San Antonio Police chief William McManus and other law enforcement officials strongly rejected claims that San Antonio is a dangerous city, as he announced the success of his Violent Crime Task Force, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"These comments are inaccurate," McManus said. "San Antonio remains one of the safest major cities in the nation. Period. End of story."
And McManus says citizens are aware that there are ways to avoid becoming a victim of violent crime.
"It is also understood by the residents who I speak to that your chances of becoming a victim of violent crime go up dramatically when you engage in high risk behavior," he said.
That behavior can include being engaged in drug activity, being a member of a gang, or associating with violent people.
A study done by 1200 WOAI news in 1993, when the city reported the most murders for a single year on record, revealed that more than 90% of the victims were, in fact, engaging in risky behavior.
McManus said the task force, which was created in January out of officers who were investigating specific types of crimes, decided to focus all of its attention on violent criminals, regardless of the type of crime they were involved in.
He said nearly 1,000 people have been arrested since mid January, more than a quarter million dollars in cash seized, and a large quantity of drugs and guns have been confiscated.
"We are developing a proposal for City Council to consider adding 15 offices to the street crimes unit," he said.So what is driving the nationwide spike in violent crime, which is most exemplified by Chicago's problems?
McManus didn't make a suggestion, but District Attorney Nico LaHood did.
"In my opinion, it is because of the deterioration of the moral compass in our society," he said. "The difference between right and wrong has been skewed, and people are making up their own rules."