Not Feeling Safe To Sleep In Your Own Home

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http://www.koat.com/article/neighbors-living-in-fear-after-woman-is-found-dead-in-home/9910577

Damn, it is a very sad commentary when people are afraid to sleep in their own homes for fear of getting murdered as reported in this Channel 7 report regarding the neighbors of the 87 year old woman found murdered in her home.

No suspects and no motive for the murder have been identified.

Yet we have a Chief of Police and a Mayor that does not even try to assure people in any manner that is just not the case.

But then again, why should they when they know it’s true.

The murdered victims neighbors were afraid to appear on camera out of fear that the murderer may target them and return.

The neighbors report that they are frustrated with APD not giving them any information on what happened or how their neighbor was killed.

You would think the Chief or at least his designate would try and meet with the neighbors to discuss the case and make some assurances on their safety.

Many of the neighbors said they no longer go out at night and have changed their habits and have taken extra precautions to protect themselves.

It is as though the people of Albuquerque have become so numb to our rising crime rates, accept this as the new norm, and do not have any outrage to hold Berry and Eden at all accountable for the rising crime rates and what they have done to what was at one time one of the best law enforcement agencies in the country.

Berry and Eden are on their way out in five (5) months and have done nothing in the last three years to address our violent crime and property crime problem except blame the Court’s and the legislature.

Albuquerque’s violent and property crime rates have hit a 10 year high.

According to the Bernalillo County District Attorneys Office, from 2009 to 2015, Albuquerque’s violent crime rate jumped 21.5% and the city is fifth-most violent city in the country on a per capita basis while the nation’s violent crime rated dropped by 13.7%. (See June 23, 2017 Albuquerque Journal, page A-1, Justice council challneges DA’s criticism of court rules.)

In 2015, there were 34,082 property crimes with a 15% increase.

Murders spiked from 30 in 2014 to 46 in 2015.

In 2015, Albuquerque’s violent crimes jumped by 9.6% and property crimes increased by 11.7%.

Seven years ago, APD had 1,100 sworn police officer and response times had been brought down below the national average and crime rates were hitting historical lows.

Today, APD has 826 sworn police officers with only 430 patrolling our streets with response times at historical highs with calls to APD taking hours instead of minutes to respond.

December 1, 2017 when we will be swearing in a new Mayor and hopefully a new Chief cannot come soon enough so that just maybe things can start to change and people can start feeling safe in their homes again.

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About

Pete Dinelli was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is of Italian and Hispanic descent. He is a 1970 graduate of Del Norte High School, a 1974 graduate of Eastern New Mexico University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a 1977 graduate of St. Mary's School of Law, San Antonio, Texas. Pete has a 40 year history of community involvement and service as an elected and appointed official and as a practicing attorney in Albuquerque. Pete and his wife Betty Case Dinelli have been married since 1984 and they have two adult sons, Mark, who is an attorney and George, who is an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Pete has been a licensed New Mexico attorney since 1978. Pete has over 27 years of municipal and state government service. Pete’s service to Albuquerque has been extensive. He has been an elected Albuquerque City Councilor, serving as Vice President. He has served as a Worker’s Compensation Judge with Statewide jurisdiction. Pete has been a prosecutor for 15 years and has served as a Bernalillo County Chief Deputy District Attorney, as an Assistant Attorney General and Assistant District Attorney and as a Deputy City Attorney. For eight years, Pete was employed with the City of Albuquerque both as a Deputy City Attorney and Chief Public Safety Officer overseeing the city departments of police, fire, 911 emergency call center and the emergency operations center. While with the City of Albuquerque Legal Department, Pete served as Director of the Safe City Strike Force and Interim Director of the 911 Emergency Operations Center. Pete’s community involvement includes being a past President of the Albuquerque Kiwanis Club, past President of the Our Lady of Fatima School Board, and Board of Directors of the Albuquerque Museum Foundation.