JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- The 502nd Security Forces Squadron hosted a law enforcement meet and greet for local agencies in the San Antonio area at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston on July 30, drawing representatives from a dozen agencies including the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the San Antonio Police Department.
Maj. Dexter Binion, the commander of the 502nd Security Forces Squadron, emphasized the importance of fostering relationships outside of crisis situations.
“Relationships are everything,” Binion said. “What I don't want to do is be in a crisis where we need to leverage our mission partners, both inside and outside the gate, and the first time we meet is in that catastrophe. This event is an intentional touch point where we can start to invest in each other, put a face to a name, appreciate what resources we all bring, and how they connect.”
The event, spearheaded by Staff Sgt. Camryn Berti, an investigator with the 502nd SFS, aimed to strengthen collaboration among the various law enforcement entities operating around JBSA and the broader San Antonio area.
“We each have unique resources,” Berti said. “Just putting those all together creates an even better team, better resources – to just prosper in all of our missions.”
Berti added that teaming up and working together allows the different agencies to learn best practices from each other so that they will all succeed in their missions.
“Everybody has something to take from one another to just be better,” she said.
The initiative to hold such gatherings more frequently stems from a desire to move beyond the traditional once-a-year meetings during Police Week in May of each year and build lasting partnerships across the region.
“We want to come out of here with action items, training opportunities, and a better understanding of each other's resources,” Binion added.