San Antonio's 'hot spot' policing program draws criticism from city council members

An initiative launched by the San Antonio Police Department to boost officers' activity in 28 parts of the city with high levels of violent crime is drawing criticism from at least two council members. The Violent Crime Reduction Plan, which employs a strategy known as "hot spot" policing, is a multiyear project developed in conjunction with criminologists at the University of Texas at San Antonio, according to media reports. Despite San Antonio's rising crime rate, specialized police tactical units have come under fire in recent years.