San Antonio Police Chief William McManus Retires After Record 20-Year Tenure

Historic Leadership Comes to an End

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus will retire by September 2026, ending nearly two decades leading the city's police department, the longest tenure of any police chief in San Antonio history. McManus said in a news release: "Serving the City of San Antonio has been one of the greatest honors of my career."

McManus joined the San Antonio Police Department as chief of police on April 17, 2006, after previously serving as chief of police in Minneapolis and Dayton, Ohio. That length of tenure is largely unprecedented for a chief in a major U.S. city. His announcement gives the city eight months to conduct a comprehensive search for his successor.

McManus' tenure in San Antonio spans two distinct stints. He served as chief from 2006 to 2014, left for an executive role at CPS Energy, then returned to SAPD after about nine months away. McManus briefly retired in 2014 to take a security leadership role with CPS Energy, but returned to lead SAPD later that year after a national search and unanimous City Council approval.

Navigating Crisis and Controversy

Despite no-confidence votes, arbitration fights and high-profile controversies, McManus has remained in office, a longevity shaped as much by the institutional structure of San Antonio's city-manager form of government as by his ability to weather repeated political and internal storms. During his tenure in San Antonio, McManus was at the helm during some of the city's most challenging and high-profile moments, including mass shootings, officer-involved shootings, large-scale protests, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most recently, in December, the San Antonio Police Officers' Association board voted overwhelmingly not to pursue a no-confidence vote against Chief William McManus. The SAPOA board voted 34–1 against , ending the effort before it could reach a department-wide ballot. The push for the vote came after three SAPD officers were found not guilty in November for the 2023 shooting death of Melissa Perez. Fellow officers had criticized McManus for what they described as a rush to criminally charge the officers in the controversial shooting case.

During his lengthy tenure, McManus led the department through a technological revolution in community policing, including the introduction of social media and body-worn cameras. McManus also became the face of the department by appearing at crime scenes in-person to speak to members of the San Antonio media.

Crime Reduction and Department Improvements

During a recent City Hall briefing, McManus said overall crime across the city was trending down by 13% at the end of 2025. Crimes against persons declined by 9%. Property crimes saw the largest drop, down by 18.1%. McManus also told city council members that emergency response times from SAPD had improved by nearly a minute to around 5 minutes and 29 seconds.

City officials said his leadership helped drive a reduction in crime while emphasizing collaboration, professionalism and community trust across SAPD, including Parks and Airport Police. McManus professionalized the police culture in San Antonio. It might be his biggest achievement, although it could be argued that the good relations he fostered in the inner city with the civilian population was equally notable.

His law enforcement career spans decades, going back to 1975 when he joined the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, eventually becoming assistant chief and serving there until 2001. He spent almost three years as chief of the Dayton, Ohio Police Department before moving to Minneapolis to serve as chief there for just over two years.

Planning for the Future

McManus' retirement announcement with advance notice will give the city time to search for a replacement. City officials said they would share information on the transition process in the near future. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones said she was "grateful" for McManus' service, and she appreciated "his decades long commitment to keeping San Antonio safe."

City Manager Erik Walsh praised McManus, saying: "Chief McManus is an exceptional leader whose incredible experience and steady leadership have strengthened public safety across San Antonio and set an example for other cities nationwide. He has built strong relationships with our community and with police officers. His dedication to service and collaboration has positioned the Department well for the future."

The search for McManus' successor will begin one of the most significant leadership transitions in modern San Antonio history. With crime rates declining and community relations stable, the incoming chief will inherit a department positioned for continued success, though they'll face the challenge of maintaining the momentum McManus built over his unprecedented two-decade tenure.