26:30 When did you first become aware that Delta Force, the most elite training force in America is what the Pentagon says wanted to train with actual live fire blanks here in San Antonio? Is that true? Yes. That's correct. They actually started probably I want to say back in February when they first approached us maybe even earlier than that about doing some operations uh...you know in the San Antonio area And we'll get into this more later. I appreciate you taking the time again Well, basically you're the person that knows about it What were your major reservations and asking the mayor to tell them? That y'all didn't want them trained here in deceased training here well a lot of things happened first of all The organization came into the city never really approached the city as a whole words gotten together with the mayor and said We need to speak to all these different departments In requests some assistance
27:25 various groups and individuals came into the city and approached different people at different levels. The police department was contacted, the city manager's office was contacted about using city facilities, various business owners were contacted through the economic development department, the fire department was contacted by different individuals so there was never any coordinated approach to the City of San Antonio When we found out of that, we had some reservations but were willing at least to listen. But then we started finding out that discussions were happening in other different levels and there was no communication or coordination between them. We also found out that leases have been negotiated with private business people throughout the city to utilize their vacant buildings without any
28:13 coordination with the police department because we were originally told there were probably going to be a couple of locations and later on we find out that there's 12 locations. And yet, we were never brought into this at the beginning Last Saturday, Austin American Statesman did an article about how they're practicing taking over police departments in Chicago In fact I've got a copy of that, I can give you a copy after the interview I should have brought it up from my car That's one thing that some cities I've heard have had reservations about. They call it touring the police department, but they actually practice dynamic entry and other things at the police departments. I heard that they were planning to do this in Houston, that they've already done some training along with the Marines and other forces of the military. Have you ever heard anything like this before?
28:56 No, I have not they did offer to allow our SWAT teams To do training with them in these particular exercises But you know our missioners are different There's deals specifically with international type situations or deals with local situations and if an incident were to occur in this country it would be Local law enforcement the FBI and others that would deal with Delta forces purely kill the terrorists whatever it is. I'm not so sure what it is, but it's in an international level and so our missions are tactics or somewhat different and i'm very proud of the swat team that we have a big wheeler best in the country we do a lot of train for agencies and i think that we have the skills and uh... expertise to deal with those situations why did the mayor and i heard this quoted on ktsa san Antonio five fifty station two days ago already quoted at the mayor said that
29:53 He didn't appreciate the dishonesty of the Delta Force. I was curious, we called the mayor's office and Jackie O'Donnell, I believe is her name? She told us that you were the mayor spokesman on this. Can you tell us exactly why the mayor would use such strong language and call them dishonest? Well, I think that there were various approaches for example when...I originally said no several weeks ago matter-of-fact a couple months ago but No was never no And then no was never no. End of runs were done around to various community leaders, I had someone... Excuse me sir you're saying that they ignored the police chief and under our constitution? You are the same as the sheriff and run the city or county? You're telling me that Delta Force was ignoring your order? Well, I don't want say they ignored it but a roundabout way yes because what they would do once i said no They went to various individuals in the community to bring pressure to bear to get me change my mind
30:48 For example, there was a community leader who I have a great deal of respect for and we have a very good relationship that they went to. I get a call from him and he says, Chief there's some people in here that are in town and it was part of their role here didn't say who it was they need to meet with the mayor and police chief. Well of course this gentleman, I've worked very closely with him on a number of projects. And I said sure have them give me a call. Now I'd already said no Well, then I find out it's the same group. So they identified somebody apparently that I know that is very high in the community to make an approach to me and get me to change my mind. Well then when we said no some elected officials were contacted to bring pressure to bear
31:29 and then offers were made to give money, cash money to elected officials' charities if they could get us to change our minds. I mean you know as one of my deputy chiefs said in some circles that's called bribery." Well it is called bribery but more importantly it's called manipulation of the constitutional system and the takeover of local police departments. And that $4,600 million that we just saw in the statesman is so wonderful it's buying them a lot of control if they can't buy the police chiefs off like it did Elizabeth Watson for that $244,000-a-year job at the Justice Department Let's hear him say that one more time