SAN ANTONIO- San Antonio Police Chief Bill McManus said the Park Police headquarters building is safe. The National Association of Public Employees filed a grievance Wednesday on behalf of 47 officers, alleging the building could be causing cancer or Bell's Palsy in nearly two dozen employees.
"I don't know what the causes of the illnesses were," Chief McManus said. "Certainly, it's tragic, whatever the case, but I don't know. The city will look at that I'm sure."
When asked who in the city would look into it, he said it was an "HR issue."
News 4 WOAI obtained pictures from inside the building, taken before the city cleaned it up. The pictures appear to show mold inside air vents and in the maintenance room.
"The city's taken it very seriously in that they've addressed all those points," hes said.
News 4 WOAI also obtained pictures taken after the clean up in March. Park Police allege the clean up wasn't done properly, as it was recommended in an environmental study.
"I haven't gone by to look at what work has been done but I have seen the list of work that was done by the city to correct those deficiencies," Chief McManus said.
NAPE is saying the Limited Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment wasn't extensive enough and the employees should be moved out immediately.
"Our concern is the health and well-being of the employees," Rosa Rosales said. She's the founder of NAPE. "We're saying we need a full-fledged study be done and not a limited one."
The study found no mold condition or adverse asbestos condition as defined by the state. The city did the study after NAPE's request, Rosales said.
Chief McManus said he will be meeting with the Parks Director to discuss short and long-term solutions for Park Police housing. However, there's no time-frame for when that meeting could happen or when or if the officers would be moved.
As far as the difference between the lead dust removal at SAPD headquarters and the clean up at Park Police headquarters, Chief McManus said there was "no discrimination" as alleged in the grievance but didn't know why precautions weren't taken during cleaning, while Park Police employees were present.
