San Antonio police spent $28,000 on officers' controversial Dubai trip

The San Antonio Police Department provided administrative leave for officers who participated in a controversial competition in Dubai and even ponied up nearly $28,000 in salaries during the trip, according to records obtained by Texas Public Radio. In February, SAPD officers took part in Dubai's UAE SWAT Challenge, an event that drew police units from roughly 70 countries, including some with well-documented records of human-rights violations. Teams from Russia, China and the Philippines were among the participants, according to TPR. At the time, civil-rights advocates argued SAPD's participation was troubling and sent the wrong message to the public.