom review of all of the investigative units of his department, from homicide to financial crimes to undercover units, is being conducted.
"We are looking to enhance efficiency, oversight, and accountability at all levels," McManus said. "We want to provide excellent customer service to our victims, and we want to restore and build and maintain public confidence in SAPD's investigative process."
Some on the Council's Public Safety Committee grilled McManus on everything from the slow response of officers to calls, to how police calls are prioritized, to the action that has been taken against the officers who were to blame for the SVU problems.
Lt. Jesse Salome, a veteran investigator, has been assigned to head the review of the investigative units, and McManus said he expects a full report by mid December.
McManus also revealed that an outside consultant, Robert Steward of Bobcat Training and Consulting, will assist with the review.
"There are folks who bubble up in any organization who may not be doing the job as well as they should be," McManus said. "But when it comes to the caliber of officers and detectives in this department, they are second to none."