S.A. police union not endorsing mayoral candidates

In a major shakeup, the union that represents San Antonio police officers is staying out of the mayor’s race — for now.

The San Antonio Police Officers Association will not endorse former City Councilman Greg Brockhouse, past political consultant for the union and stalwart union ally, the union’s leader John “Danny” Diaz said Monday. Nor will the police union back incumbent Mayor Ron Nirenberg — whom the group vehemently opposed in the past — in the May 1 election.

Diaz said the union plans to stay out of the mayor’s race and most city council elections — unless they go to a runoff.

For now, the union is focused on trying to defeat Proposition B — a ballot initiative pushed by police reform activists that would take away the union’s right to negotiate its contract with the city, known as “collective bargaining.”

“That’s our focus,” Diaz said. “We’re not looking at anything else. Because if this proposition passes, we won’t be here to endorse anybody anyway. That’s where we stand. That’s how dire this is.”

Proponents argue that eliminating collective bargaining would prevent the union from shielding officers accused of misconduct from punishment. Union leaders say taking away that right would undo decades of work on police officers’ pay and benefits and drastically harm the San Antonio Police Department’s ability to recruit new officers.

Both of the city’s major public safety unions are now sitting out the mayor’s race — a stunning reversal from where they stood two years ago. The San Antonio Professional Firefighters Union — whose leaders once called Brockhouse “our own guy” — announced in March it would not endorse its past ally or the mayor.

The police and fire unions heavily backed Brockhouse, who worked as a consultant for both unions, in his 2019 bid to oust Nirenberg. The unions spent more

than $530,000 to help Brockhouse close a financing gap with the mayor in the last election.

Now, Brockhouse has to make do without their financial backing — though he has so far doubled his own fundraising compared with two years ago.

Brockhouse tried to play off the police union’s non-endorsement as he did with the fire union, pointing out he knew the police union would have its hands full with the ballot proposition fight when he decided to run.

“We’re focused on making the runoff and, when we do, I think a lot of people will give us a second look,” Brockhouse said.

Nirenberg and the police union have a contentious past. Nirenberg voted against the current police contract as a councilman in 2016, arguing the contract was too expensive and didn’t make disciplinary reforms that would “expand accountability and ensure public trust.”

The union, in turn, backed Nirenberg’s opponent in both of his previous mayoral runs.

But the relationship could be on the mend. In a closed-door meeting in March, Nirenberg told Diaz — who took the reins of the organization earlier this year — he supports collective bargaining for the police officers’ union.

Before that, the mayor had stopped short of taking a position on the ballot measure but said he thinks the city and union can agree to reforms at the bargaining table. Both sides are negotiating a new contract.

Brockhouse accused the mayor of flip-flopping on the ballot measure in a “blatant attempt to keep (the police union) on the sidelines.”

“I am opposed to Prop B, period,” Brockhouse said. “The members know that, and I’m confident I have their support.”

Diaz said the mayor’s support for collective bargaining did not influence the police union’s decision.

Nirenberg’s team took the union’s decision to at least temporarily stay out of the mayor’s race as a sign that perhaps the relationship had turned a corner.

“I take that as a victory,” said Gilberto Ocañas, the mayor’s campaign chairman and chief political adviser.

The police union has endorsed some incumbent council members this go-round — Adriana Rocha Garcia, Melissa Cabello Havrda, Manny Peláez and Clayton Perry. But it’s unlikely the union will give to any of those candidates, Diaz said.

Even without financial backing, an endorsement allows candidates to trade on the goodwill of police officers, historically popular in San Antonio.