SAN ANTONIO – A veteran San Antonio police officer was handed a 30-day suspension this fall after multiple acts of misconduct during a citizen ride-along earlier this year.
Officer Gabriel Sanchez was originally handed a contemplated indefinite suspension, which was later shortened to 30 days, SAPD discipline records show.
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On May 22, a person assigned days earlier to a Citizen Police Academy Ride-Along with Sanchez said the officer returned home twice while on duty to conduct personal business for his HVAC job, records show.
In his written response to the allegations, Sanchez admitted to returning home and stated he operates his own HVAC company.
Sanchez did not have an off-duty work permit on file for the job, records show.
A subsequent check of Sanchez’s body-worn camera during the shift in question revealed that the officer told the person during the ride-along that Sanchez does the bare minimum required for the job.
“Don’t do traffic stops. You’re gonna have to do ‘em while you’re going through your f***in rides. After that, just stop. If somebody blows a stop sign, who gives a f***,” Sanchez said on his body-worn camera, records show.
Sanchez was also critical of SAPD administration during the ride-along, records show.
“They’re (the SAPD administration) gonna find see what I did wrong, even I could’ve done everything right by the book; they’re gonna find something to f****ing hammer you with,” Sanchez was recorded saying.
After responding to an “assault in progress” call, Sanchez failed to investigate allegations of family violence, did not gather information to write a report and did not document who was involved, records show.
A criminal history search of the woman involved in the complaint would have revealed that she was ordered to have no contact with the complainant as a condition of bond from a previous family violence arrest, according to records.
During the same call, Sanchez lectured a 14-year-old boy not involved in the assault and used “offensive and derogatory language,” records show.
“That b**** has seen more chile than a molcajete... She’s seen more chile than the f***ing urinals at the QT... Do you want a girlfriend that has already f***ed twenty guys?... You’re gonna have more Hispanics backstabbing you and f***ing you over more than any other race,” were among the comments Sanchez was recorded telling the teen.
Sanchez also used an ethnic slur when interacting with the person on the citizen ride-along records show.
“You need to think like a b***er rather than a white person. Why pay for something when you can get it for free?” said Sanchez, who used an ethnic slur that is considered derogatory to people of Hispanic origin.
“Cuz when the b***er cops would show up, they’d make us do the South Side Macarena... and then would f*** us up,” said Sanchez, repeating the slur while interacting with the public, records show.
Sanchez also took a break for lunch despite being assigned to an active call for service, records show.
Sanchez was recorded saying he does not care if he gets fired and that his career as an SAPD officer is his side hustle, records show.
He was suspended for rules violations including acts of incompetency, neglect of duty, discourtesy to the public, acts showing a lack of good moral character and conduct prejudicial to good order, according to discipline records.
Sanchez is a 17-year veteran of the force, city records show.
He served the suspension from late October through late November, discipline records show.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.