SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio police cadets spend approximately nine months in the academy. Now, a new program is embedding them deeper into the communities they’ll serve.  

“Change perspectives and just love on people,” said SAPD Community Engagement Officer Doug Greene.

Greene connects with citizens every day. Cadets like Joshua Barrientes are learning how to make those connections while in the academy. 

“Seeing an officer talk to someone, getting their story, officer just hearing them out. Some people just want to be heard,” Barrientes said.

Barrientes has been in the academy for six months. He’s one of more than 70 cadets selected for the Community Immersion Pilot Program since 2022.

“It’s actually been pretty good learning about the community,” Barrientes said. “What types of programs are out there.”

Over 14 weeks, cadets spend hours listening and learning from those already embedded in the community. Some organizations serve the homeless or provide food for families in impoverished neighborhoods. 

“Do you think those people really want us here?” SAPD community engagement officer Joel Pope said. “Yeah, of course they do. They want to see safety.”

CIP provided valuable interactions, so cadets are exposed to different perspectives before graduation. 

“Some of the gang members stop to talk to them,” said Gary Warren with Harper’s Chapel. “Even though you know they are doing what they’re doing, you still want to familiarize yourself. Keep you out of a lot of drama.” 

The city’s Office of Innovation and SAPD are partnering with researchers from Brown University, Georgetown and A&M-San Antonio. Community policing’s impact is being studied in Texas for the first time.

“That’s just going to add more credibility to what we’re trying to do here in San Antonio and how it can impact the country as well,” said Officer Greene.

Greene hopes the data shows this CIP program works and can be replicated, showing time spent in the community outside of an emergency has value.

“This uniform that I’m wearing is saying that I’m putting your family first and my family second,” Officer Greene said.