Advocacy group submits petition to San Marcos for changes to police accountability

San Marcos advocacy group Mano Amiga Safe Communities submitted a petition Tuesday asking for five city ordinance changes, which the group calls the "Hartman Reforms."

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — A signed petition was filed Tuesday in San Marcos asking for changes to police accountability.

San Marcos advocacy group Mano Amiga Safe Communities submitted the petition asking for five changes, which the group calls the "Hartman Reforms." These are named in reference to former San Marcos Police Sgt. Ryan Hartman, who was involved in a fatal crash that killed a woman in 2020.

A city spokesperson confirmed the petition was filed and will be verified within 45 days. If the petition is certified, Mano Amiga said the petition proposition could be on the November ballot for voter approval.

The group said the changes aim to repeal the San Marcos Police Department's civil service status, referring to Chapter 143, a state law outlining assistance, benefits and working conditions for police officers.

Their five proposed changes include:

• Ending the 180-day rule that limits when an officer can be investigated for wrongdoing
• Ending the delay of interviews for misconduct when officers are allowed time to prepare answers and review materials before giving an official statement
• Increasing public transparency for personnel files
• Ending third-party arbitration
• Ending vacation forfeiture as a substitute for suspension

“Safety without accountability is a facade, and when law enforcement breaks the law, they should be held accountable," Mano Amiga executive director Eric Martinez said in a release. "Chapter 143 helps officers get away with wrongdoing. By turning in these signatures, we are empowering our community to vote for police transparency."

In 2020, Jennifer Miller died in a car accident involving off-duty San Marcos Sgt. Ryan Hartman. At the time, police said an open beer can was found in Hartman's truck.

Body camera from the crash, which was released in 2021, showed Hartman admitting he wasn’t paying attention. In 2022, Hartman was fired from SMPD. He was never charged in connection to Miller's death.

In February 2023, the San Marcos City Council voted to repeal its agreement with the San Marcos Police Officers' Association. A renegotiated meet and confer agreement was approved in May 2023 between the police department and the police officers' association.

San Marcos petition rules

The city requires a petition to have signatures from at least 10% of qualified voters before it can be submitted to the city council, according to the city's code of ordinances. The city clerk has 45 days after a petition is filed to determine if the petition is properly signed.

Within 30 days of the petition's certification, the San Marcos City Council must either pass the initiated ordinances without amending the city charter or call an election for voters to approve or deny the petition initiatives, according to city ordinances.