On June 15, a man was shot in Old Town over the “La Jornada” (The Journey) sculpture in front of the Albuquerque Museum. The shooting occurred during a protest for the removal of the figures of Juan de Onate de Salazar in the sculpture. During the protest, there were 5 to 6 heavily armed New Mexico Civil Guard (NMCG) members, some dressed in military camouflage, present trying to “protect” the sculpture. It was reported that the shooting occurred when at least 3 of the protesters attacked a person identified as Steven Baca who was walking away from them. Steven Baca was struck in the head with a skateboard and Baca drew a gun, shot numerous times, with one shot hitting one of the protesters.

Civil Guard members said they take zero responsibility for the shooting and what happened at the June 15 protest and that Steven Baca is not a member of their group. NMCG Chaplin and Founder Bryce Provance said that after the gunfire, his men set their “scope” on the shooter and “would’ve blown his brains out” if he kept shooting. NMCG member John Burks, an Army veteran who served in “quite a few deployments” said that he could not “specifically speak on” his kicking of the shooters gun away to “secure the crime scene“ but did say “People said we protected him after he shot. … No, we detained him and formed a perimeter around him so that he didn’t pick that gun back up and shoot more people.”

https://www.abqjournal.com/1472698/the-world-is-a-scary-place.html

On June 16, the Albuquerque Police Department released a photo of the 13 guns and 34 magazines taken from militia members at the protest. In the APD photo there are 4 semi-automatic rifles. A controversy is now brewing over the handling of the protest by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD).

BERNALILLO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FILES CIVIL LAWSUIT AGAINST NMCG MILITIA

On Monday, July 14, it was reported that Bernalillo County District Attorney Raúl Torrez filed a civil lawsuit to stop the New Mexico Civil Guard private militia from usurping the state’s military and law enforcement authorities. The lawsuit is a “Complaint for Injunctive and Declaratory Relief” filed in the 2nd Judicial District Court against the New Mexico Civil Guard and 14 of its members who “include some individuals associated with white supremacist and neo-Confederate organizations,” according to the civil complaint.

The lawsuit argues that the New Mexico Constitution says civilian militias can only be activated by the governor and the group is acting like law enforcement. They are acting like law enforcement by holding training sessions, outfitting themselves with military equipment and gear, and patrolling protests armed and in uniform without any legal authority to act in any kind of law enforcement capacity.

The lawsuit alleges in part:

“NMCG’s coordinated, armed, and uniformed presence at public events results in intimidation and creates a chilling effect on the exercise of First Amendment rights. … By appearing armed and uniformed at such events, NMCG creates a risk that its members will be mistaken for authorized police or military personnel, confusing members of the public and complicating the efforts of law enforcement to respond to any unrest that arises at those events. … Law enforcement must also take into account the risk of triggering violence on NMCG’s part when determining whether and how to intervene in any disturbances that occur at public gatherings attended by the group.”

Torrez claims the group, whose membership he alleged includes people associated with white supremacist and neo-Confederate ideology, has routinely used paramilitary tactics “at protests, demonstrations, and public gatherings throughout New Mexico, providing wholly unauthorized, heavily armed, and coordinated ‘protection’ from perceived threats.”

https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/14/us/new-mexico-militia-group-lawsuit/index.html

The Civil Complaint for Injunctive Relief is requesting a District Court Judge to prohibit the civil guard and any successor groups from “organizing and operating in public as a military unit independent of New Mexico’s civil authority and without having been activated by the governor of New Mexico”. The civil complaint is also seeking to prevent the NMCG from “assuming reinforcement functions by using or projecting the ability to use organized force in response to perceived threats at protests, demonstrations, or public gatherings.”

https://www.abqjournal.com/1477313/suit-against-militia-follows-in-the-footsteps-of-virginia-case.html

The lawsuit filed is being touted as a unique endeavor by the district attorney, who has joined with Georgetown University’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection to sue in order to stop the New Mexico Civil Guard from engaging in law enforcement activities prosecutors say can only be authorized by the governor. The civil law lawsuit is being touted as a “first of its” kind because it alleges that the NMCG is “organizing and operating in public as a military unit independent of New Mexico’s civil authority and without having been activated by the governor of New Mexico”.

CITY ATTORNEY’S RELUCTANCE TO ACT PATHETIC

Bernalillo County District Attorney Raul Torrez said he was frustrated with city officials and the City Attorney’s office saying they could not do anything to prevent militia members from showing up, heavily armed at demonstrations. At a news conference the day after the shooting, City Attorney Esteban Aguilar had said New Mexico’s open carry law, as well as the First and Second Amendments in the U.S. Constitution, prevents law enforcement from intervening if a person is legally allowed to carry a gun.

When asked if the city had itself considered filing a lawsuit against the Civil Guard, Mayor Keller’s spokesman Matt Ross said in a statement:

“Cities are prohibited by the state Constitution from passing legislation on guns including their presence at protests. Despite that, over the last year Albuquerque has boldly enacted a prohibition on guns in City spaces like community centers … This is being challenged in court and as we continue to explore our legal options in other areas, we welcome any help the DA is now ready to provide.”

Based on the statements of City Attorney Estaban Aguilar and City spokesman Matt Ross, its painfully obvious that they do not have a working knowledge of New Mexico statutory law and city ordinances governing activity that constitutes a “public nuisance”.

NEW MEXICO STATUTES AND CITY ORDINANCES ON NUISANCE ABATEMENT

New Mexico statute defines a “public nuisance” as consisting “of knowingly creating, performing or maintaining anything affecting any number of citizens without lawful authority which is either:

“A. Injurious to public health, safety and welfare; or
B. Interferes with the exercise and enjoyment of public rights, including the right to use public property.”

Whoever commits a public nuisance for which the act or penalty is not otherwise prescribed by law is guilty of a petty misdemeanor.”

(30-8-1, NMSA 1978, Public Nuisance defined).

The New Mexico legislature has also empowered municipalities by statute with very broad authority to define a nuisance, abate the nuisance and impose penalties and initiate civil causes of action.

State statute provides that “A municipality may by ordinance … define a nuisance, abate a nuisance and impose penalties upon a person who creates or allows a nuisance to exist. …”

(3-18-17 Nuisances and Offenses; Regulation or prohibition)

State statute also grants municipalities with broad powers and provides that:

“A municipality may:
A. sue or be sued; ….
F. protect generally the property of its municipality and it inhabitants;
G. preserve peace and order within the municipality; …”

(3-18-1 General Powers (of Municipality)

Note that the “creating, performing or maintaining” is used in defining a public nuisance and it is a crime under state law, which would be prosecuted in a magistrate court or metropolitan court. Under New Mexico law, a petty misdemeanor is the very least serious crime for which a person can be sentenced to time in jail. The sentence for a petty misdemeanor in New Mexico can never be more than six months in jail or a fine up to $500, is usually up to 30 days in jail and a $100 fine or both, depending on the offense and the penalties can also be suspended by the court. In other words, the penalty for petty misdemeanor is akin to a first DWI conviction.

Notwithstanding being a criminal charge, actions to abate a nuisance are civil actions, not criminal, that must be filed in State District Court. New Mexico statutory law provides that any action for the abatement of a public nuisance shall be governed by the general rules of Civil Procedure.

(30-8-8, NMSA 1978 Abatement of a public nuisance.)

Under New Mexico law, “a civil action to abate a public nuisance may be brought, by verified complaint by any public officer or private citizen, in state district court of the county where the public nuisance exists, against any person, corporation or association of persons who shall create, perform or maintain a public nuisance.”

(30-8-8, B, NMSA 1978, Abatement of a public nuisance, emphasis added)

When a plaintiff prevails and proves that a nuisance exists and a judgment is given against a defendant in an action to abate a public nuisance, the district court can order the defendant responsible for the nuisance to pay all court costs and attorney fees for the plaintiff’s attorney.

(30-8-8, C, NMSA 1978, Abatement of a public nuisance, emphasis added)

A huge significance is that both public officials as well as private citizens can bring an action for nuisance abatement. Another major distinction is the burden of proof between a criminal charge and a civil cause of action. A criminal charge requires the state to prove a defendant is guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt”. A civil case requires proof by “preponderance of the evidence” by a plaintiff.

In general, with few exceptions, only law enforcement or state prosecutors can bring petty misdemeanor charges for public nuisance. However, any private citizen or public official, such as a District Attorney or City Attorney, or any lay person with money for the court filing fee, can initiate a civil nuisance abatement action for injunctive relief and if they prevail can be awarded attorney’s fees and costs.

AUTHORITY OF DISTRICT ATTORNEY CLEAR

The Bernalillo County District Attorney is considered the Chief law enforcement officer within Bernalillo County. The primary function of the District Attorney is to prosecute criminal charges, both felony and misdemeanor charges. In addition to the authority to prosecute criminal cases, the District Attorney also has authority under state law to seek injunctive relief for any public nuisance that poses and immediate threat to public health, safety and welfare.

The City of Albuquerque can also can seek injunctive relief to abate a nuisance and does it all the time, or at least did when the Safe City Strike Force existed, to declare substandard properties that are unfit to occupy a public nuisance and magnets for crime. The activities of the NMCG attending protests fully armed fall right within the definition of “public nuisance” as consisting:

“of knowingly creating, performing or maintaining anything affecting any number of citizens without lawful authority which is either … Injurious to public health, safety and welfare; or interferes with the exercise and enjoyment of public rights, including the right to use public property.” (30-8-1, NMSA 1978, Public Nuisance defined).

Further, under state law municipality may “sue or be sued … protect generally the property of its municipality and it inhabitants … [and] preserve peace and order within the municipality; …” (3-18-1 General Powers (of Municipality)”

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

It is very disappointing that the City Attorney’s Office ostensibly does not have a real understanding or working knowledge and application of New Mexico law. No matter the “legal theory” being relied upon, the relief being sought is essentially for injunctive relief to abate a public nuisance and a Court Order declaring that the activities of the NMCG pose an immediate threat to the public heath safety and welfare and interfering with the exercise of public rights and doing so without lawful authority. That is a far cry from the right to bear arms. For that reason alone, the City could in fact seek and injunction against the NMCG based on the State’s and City’s law on Nuisance Abatement. The State and the City have some of the strongest nuisance abatement laws in the United States.

District Attorney Raul Torrez is commended for bringing his civil action against the NMCG in that they are indeed interfering with others constitutional rights of freedom of speech and association and interfering “with the exercise and enjoyment of public rights, including the right to use public property.” The actions of the NMCG are tantamount to vigilantism.

Although the District Attorney is empowered to bring the action, it is the City of Albuquerque and the Albuquerque Police Department who are affected the most by the NMCG and any citizens militia. Mayor Tim Keller all but acknowledged this fact when he told the NMCG militia to stay away and said:

“We’re just trying to send a clear signal that we never want vigilantes in our town. We never want firearms at protests. … And both of those things … have been a dangerous combination for our community that we don’t want to see.”

https://www.npr.org/2020/07/06/886586653/new-mexico-leaders-to-militia-if-you-want-to-help-community-stop-showing-up-armed

Why even have laws if you do not want to enforce them. Mayor Keller has an entire department of 33+ attorneys at his beckon call. Rather than just giving quotes of warning to citizen miltia’s, he needs to pick up a phone and give instructions to City Attorney Etaban Aguilar to take legal action. Further, Keller needs to order Chief Geier that APD should charge and if need be arrest miltia members of “creating, performing or maintaining” a nuisance under the criminal state statute if and when they show up to demonstrations. There can be no clearer message as when you sue someone’s ass or arrest them over their vigilante conduct. With that in mind, the City of Albuquerque and the City Attorney’s Office should move to intervene and assist the Bernalillo County District Attorney to secure injunctive relief against the New Mexico Civil Guard and file an action for nuisance abatement and secure injunctive relief.

People showing up to peaceful protests bearing long rifles or any other kind of firearm under the guise of protecting the general public, or for that matter themselves, and businesses from violence, vandalism and looting need to be called what they are: vigilantes. They are trying to take the law into their own hands and holding themselves out as law abiding citizens when they are not and likely having evil intent. They are “on the hunt” to be able to use their weaponry when they attend protests.

Citizen Militia’s need to be condemned in no uncertain terms. It needs to be made clear to them they have absolutely no business showing up armed to the hilt with assault weapons and wearing military fatigues to peaceful protests. Such conduct only intimidates and antagonizes people which is the real intent of such militias.

No doubt self-appointed “citizen militias” and their supporters will argue they have second amendment rights to bear arms. The argument is nothing but a rue and a convenient excuse to start trouble and open fire on people who they choose claiming self defense. .

______________________________________

POSTSCRIPT

EITHER BAN OR REGULATE CITIZEN MILITIAS

Citizen Militias are not regulated in the State of New Mexico and there is no comprehensive federal law that regulates them under the Second Amendment to the US Constitution.

Those who take it upon themselves to associate and bear arms calling themselves “citizen militias” take it to the extreme when they attend protests fully armed in military attire proclaiming they are there and can assume the responsibility law enforcement to protect people and property. Such attendance amounts to nothing but vigilantism.

As things continue to escalate with protests throughout the country and state, the State of New Mexico and the United State Congress need to enact legislation that defines what a “citizen miltia” is and either ban them entirely or regulate all citizens militias.

If the United States Congress, and for that matter New Mexico, does not ban citizen miltia’s. A Citizen’s Militia Registration Act needs to be enacted. Citizen militias need to be define along similar lines of how “gangs” are defined under federal criminal law.

https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/what-gang-definitions

A “citizens militia” could be defined as:

“An association of three or more individuals, whose members collectively identify themselves by adopting a group identity employing one or more of the following: a common name, slogan, identifying sign, symbol, flag, uniforms or military apparel or other physical identifying marking, style or color of clothing, whose purpose in part is to engage in the protection of private property and other people. A registered citizens militia may employ rules for joining and operating within the militia and members may meet on a recurring basis.”

A Citizen Militia Registration Act would require citizen militias to:

To allow only American Citizens to be members of a citizen militia.
Register with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATFE) within the United States Department of Justice or in New Mexico with the New Mexico Homeland Security Office.
Require members to register their firearms with the ATFE or State.
Pay yearly regulation fees and firearm certification fees and carry liability insurance.
Identify all their members by name, address and contact information.
Prohibit felons from joining.
Limit their authority and powers so as to prevent militias to engage in law enforcement activities.
Require members to pass criminal background checks and psychological testing.
Mandate training and instructions on firearm use and safety.
Require all militias and its members to agree to follow all local, state and federal laws.
Failure to register as mandated would be a felony.

CONCLUSION

Until something is done with the enactment of citizen militia prohibition or regulation, citizen militias will be nothing more than vigilantes on the hunt using intimidation tactics to interfere with people’s first amendment rights as they attempt to assume law enforcement duties and responsibilities. We can also expect citizens militias to continue to pop up as Trump stokes citizens to act on their own.

There is a very classic song by Peggy Lee dealing with disappointment with the following lyrics:

“Is that’s all there is, is that all there is? …… If that’s all there is my friend, then lets keep dancing, let’s break out the booze and have some fun …… if that’s all …… there is!”

With this song in mind, please read the following full blog article:

HEADLINE: Grisham should fire Diego Arencon now!

July 17, 2020

Dan Klein

Diego Arencon is incompetent and should be immediately removed from his position as deputy chief of staff for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham.

State Auditor Brian Colon and the Legislative Finance Committee has released instructions to all government agencies of the risks related to Emergency Procurements. It’s too late for Arencon and our millions, but hopefully it will stop other government agencies from being “duped”.

The link to the ABQReport is here:

https://www.abqreport.com/single-post/2020/07/17/Grisham-should-fire-Diego-Arencon-now

NOT THE FIRST TIME

This is not the first time that Deputy Chief of Staff Diego Arecon has come under scrutiny and played politics with taxpayer or other people’s money and causing Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham some embarrassment or loss of support for her own agenda. The last time attention was brought to Diego Arecon was the Governor’s Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) Pension Solvency Task Force.

On February 19, 2019, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced a “solvency task force” for the Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) pension program. The 19-member task force included PERA officials, labor union leaders, retiree representatives and others. The committee was tasked with providing recommendations on contributions and payouts with a plan to be presented to the 2020 New Mexico legislative session to reform the PERA retirement system.

Lujan Grisham appointed Deputy Chief of Staff Diego Arecon as the chairman of the PERA Solvency Task Force and Arecon selected the membership. Arencon is the longtime former President of the Albuquerque Fire Fighters union who retired in 2018. Arecon, with the Governor’s blessing, recruited 6 representatives from public safety out of 16 on the Governor’s PERA Solvency Task Force. There were no outside experts in government pension reform appointed or hired to assist the task force. Arencon essentially stacked the PERA Task Force with firemen and police officers who had absolutely no knowledge of how a pension fund operates. The task force membership included the Fraternal Order of Police, National Association of Police Organizations, New Mexico State Police Association, New Mexico Sheriffs’ Association, New Mexico Professional Fire Fighters Association, Albuquerque Fire Department Retirees’ Association. Fire and police represent less than 10,000 PERA members, yet they had seven votes on this task force. Retired Public Employees, represent 40,000 PERA members but they received only one vote. AFSCME represents 25,000 PERA members they also received one vote.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1282402/governor-creates-task-force-to-study-pension-issues.html

In 2017, Candidate for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham said she would oppose cuts to benefits, including any reduction in the annual inflation-related pension adjustments that retired state workers and teachers receive. According to a campaign spokesperson at the time:

“She does not believe that New Mexico needs to eliminate our defined benefit system for current or future educators and state employees and opposes any reduction in cost-of-living adjustments.”

Not all surprising, the recommendations that emerged from the Governor’s PERA Solvency Task Force were the recommendations embraced by Arecon before any meeting was ever convened. They were also contrary to what candidate Lujan Grisham said on the campaign trail. Arecon conducted only two meetings of the task force, and both were closed to the public. The reform plan recommended by the task force was Mr. Arencon’s plan to fix PERA that would force all PERA members to “share the pain”. He called it the “shared risk” plan. But the problems at PERA did not require shared risk, nor a shared pain plan. The problems at PERA are very specific and required more contributions or a reduction in benefits by the retirement programs in jeopardy, but Diego Arecon intentionally refused to address them in order to protect his former colleagues and their public safety pension’s at the expense of all the other pension programs.

Firefighter and State Workers funds are the real problem afflicting the solvency of PERA pension fund. Their benefits are too rich for their contributions. This could have been fixed, it was not and PERA will continue to falter because the legislature in 2020 adopted the Task Force recommendation crafted by Diego Arecon who was only interested in protecting public safety pension funds. By refusing to address this obvious issue, Mr. Arencon tethered all the solvent PERA funds to the the failing of Firefighter and State workers plans. By not fixing them they will ultimately drag all of PERA into the abyss of insolvency.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

In the private sector, positions such as a Chief of Staff or Deputy Chief Operation Officers or Deputy Chief Administrative Officers (CAO), usually require years of experience and necessary education levels. Being an accountant, financial planner, stockbroker, realtor, medical doctor, and an attorney requires a person to have a formal education and then be licensed to carry on in the profession and to perform the work they are tasked with doing. Plumbers, electricians, teachers, firefighters and police officer also require formal training and a skill set.

But having the necessary credentials for government appointments all too often is not the way New Mexico politics works. If you tie your career to the right political star, you can go along way and get a lot done. The elected official always surrounds themselves with people they trust, who are loyal and who they can rely upon, during bad and good times. After all, you never hire anyone who you do not trust and who will not be loyal to you.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking political appointments to make a living. Public service is very rewarding and can bring great personal satisfaction and one can accomplish a lot. No doubt you will be paid much less working for the government than in the private sector. There is one very big caveat to political appointments: there is nothing wrong going to work for an elected official and getting your job because of politics, but you must be damn sure you can do the actual job, and if you cannot, you should be removed or fired.

The actions of Deputy Chief of Staff Arencon in the private sector and the loss of millions, would call out for swift and aggressive termination. Such a financial hit would no doubt even drive smaller businesses into bankruptcy or perhaps take years for a company to recover. However, it is not at all likely that Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham will take any action against Diego Arencon for being “duped” and not using due diligence to protect the taxpayer from fraud when it came to the purchase of personal protection equipment.

ANOTHER OMINOUS FBI CLOUD BEGINNING TO FORM OVER THE ROUNDHOUSE

However, there is one very ominous black cloud that is now beginning to form over the Roundhouse. According to the Klein ABQReport the FBI, New Mexico Attorney General and State Auditor are looking into the Arecon’s dealings and purchase of PPE from Biotec. It’s normal for the Attorney General and the State Auditor to look for violations of the state purchasing code and it’s a big part of their jobs. However, it is only rare occasions that the FBI does it, and when the FBI starts looking it’s for felony criminal conduct and not for minor violations and misdemeanor violations in the state procurement and purchasing codes.

As a matter of course, the FBI confers with the United States Attorney on any criminal investigations. New Mexico’s past two Governor’s were plagued by such investigations that tainted their reputations. The Bill Richardson Administration was heavily pursued by then New Mexico United States Attorney Greg Forrate for “pay to play” allegation with state contracts. Republican Governor “She Who Shall Not Be Named” was also plagued by “pay to play” allegations over the “Dirty Downs Deal” with the award of the billion-dollar Downs Racetrack lease and the involvement of Republican political operative and consultant Jay McClusky. Even though no indictments or criminal charges materialized, both Governor’s were severely tainted by what happened and its likely their own aspirations for higher office went into the toilet in part because of it.

New Mexico once again appears to have another Governor who has national ambitions with Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham being consider by Vice President Joe Biden to be his running mate. Sources on the 4th floor are saying the Governor’s office is all abuzz at the prospect that we may have a Governor Howie Morales. Lujan Grisham has acknowledged that she has turned over her personal financial documents to the Biden campaign and she is even helping to fund raise for Biden. One thing is for certain, she has not taken herself out of contention for Vice President the way others have such as Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. She would likely take the offer to run for Vice President, but she is probably as equally interested in a cabinet level position such as Secretary of Health which she would be more qualified for than Vice President having served as a cabinet secretary for 3 New Mexico Governors. It would also get her out of New Mexico as the state’s finances are ravaged by the effects of the corona virus, oil production bust and a certain recession. It’s no fun being Governor faced with crisis after crisis during bad times.

A problem for Lujan Grisham is that she has received high marks on dealing with New Mexico’s response to the pandemic. The Governor has taken charge of that response in no uncertain terms and has done far better than most Governor’s in the country. It is hard to believe she did not know what was going on with her Deputy Chief of Staff Diego Rincon and Biotec. Arecon’s loyalty to the Governor is unquestionable which gives rise to wondering to what lengths he will go to protect the Governor that he played an instrumental role in getting elected.

There are at least two things to watch to determine how serious the FBI is looking at the Biotec purchase contract. First, if search warrants are issued for any and all correspondence, including emails, phone records, calendars and appointment to and from the State and Biotec. Second, if anyone is interviewed by the FBI on the case, including anyone at Biotec, the Governor’s office and the State Procurement Office.

Until the FBI acts, you can expect Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to continue dancing with Diego Arencon because he is the one who brought her to the Roundhouse Dance. Unless of course Joe Biden taps Diego Arecon on his shoulder and cuts in on the dance floor and selects Governor Lujan Grisham as his Vice President or names her to his cabinet which is far more likely.

If nothing happens with the FBI investigation and Lujan Grisham stays in New Mexico, no doubt she will be dancing with Diego Arecon to the Peggy Lee song:

“Is that’s all there is, is that all there is? ….. If that’s all there is my friend, then lets keep on dancing …. let’s break out the booze and have some fun, if that’s all ….. there is!”

On July 17, the Albuquerque Journal published a guest column by State Senator Mimi Stewart and Representative Debbie Sarinana entitled “ProgressNow keeps our eyes on the wrong prize” and subtitled “Be inclusive and take your allies wherever you find them”. The letter by both state legislators goes to the defense of City Council President Pat Davis after ProgressNow demanded that Davis resign from the Albuquerque City Council after his extensive history of conduct and unconstitutional policing practices were revealed. You can read the entire letter to the editor at this link:

https://www.abqjournal.com/1476698/progressnow-keeps-our-eyes-on-the-wrong-prize.html

The letter to the Albuquerque Journal by State Senator Mimi Stewart and Representative Debbie Sarinana going to the defense of City Council President Pat Davis is what’s truly wrong with the Democratic Party, especially the progressive wing in New Mexico. Their attitude is to “forgive and forget” when it comes to one “who is now one of your own”. Both legislators write in part:

“It is disappointing the new leaders of groups like ProgressNow did not stop to study the source of attacks on an ally, which was discredited by the Albuquerque Journal and Associated Press, or to understand the story of reform from former Republicans like Davis who now proudly carry the progressive flag. Ironically, those groups know of Davis’ story because he has so courageously recounted in countless policy fights for criminal justice reform and social equity. On police reform in particular, shouldn’t we support the voices of those most impacted with that of former officers trained in those tactics, like Pat, who cross the thin blue line and organize with those fighting for change?”

What is truly disappointing is the the legislator’s false narrative that the new leaders of ProgressNow did not stop to study the source of attacks on an ally and say the source of attacks were discredited by the Albuquerque Journal and Associated Press. That is simply not true and both legislators know it. ProgressNow actually examined the facts and circumstances of Davis’s conduct as a Washington, D. C. cop and as a UNM Campus police cop. In their June 25 statement entitled “ProgressNow New Mexico Statement on Councilor Davis’ Shooting of a Black Man and Pattern of Upholding Racist Institutions” wrote in part:

“This week, new details have surfaced regarding former ProgressNow New Mexico Executive Director and Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis’ shooting of a Black man while working as a cop in Washington D.C. … Unfortunately, Davis’ shooting of a Black man isn’t the only example of his troubling actions. A pattern has unearthed that continues into the present. After Davis moved to Albuquerque, he had multiple civil rights complaints lodged against him while serving as a cop at the University of New Mexico.

What is downright disgusting is when Stewart and Sarinana proclaim that Davis has “courageously in countless policy fights for criminal justice reform and social equity” admitted his past conduct. What would be courageous is not just mentioning his past conduct to somehow gain credibility but to apologize to those he victimized and step down as an elected official.

What is equally disgusting is when Stewart and Sarinana ask “shouldn’t we support the voices of those most impacted with that of former officers trained in those tactics, like Pat, who cross the thin blue line and organize with those fighting for change?” One of those voices most impacted by Davis’s conduct is an African American who was shot twice by Davis without provocation when he was a D.C. cop. Davis victimized him again when he took him into custody and drove erratically resulting in the gunshot wounds to reopen. Then there are the 6 victims in New Mexico who were victims of his conduct as a UNM campus cop. Those voices impacted by Davis include 2 single woman who were the targets of unconstitutional searches of their homes in Corrales, NM, where Davis had no jurisdiction and who Davis coerced into allowing a search of their homes and causing tremendous damages. It is not at all likely that the 7 victims and voices impacted by Davis are as forgiving as Stewart and Sarinana and they are damn fools if they think so.

Stewart and Sariana with their letter are clearly trying to make Pat Davis out as some sort of a hero to the Democratic Party when they say Davis is the “story of reform from former Republicans like Davis who now proudly carry the progressive flag.” With Pat Davis “proudly carrying the progressive flag” comes embarrassment to the Democratic party.

The truth is, there is conduct that must never be forgotten nor forgiven, such as the pedophilia of billionaire Jeffry Epstein and the sexual harassment and rape of woman by Hollywood Producer Harvey Weinstein. After all, the attitude of “forgive and forget” is contrary to the “Me Too Movement”. Forgetting the past conduct of Pat Davis as a cop is also contrary to any sort of police reform.

When Stewart and Sariana write “This is a real low point for the progressive movement, but let’s hope it’s just a speed bump and not the start of a long decline” they really miss the mark and are essentially going to the defense of someone whose past conduct is indefensible. When they say “We encourage all those who want meaningful reform to keep our eyes on the prize so we can win in November and then in January” they seem to think they are playing some sort of carnival game. The stakes are high and we are dealing with life and death situations when it comes to police reform.

Pat Davis has actually said recently he “made arrests and instigated some encounters I wouldn’t be proud of today” yet there is no apology for his actions to any one he brutalized. Pat Davis is running around proclaiming that he is a former bad cop and he has changed and has had some sort of an epiphany. Pat Davis now proclaims that because he was a former cop and did things in the past he was not too proud of, he has changed and for that reason he is the guy to lead the charge in reforming APD. What is so damn pathetic is that Pat Davis probably now believes people are buying his garbage after the letter written on his behalf by Senator Mimi Stewart and Representative Debbie Sarinana. It is likely that Pat Davis, or one of Stewart’s and Sariana’s progressive political consultants, went out of their way to solicit the letter from Stewart and Sariana.

Given what is known about City Councilor Pat Davis, his actions as a police officer, his litigation history, his credibility is in serious doubt as are his political motives. The real Pat Davis, and his lack of respect for constitutional rights are revealed by his pattern of conduct he engaged if for years and was sued for as a UNM Police Officer and his conduct as a DC Police Officer. Pat Davis has no business making decisions regarding police reforms, law enforcement policy let alone be involved in the process deciding who is fit to be a judge.

The last thing this State and this City needs is for legislators like Senator Mimi Stewart and Representative Debbie Sarinana to go to the defense of the likes of Pat Davis because they feel the progressive movement somehow needs him and it needs to take allies wherever it can find them. Next thing you know Senator Mimi Stewart and Representative Debbie Sarinana will be trying to draft former State Senator Manny Aragon to run for Governor of New Mexico.

NAACP Demands Apology Or Resignation From City Councilors Jones And Borrego; No Demands Made Of City Councilor Pat Davis For His Shooting Of African American And Violating Constitutional Rights

ProgressNow New Mexico Statement on Councilor Davis’ Shooting of a Black Man and Pattern of Upholding Racist Institutions; Calls For His Multiple Resignations

The “Spin Doctor Pat Davis” Is Not “Authentic And Honest” As He Proclaims; City Councilors Protecting One Of Their Own Looking The Other Way; Take Another Vote To Decide If Davis Should Remain As President

City Councilor Pat Davis Needs To Step Down To Atone For His Own “Black Lives Matter” Moment And Violations Of Peoples Civil Rights As A Police Officer

On Monday July 13, New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colon said his office was ordering a special audit of APD’s overtime payment policies to APD Police Officers. Colón also asked New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas to join him with the probe and Attorney General Balderas assigned special agents to work with State on the Albuquerque Police Department audit examination.

With State Auditor Brian Colon and State Attorney General Hector Balderas probing the Albuquerque Police Department’s overtime practices and with an outside accounting firm ordered to the same, the Albuquerque Police Department says its own related Internal Affairs investigation has been going on for the past six weeks.

APD ANNOUNCES INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION OF ONLY ONE

On Monday, July 13, APD officials said it notified the Office of State Auditor Brian Colón about “suspected fraud” involving wages paid to former APD spokesman Simon Drobik and said that APD has its own Internal Affairs investigation Drobik as it relates to his alleged overtime abuse and “suspected fraud”. The letter to the State Auditor says:

“The dollar amount of the suspected fraud is not known at this time, however, the [Internal Affairs] investigation is ongoing. ”

Attorney General Chief Counsel Matt Baca had this to say on Thursday, July 16:

“[The AG’s office’] has been actively reviewing this matter and received communications from both APD and the Auditor’s office this week related to APD’s internal investigation of Simon Drobik.”

For a number of years, Drobik has been the highest paid city employee. Drobik has a base pay rate of $31.50 per hour, which translates into a yearly pay of $65,529 (40 hour work week X 52 weeks X $31.50 = $65, 520). In 2018, Drobik was paid $192,973. In 2019 he was paid $166, 485. Thus far in 2020, Drobik has already collected $106,607, as a result of overtime pay. Over a year ago, the Civilian Police Oversight Agency demanded the city to fire Drobik for overtime abuses.

Confidential sources are saying that on Friday, July 10, Internal Affairs (IA) investigators interviewed Drobik and confronted him with pay records that showed time card fraud and that contradicted his defense that he was not being paid for both outside work and city work done at the same time. Confidential sources say Drobik stormed out of the IA interview and he tendered his retirement letter the same day.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1476681/internal-probe-finds-suspected-fraud-at-apd.html

EXTENT OF OVERTIME SCANDAL NOT JUST ONE

APD Internal Affairs ostensibly is only investigating former APD Spokesman Simon Drobik for overtime pay abuse. It is likely that upwards of 160 police officers listed in the 250 top paid city hall employees will also be subject to review.

Police officers earning excessive overtime is nothing new. It has been going on for years and is very common knowledge amongst city hall employees and city hall watchers.

On July 15, the online news ABQReports published an article investigated and written by editor Dennis Domrzalski and Charles Arasim entitled “APD overtime madness; exceeds OT budget by $39 million in last 13 years”.

Quoting the most relevant portions of the article:

“In the past 13 years APD has exceeded its overtime budget by a total of $39 million, according to the City Council staff. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, APD overspent its OT budget by an astounding $7.1 million. And the year before, the department broke its OT budget by $8.4 million.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BInqDoXBB1TZwS5tPG0MFnQPZHwRynz7/view

The link to the full ABQReport article is here:

https://www.abqreport.com/single-post/2020/07/15/APD-overtime-madness-exceeds-OT-budget-by-39-million-in-last-13-years

EXTENT OF APD POLICE OVERTIME PAID

APD has an alarming increase in “classified” positions that are being paid 6 figures pay based on hourly wages. The City maintains a list of the 250 top city hall wages earners and what they are paid for the full calendar year of January 1, to December 31 of any given year. The City of Albuquerque recently updated the list for the year 2019. The list starting with the most paid at $193,666.40 to the least paid at $107,885.47, with many being paid 2 and 3 times their base pay.

There were 32 APD Lieutenants in the list of 250 top paid employees in 2019 earning pay ranging from $108,031 to $164,722. Hourly pay rate for APD Lieutenants is $40.00 an hour or $83,200 yearly. These positions are classified employee and are permitted to be part of the police union and as such are entitled to be paid time and a half for overtime worked under the union contract.

There were 32 APD Sergeants in the list of 250 top paid employees in 2019 earning pay ranging from $109,292 to $193,666. Hourly pay rate for APD Sergeants is $35 an hour, or $72,800 a year. These positions are classified employee and are permitted to be part of the police union and as such are entitled to be paid time and a half for overtime worked under the union contract.

There were 70 APD patrol officers first class, master, senior in the list of 250 top paid employees in 2019 earning pay ranging from $108,167 to $188,844. Hourly pay rate for Patrol Officers is $29.00 an hour to $31.50 an hour depending upon years of experience. These positions are classified employee and are permitted to be part of the police union and are paid time and a half for overtime worked under the union contract.

The increase pay requires you to assume that all are doing a good, great or an exceptional job which is very difficult to justify when it turns out that is not the case or abuse is found. The 6 figure salaries being paid to sworn Patrol Officers can be attributed to “overtime” worked which is very problematic.

DANGERS OF POLICE OVERTIME TO PUBLIC SAFETY

From a personnel management standpoint, when you have a select few that are taking home the lion’s share of overtime, it causes moral problems with the rest. Consecutive shifts or excessive overtime for any police officer can lead to extreme fatigue, emotional burnout and reduce an officer’s alertness and response times and reflexes that can endanger lives and public safety.

Excessive overtime paid is also a red flag for abuse of the system, mismanagement of police resources or the lack of personnel. APD has added approximately 100 police officers last year as a result of increases in pay and an aggressive recruitment program. APD is projected to have upwards of 980 sworn police. The ultimate goal of the Keller Administration is to have 1,200 full time sworn police. Overtime paid by APD should have come down as more police officers were added to the ranks, but that did not happen.

When APD exceeds its overtime budget, it is to the detriment of other city departments and other city employees in that the additional funding must be found somewhere else, either by taking it from other departments and programs, budget cuts or cost saving measurements.

OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS PAY STRUCTURE

With the action of the State Auditor and the initiation of special audit, the City should use it as an opportunity to evaluate alternatives to hourly pay and paying time and a half. The City should do away with APD hourly wage and time and a half for overtime for sworn police and implement a salary structure based strictly on steps and years of service. A complete restructuring of the existing APD 40-hour work week and hourly wage system needs to be implemented, otherwise the problem of excessive overtime paid will not go away, especially when you have a Mayor or a Chief of Police looking the other way.

A base pay salary system should be implemented for all APD sworn personnel. A base salary system with step increases for length of service should be implemented. The longevity bonus pay would be eliminated and built into the salary structure. Mandatory shift time to work would remain the same, but if more time is needed to complete a work load or assignments for the day, the salaried employee works it for the same salary with no overtime paid and a modification of shift times for court appearances.

APD Patrol Officers First Class who handle DWI during nighttime shifts should be required to change their shift times to daytime shifts when the arraignments and trials occur to prevent overtime pay. As an alternative to DWI arraignment, the City Attorney’s Office should explore the possibility of expanding or modifying the Metro Traffic Arraignment Program with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office assisting to include not just traffic citations but DWI arraignments to eliminate the need for APD officers to appear at such arraignments.

Until the APD salary structure is changed, APD will always have patrol officers first class making two to four times their base salary and emotional burnout will be the norm, not the exception endangering public safety. The trend of having more classified APD employees earning such high hourly wage pay does not bode well from an executive personnel management standpoint.

Once the special audit is completed, State Auditor Brian Colon will be able to smoothly transfer the full audit to New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas. Once the audit is transmitted to Attorney General Balderas, a special grand jury needs to be convened to determine what criminal charges, if any, should be filed.

CONCLUSION

The special audit of APD’s overtime payment policies to APD Police Officers is in fact far reaching and likely involves upwards of 160 police officers identified in the 250 top paid city hall employees. Once the special audit is completed, State Auditor Brian Colon will no doubt give the full audit to New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas. Once the audit is transmitted to Attorney General Balderas, a special grand jury will likely be convened to determine what criminal charges, if any, should be filed.

No Mayor wants to be face with the prospect that criminal activity is found within a Police Department they are supposed to oversee and manage. No doubt Mayor Tim Keller realizes if APD is hit with indictments of waste, fraud and abuse for overtime time fraud, it will likely add another obstacle to his re-election chances along with the skyrocketing violent crime rates Keller promised to bring down when he ran in 2017.

NM State Auditor Colon Calls In NM Attorney General Balderas To Help With Probe Of APD Overtime Abuse; The Irony Of The 3 Amigos Of Colon, Balderas And Keller Having Served As State Auditor Not Lost On Anyone; Stakes Are Very High For Keller Seeking Re-Election

APD Spokeman Simon Drobik Retires from APD As Internal Affairs Investigates Time Card Fraud; State Auditor Brian Colon Orders Audit; Drobik Not The Only One Paid Excessive Overtime

In 2019 There Were 160 Of 250 Top Paid City Hall Employees That Were Police Paid Between $107,885.47 to $193,666.40 and 49 Were Firefighters That Were Paid $107,885.47 To 148,128.08; Abolish APD Overtime, Longevity Pay; Implement Set Salary Structure; Remove APD Sergeants And Lieutenants From Police Union

On Monday July 13, New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colon said his office was ordering a special audit of APD’s overtime payment policies to APD Police Officers. On July 13, APD announced that on Friday, July 11, longtime APD spokesman Sgt. Simon Drobik abruptly retired from the department and that APD’s Internal Affairs was in the process of completing an investigation into the large amounts of overtime Drobik had claimed so far this year. In 2018, Drobik was paid $192,973 as a result of massive amounts of overtime claimed and he was continuing his pace of overtime pay in 2020.

Auditor Colon ordered a special audit of all APD overtime policies after he said his office found enough red flags related to overtime practices and internal controls at the department. According to the June 24, 2020 letter to Mayor Tim Keller, the Office of the State Auditor is designating the City for a special audit “in order to examine the City’s compliance with applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.” It is an audit that must be paid for by the city with a selection of a firm from a list of firms authorized to do financial audits under a state contract. In announcing the audit, Auditor Colon had this to say:

Colon had this to say:

“For anybody in leadership in any law enforcement agency to say that the overtime process is confusing, that is a problem. That is a clear indication that we have lack of clarity from the top. … We are not investigating just one transaction or just one individual. In fact, we are going to be evaluating the process, procedures, protocols and oversight to ensure there is not any abuse in the system.”

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/apd-officer-retires-as-authorities-investigate-potential-time-card-fraud/

NM AUDITOR ASKS NM ATTORNEY GENERAL TO JOIN PROBE OF APD OVERTIME ABUSE

On July 15, the following Associated Press story was reported in the “Washington Times”:

“New Mexico’s state auditor is seeking an investigation into what he calls potential criminal activity around overtime abuse within Albuquerque police.

Records show that some Albuquerque officers who collect overtime pay are among the highest-paid city employees. Critics have charged that these officers abuse the overtime system and take the hours from others.”

The link to the Washington Times article is here:

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jul/15/auditor-seeks-probe-of-albuquerque-police-overtime/

Colón asked the attorney general to assign special agents to work with his office’s auditors on its Albuquerque Police Department examination. Balderas for his part had this to say in a written statement:

“We have received the Auditor’s request and have assigned law enforcement to assist in this matter,” Balderas said in a written statement.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1476402/ags-office-joins-investigation-into-apds-overtime-practices-ex-apd-says-its-conducting-an-internal-affairs-inquiry.html

CITY’S RESPONSE

Matt Ross, a spokesman for Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement:

“COVID-19 created a huge need for extra officer hours and exacerbated long-standing overtime problems at APD.”

Ross added that the city appreciates the auditors and welcomes help with changes already underway to fix APD’s “broken system.”

At the same time, APD says it is also running its own Internal Affairs investigation into overtime-related issues.

HISTORY OF APD OVERTIME PAY ABUSE

Police officers earning excessive overtime is nothing new. It has been going on for years and is very common knowledge amongst city hall employees and city hall watchers.

On July 15, the online news ABQReports published an article investigated and written by editor Dennis Domrzalski and Charles Arasim entitled “APD overtime madness; exceeds OT budget by $39 million in last 13 years”.

According to the article:

“In the past 13 years APD has exceeded its overtime budget by a total of $39 million, according to the City Council staff. In the fiscal year that ended June 30, APD overspent its OT budget by an astounding $7.1 million. And the year before, the department broke its OT budget by $8.4 million.

This isn’t the first time that APD has been under fire for sloppy overtime practices. In 2014 an audit by the city’s Internal Auditor found that APD had no system to control its court overtime costs.”

The link to the May 8, 2014 audit is here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BInqDoXBB1TZwS5tPG0MFnQPZHwRynz7/view

And in 2017, another city audit found that APD exceeded it FY2016 overtime budget by $3.9 million.

The link to the March 17, 2017 audit is here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BInqDoXBB1TZwS5tPG0MFnQPZHwRynz7/view

Last year, the Civilian Police Oversight Agency recommended that … Simon Drobik be fired for violating APD policies 51 times in a year in which he made $192,000 as a basic cop. APD Chief Mike Geier rejected the CPOA’s recommendations and refused to even discipline Drobik for violating department policies 51 times in a single year.”

EXCESSIVE OVERTIME PERVASIVE WITHIN APD

During the last 9 years, the Albuquerque Police Department has consistently gone over its overtime budget by millions. In fiscal year 2016, APD was funded for $9 million for over time but APD actually spent $13 million. The March 17, 2017 city internal audit of APD’s overtime spending found police officers taking advantage of a system that allows them to accumulate excessive overtime at the expense of other city departments.

The City maintains a list of the 250 top city hall wages earners and what they are paid for the full calendar year of January 1, to December 31 of any given year. The City of Albuquerque recently updated the list for the year 2019. The list starting with the most paid at $193,666.40 to the least paid at $107,885.47, with many being paid 2 and 3 times their base pay.

There were 32 APD Lieutenants in the list of 250 top paid employees in 2019 earning pay ranging from $108,031 to $164,722. Hourly pay rate for APD Lieutenants is $40.00 an hour or $83,200 yearly. These positions are classified employee and are permitted to be part of the police union and as such are entitled to be paid time and a half for overtime worked under the union contract.

There were 32 APD Sergeants in the list of 250 top paid employees in 2019 earning pay ranging from $109,292 to $193,666. Hourly pay rate for APD Sergeants is $35 an hour, or $72,800 a year. These positions are classified employee and are permitted to be part of the police union and as such are entitled to be paid time and a half for overtime worked under the union contract.

There were 70 APD patrol officers first class, master, senior in the list of 250 top paid employees in 2019 earning pay ranging from $108,167 to $188,844. Hourly pay rate for Patrol Officers is $29.00 an hour to $31.50 an hour depending upon years of experience. These positions are classified employee and are permitted to be part of the police union and are paid time and a half for overtime worked under the union contract.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

What is so very damn pathetic is when Mayor Tim Keller’s spokesman tries to blame what happened on the COVID-19 virus crisis and says:

“COVID-19 created a huge need for extra officer hours and exacerbated long-standing overtime problems at APD.”

The truth is the City and State did not get hit hard with the COVID-19 virus until mid February of this year. Mayor Tim Keller and Chief Michael Geier knew full well what was going on with the overtime abuse well over a year ago and they simply did not give a damn. The top paid 250 city hall employees for all of 2019, when COVID was Europ’s problem, had 160 police officers earning $107,000 to $198,000 a year.

There were news stories after news stories about APD Spokesman Simon Drobik being the number one paid city hall employee at $200,000 a year, yet Mayor Keller and Chief Geier looked the other way. Mayor Tim Keller for his part deflected repeatedly saying APD was working on the problem and was committed to reforming the overtime programs, but never said anything about Drobik. Chief Geier for his part dragged his feet on implementing a “25 hour” a week on overtime, and the abuse still went on and on and on.

APD’S SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT

You would think that APD and its management over the years, would have learned its lesson after all the prior audits, but they did not and greed once again got the better part of Albuquerque’s finest. The fact that APD management did not learn anything from prior audits is a reflection of “self-entitlement” that seems to be ingrained in APD’s DNA at all levels, management and rank and file.

A historical and prevailing philosophy by police is that in order to be able to do their jobs, they need total autonomy from civilian oversight and free from any and all interference by civilians. Police departments want to be an “island unto themselves” and act that way too many times when it comes to their budgets and overtime and demands made upon the public for more and more compensation and benefits.

Overtime pay abuse is just one example of the attitude of self-entitlement by APD, its command staff and rank and file. When APD exceeds its overtime budget, it is always to the detriment of other city departments and other city employees, many who work just as hard as a police officer, but that does not matter to police. Their attitude is that they are the one’s that take their life’s into their hands every day and for that reason alone are entitled to be paid overtime as they see fit and anytime they want it. The additional funding must be found somewhere else, either by taking it from other departments and programs, budget cuts or cost saving measurements in other city departments.

Another pervasive attitude expressed by sworn police is that it’s all “the politician’s fault”. It has been said that “police can no longer move without a politician telling them how to do their jobs”. The APD Union are always making demands for more personnel, more equipment, more training and increases in salary and longevity pay, and always demands for more overtime in the department budget.

Another line of attack made by police when any elected official, such as Auditor Brian Colon or Attorney General Hector Balderas, call for oversight and accountability is that it’s just another politician trying to score points as they run for office. Actions and even criticism by “politicians” and the media are often problematic and resented by police. What law enforcement seem to fail to understand is that is what is called civilian oversight. It is the elected officials, the politicians, who are ultimately held accountable for what cops do and what the police budgets are.

The philosophy of management of police departments and their budgets must be that “uniforms report to suits” similar to the United States Military where the President as a civilian is the Commander In Chief who also appoints a Secretary of Defense. It also the voters who must hold and demand accountability from both the police and the elected official in that it is the taxpayer that ultimately pays for police misconduct which would include overtime abuse by police.

IRONY OF THE 3 AMIGOS CROSSING PATHS

It’s ironic that the Mayor Tim Keller, the former New Mexico State Auditor who made a name for himself as a crusader against waste fraud and abuse of taxpayer money, and used that reputation to become Mayor, chose to ignore the prior audits of APD overtime abuse. What is even more ironic is that Keller will now have to pay attention now that Auditor Colon has brought in Attorney General Hector Balderas, with the threesome of Keller, Balderas and Colon having all served as State Auditor. The fact that Keller and Colon ran against each other for Mayor is also not lost on anyone in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colon has shown that he understands and appreciates the limitations of his office by asking Attorney General Hector Balderas to assist with the probe of APD for any and all overtime abuse by APD. Auditor Colon is commended for making the decision. The authority of the State Auditor is that of performing audits for waste, fraud and abuse involving taxpayer money. However, the State Auditor does not have any authority to prosecute for criminal acts uncovered by the audits and the Auditor’s office needs to rely on the Attorney General of the District Attorneys to bring criminal prosecutions for fraud discovered.

UNDERSTANDING THE LIMITATIONS OF OFFICE

A choice State Auditor did have was to transmit the audit to Bernalillo County District Attorney Raul Torrez because if the audit uncovers criminal activity by APD, it means it occurred in Bernalillo County. It is more likely than not giving the case to Bernalillo County District Attorney Raul Torrez would be a waste of time because he would decline prosecution of any APD Police Officer declaring a conflict because his office works so closely with APD.

Once the special audit is completed, State Auditor Brian Colon will be able to smoothly transfer the full audit to New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas. Once the audit is transmitted to Attorney General Balderas, a special grand jury needs to be convened to determine what criminal charges, if any, should be filed.

CONCLUSION

No Mayor wants to be face with the prospect that criminal activity is found within a Police Department they are supposed to oversee and manage. No doubt Mayor Tim Keller realizes if APD is hit with indictments of waste, fraud and abuse for overtime time fraud, it will likely add another obstacle to his re-election chances along with the skyrocketing violent crime rates Keller promised to bring down when he ran in 2017.

A LINK TO A RELATED BLOG ARTICLE ON CITY’S SKYROCKETING CRIME STATISTICS IS HERE:

City’s 2019 Crime Stats Released; After 3 Years, 4 New Programs, And Millions Spent, Violent Crime Still “Absolutely Out Of Control”; Keller’s Promises Made And Not Kept

“It’s unfortunate, but crime is absolutely out of control. It’s the mayor’s job to actually address crime in Albuquerque, and that’s what I want to do as the next mayor.”

– New Mexico State Auditor Tim Keller, candidate for Albuquerque Mayor, August, 2017

The crime statistics released for 2018 and 2019 make it clear that despite all of Mayor Tim Keller’s promises to bring down skyrocketing violent crime, implementation of new programs, increasing APD personnel and millions spent, violent crime is still “absolutely out of control”. Regretably , Mayor Tim Keller has failed to do his “job to actually address crime in Albuquerque.” Keller has already made it known he is seeking a second 4-year term in 2021 and his record on the crime reduction front will be difficult to defend.

ABQ’S CRIME STATISTICS IN A NUTSHELL UNDER MAYOR KELLER

On Thursday, July 2, 2020 APD officials held a press conference to release the Albuquerque crime statistics for 2019. Given Mayor Keller’s words as to whose job it is to address crime, a synopsis of the statics during Mayor Tim Keller’s tenure is in order before the disclosure of the 2019 statistics by APD. The synopsis is required in order to focus on the statistics because statistics were falsely reported by the Keller administration for his first 18 months in office and the categories were then changed to comply with FBI crime reporting.

HOMICIDES

In 2018, during Mayor Keller’s first full year in office, there were 69 homicides.

In 2019, during Mayor Keller’s second full year in office, there were 82 homicides. Albuquerque had more homicides in 2019 than in any other year in the city’s history. The previous high was 72, in 2017 under Mayor RJ Berry. Another high mark was in 1996, when the city had 70 homicides.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1405615/apd-reports-record-82-homicides-for-2019.html#:~:text=Gilbert%20Gallegos%2C%20a%20police%20spokesman,high%20was%2072%2C%20in%202017.

As of August 3, there have been 32 homicides reported in Albuquerque for 2020.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/apd-taking-a-data-driven-approach-to-tackling-gun-crimes/5816639/?cat=500

HOMICIDE CLEARANCE RATES

For the past two years during Mayor Keller’s tenure, the homicide clearance percentage rate has been in the 50%-60% range. According to the proposed 2018-2019 APD City Budget, in 2016 the APD homicide clearance rate was 80%. In 2017, under Mayor Berry the clearance rate was 70%. In 2018, the first year of Keller’s term, the homicide clearance rate was 56%. In 2019, the second year of Keller’s term, the homicide clearance rate was 52.5%, the lowest clearance rate in the last decade.

VIOLENT CRIMES

In 2017, during Mayor RJ Berry’s last full year in office, there were 7,686 VIOLENT CRIMES. There were 4,213 Aggravated Assaults and 470 Non-Fatal Shootings:

In 2018 during Mayor Keller’ first full year in office, there were 6,789 violent crimes There were 3,885 Aggravated Assaults and 491 Non-Fatal Shootings.

https://www.petedinelli.com/2019/11/21/city-matches-homicide-record-high-of-72-murders-mayor-keller-forced-to-defend-policies-makes-more-promises-asks-for-more-money/

In 2019, the category of “Violent Crimes” was replaced with the category of “Crimes Against Persons” and the category includes homicide, human trafficking, kidnapping and assault.

In 2019 during Keller’s second full year in office, Crimes Against Persons increased from 14,845 to 14,971, or a 1% increase. The Crimes Against Person category had the biggest rises in Aggravated Assaults increasing from 5,179 to 5,397.

DRUG OFFENSES

“Crimes Against Society” include drug offenses, prostitution and animal cruelty.

In 2018 During Keller’s first full year in office, total Crimes Against Society were 3,365

In 2019 during Keller’s second full year in office, total Crimes Against Society increased to 3,711 for a total increase of 346 more crimes or a 9% increase.

AUTO THEFTS

On June 26, 2019 the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) released its annual list of cities with the most stolen vehicles reported. Despite a 28% reduction in auto thefts over a two-year period, Albuquerque ranked No. 1 in the nation for vehicle thefts per capita for the third year in a row.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2019/06/27/these-are-the-cities-with-the-highest-car-theft-rates/#7c42e7d35146

911 EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES

In 2009, under Mayor Martin Chavez, the average 911 emergency response time to calls, whether it was a life or death emergency or a minor traffic crash,was 8 minutes 50 seconds.

In 2011, under Mayor RJ Berry the average response times to 911 emergency calls was 25 minutes.

In 2018 and 2019, under Mayor Tim Keller, the average response times to 911 emergency calls spiked to 48 minutes.

MAYOR KELLER’S STRUGGLES TO “DO GOOD” AND FULFILL CAMPAIGN PROMISES

Candidate Tim Keller campaigned to get elected Mayor on the platform of implementing the Department of Justice mandated reforms, increasing the size of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), returning to community-based policing and a promise to bring down skyrocketing crime rates. On December 1, 2017 Tim Keller was sworn into office.

Since Mayor Tim Keller took office, APD has added 116 sworn police officers to the force. Keller is spending $88 million dollars over a four-year period, with $32 million dollars of recurring expenditures, to hire 322 sworn officers and expand APD from 878 sworn police officers to 1,200 officers.

The massive investment is being done to full fill Mayor Keller’s 2017 campaign promise to increase the size of APD and return to community-based policing as a means to reduce the city’s high crime rates.

Last year’s 2018-2019 fiscal year budget provided for increasing APD funding from 1,000 sworn police to 1,040. This year’s 2019-2020 fiscal year budget has funding for 1,040 sworn police, a far cry from the 1,200 sworn officers Keller promised.

BREAKING A PROMISE NOT TO RAISE TAXES

In 2017 when running for Mayor, State Auditor Tim Keller promised he would never raise taxes unless there was a public vote even if it was for public safety. Candidate Keller said he would draw from various agencies, departments and programs where large, misappropriated budgets existed to deal with any city deficit. Within 4 months after assuming Office, Mayor Keller agreed to and signed a city council-initiated $55 million dollar a year tax increase without voter approval, thereby breaking his campaign promise not to raise gross receipts taxes without a public vote. 80% of the new tax revenues were supposedly dedicated to public safety, yet $40 million went towards a projected deficit that never fully materialized.

https://www.petedinelli.com/2018/03/02/breaking-a-promise-on-public-vote-for-tax-increase/

TAKING CREDIT FOR CRIME REDUCTIONS THAT DID NOT HAPPEN

Every quarter when the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) released the city’s crime statistics, Mayor Keller would do a press conference to release the FBI crime statistics. For the first year and a half of Mayor Tim Keller’s 4 year term, he released crime statistics every quarter, sometimes even a few of days before the quarter ended. Keller’s briefings were misleading in that he overstated reductions since the department was comparing quarterly data before all the reports had been turned in. He did so on July 1, 2019 to report the statistics for the 2019 second quarter and to compare them to the 2018 midterm year numbers.

The statistics released by Mayor Keller on July 1, 2019 reported that in the first 6 months of 2019, the property crimes of home burglaries were down and auto burglaries were down. Robberies, sexual assaults and murders were reported as down from the first 6 months of the previous year. Double-digit drops were reported in violent offenses included robberies, aggravated assaults, and rapes. The problem was the statistics were totally wrong.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1335502/crime-declining-in-albuquerque-new-numbers-show.html

On Sunday, December 1, 2018 is was reported that all the crime rate reductions Mayor Keller reported in his July 1, 2019 press conference were in fact not at all accurate and seriously flawed and misleading to the public. The 2019 mid-year statistics and the statistics released at the end of 2018 were dramatically revised to include hundreds, and in some cases thousands, more incidents than were reported by Keller. The final numbers for all of 2018 showed violent crime actually increased, and in many categories the crime rates only dropped in single digits and not the double digits Mayor Keller was taking credit for during his press conferences.

WHAT WENT WRONG

On December 13, 2019 APD officials held a news conference to explain what went wrong with the crime statistic reporting. The officials said that Mayor Keller had been “unintentionally” releasing incomplete data for the last two years. APD Deputy Chief Armijo blamed the inaccurate statistics on different software programs that were antiquated and that were not fully integrated. At one point, Armijo said that when APD converted its data system in 2018 from the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system to the National Incident-Based Reporting System(NIBRS), APD’s crime statistic “numbers went into a black hole”. When APD discovered the glitch, the system had to be re-calibrated and the numbers were downloaded onto the new system. Mayor Keller, despite the embarrassment and loss of credibility, has never held anyone accountable for the fiasco and has never apologize to the public for misleading us.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1401152/apd-explains-incomplete-crime-data.html

EXPLAINING SUMMARY REPORTING SYSTEM (SRS) VS. NATIONAL INCIDENT-BASED REPORTING SYSTEM (NIBRS)

“In 2018, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) began reporting its annual crime statistics using the Federal Bureau Of Investigation’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). NIBRS is the most current national framework for reporting crime and replaces the FBI’s Uniform Crimes Reports (UCR). This change is important because, compared to UCR, NIBRS provides more comprehensive and detailed information about crimes against person, crimes against property and crimes against society occurring in law enforcement jurisdictions across the county.”

https://www.cabq.gov/police/documents/crimestats2018_19_apd.pdf

SRS SYSTEM

Prior to 2018, APD reported data using the Summary Reporting System (SRS), which included 8 crime categories and counted only the most serious offense during an incident. The 8 offenses were chosen because they are serious crimes, they occur with regularity in all areas of the country, and they are likely to be reported to police. In the traditional Summary Reporting System (SRS), the eight crimes, or Part I offenses are:

1. Murder and Nonnegligent Manslaughter
2. Forcible Rape
3. Robbery
4. Aggravated Assault
5. Burglary
6. Larceny-theft
7. Motor Vehicle Theft
8. Arson

A link providing a complete definition of each category under the SRS system is here:

https://www.bjs.gov/ucrdata/offenses.cfm

NIBRS SYSTEM

Starting in January 2021, the FBI will no longer accept data in the SRS format. The FBI is requiring crimes to be counted through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). In NIBRS, there are 3 major reporting broad categories:

Crimes against persons
Crimes against property and
Crimes against society.

The 3 major categories are then broken down into 52 sub-categories. NIBRS counts virtually all crimes committed during an incident and for that reason alone NIMRS is far more sophisticated than the “most serious incident-based” reporting SRS reporting system.

“In the National Incident-Based Reporting System” (NIBRS), each offense reported is either a Group A or Group B offense type. There are 23 Group A offense categories, comprised of 52 Group A offenses and 10 Group B offense categories. Law enforcement agencies report Group A offenses as part of a NIBRS incident report, but they report only arrest data for Group B offenses.

Each offense collected in NIBRS belongs to one of three categories: Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Property, or Crimes Against Society.

Crimes Against Persons include murder, rape, and assault, and are those in which the victims are always individuals.

Crimes Against Property include robbery, bribery, and burglary, or to obtain money, property, or some other benefit.

Crimes Against Society include gambling, prostitution, and drug violations, and represent society’s prohibition against engaging in certain types of activity and are typically victimless crimes.

https://ucr.fbi.gov/nibrs/2018/resource-pages/crimes_against_persons_property_and_society-2018.pdf

“In NIBRS, law enforcement agencies collect detailed data regarding individual crime incidents and arrests and submit them in separate reports using prescribed data elements and data values to describe each incident and arrest. Therefore, NIBRS involves incident-based reporting. … There are 52 data elements used in NIBRS to describe the victims, offenders, arrestees, and circumstances of crimes.”

A link to a complete guide to the NIBRS crime reporting system is here:

https://ucr.fbi.gov/nibrs/nibrs_dcguide.pdf

CORRECTED STATISTICS FOR 2018

In February, 2019 APD reported very different numbers to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program. The data reported showed violent crime had actually increased 3.7% between 2017 and 2018 during Keller’s first full year in office driven by aggravated assaults.

The adjusted statistics released for the year 2018 reflected the following:

Aggravated assault increased 21%, rather than decreasing 8% as announced during Keller’s July, 2019 news conference.

Rape increased by 3%, rather than decreasing 3% reported by Keller.

Auto theft decreased 14%, not the 31% reported by Keller.

Homicides remained basically the same decreasing by a single murder.

Robbery decreased 32% and Keller reported it decreasing by 36%.

The final numbers for all of 2018 showed violent crime actually increased, and in many categories the crime rates only dropped in single digits and not the double digits reported by Mayor Keller. At an October meeting of the City Council, APD provided the revised statistics but failed to report that the numbers had changed drastically. Mayor Keller also did not hold any kind of a press conference to correct nor announce the corrected statistics.

The corrected statistics reported in October, 2019 for 2018 were as follow:

Auto burglaries decreased 16%, not the 38% as previously announced
Auto theft decreased 22%, not 39% as Keller reported
Commercial burglary decreased 3%, not the 27% Keller reported
Residential burglary decreased 16%, not 39% as Keller reported
Homicide decreased 2.5%, not 18%, but homicides have since increased substantially and the city has tied the all-time record of 71.
Rape decreased 3%, not the 29% Keller reported
Robbery decreased 30%, not 47% reported by Keller
Aggravated assault decreased 7.5%, not 33% reported by Keller
Aggravated assault increased 21%, rather than decreasing 8% as announced during Keller’s July news conference
Rape increased by 3%, rather than decreasing 3%
Auto theft decreased 14%, not the 31% reported by Keller
Homicides remained basically the same decreasing by a single murder
Robbery decreased 32% and Keller reported it decreasing by 36%

https://www.abqjournal.com/1335502/crime-declining-in-albuquerque-new-numbers-show.html

https://www.petedinelli.com/2019/11/25/kellers-3rd-plan-in-9-months-to-reduce-violent-crime-hollow-effort-aggressive-sustained-law-enforcement-tactical-plans-needed-reorganize-apd-dismiss-casa/

ONE YEAR LATER

A full year has elapsed since Mayor Keller has held a press conference to announce the City’s crime statistics. On Thursday, July 2, 2020 APD Deputy Chief Harold Medina, Records Division Manager Katherine Roybal-Nuñez and APD Real Time Crime Center Commander Leonard Nerbetski released the crime statistics APD submitted to the FBI for 2019 using the National Incident-Based Reporting System, or NIBRS. The July 2 briefing did not include data from years prior to 2018.

The link to the full APD crime stats report is here:

https://www.cabq.gov/police/documents/crimestats2018_19_apd.pdf

Prior to 2018, APD was reporting crime statistics using the SRS program. In 2018, APD fully switched from the Summary Reporting System (SRS) to National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBERS), the current national framework. According to APD Deputy Chief Medina it is “too difficult” to be accurate to compare data between the two systems and to years before 2018. As explained above, the old system SRS had 8 major specific types of crimes only counting the most serious crime in one incident involving numerous crimes at once, while NIBRS has 3 categories with 52 sub categories with all crimes reported in one incident. The problem is you cannot compare accurately the crimes to the previous years before Keller took office, but the trajectory none the less is that violent crime is still trending upwards when it comes looking at the raw data that is easily gleaned from the statistics.

The 2019 crime statistics released during the July 2 press conference revealed the following:

OVERALL CRIME

Overall Crime decreased IN 2019. The reduction was driven by “Crimes Against Property” which include burglary, fraud, robbery and motor vehicle theft. Between 2018 and 2019, there was a single digit 7% drop, not a double digit drop as reported by Keller, in overall crime, from 75,538 incidents to 70,223.

CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS

Crimes against persons include homicide, human trafficking, kidnapping and assault, remained constant.

Crimes Against Persons increased from 14,845 to 14,971, or a 1% increase.

The Crimes Against Person category had the biggest rises of the 3 categories as follows:

Aggravated Assaults increased from 5,179 to 5,397.
In Homicide Offenses, justifiable homicides decreased from 16 to 6
There was a rise in “Negligent Manslaughter” from 3 to 8.
Statutory rape jumped from 1 incident to 10 incidents.

There were 80 murders reported in 2019, compared to 69 to 2018, both years Keller has been in office.

CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY

Crimes Against Society include drug offenses, prostitution and animal cruelty.

In 2018 During Keller’s first full year in office, total Crimes Against Society were 3,365 and increased 2019 during his second year to 3,711 for a total increase of 346 more crimes or a 9% increase.

Crimes Against Society had the biggest jumps in drug offenses, from 2,515 to 2,796, Animal Cruelty Offenses went from 11 to 32. There was a decrease in prostitution offenses from 130 to 70.

CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY

Total Crimes Against Property in 2018 were 57,328 and in 2019 51, 541 for a total reduction of 5,787 or a 10% reduction.

The largest drops in property crime were in Auto Theft, Burglary and Fraud offenses aside from identity theft, which skyrocketed from 7 to a whopping 437.

During the July 2 press conference, Deputy Chief Harold Medina noted that some of the new units and “proactive measures” APD has implemented has generated more arrests and therefor increases in crime statistics.

The best example given by Medina is the Gun Violence Reduction Unit’s which found more “weapon law violations” and rose from 596 to 709.

Medina also noted the “double-digit” reductions in auto theft, something Albuquerque in recent years has been found to be number one in auto thefts in the country per capita. On June 26, 2019 it was announced in its annual report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) that Albuquerque metropolitan statistical area for the 3rd year in the row ranked number #1 in auto thefts in the country. The #1 ranking was despite the decrease in auto thefts.

APD Deputy Chief Medina acknowledged the city “still have a lot of work to do” in tackling violent crime and said:

“We still have crime that’s way too high, but at least we continue to move in the right direction.”

https://www.abqjournal.com/1472154/property-crime-decreased-in-2019-other-categories-increased.html

HOMICIDE CLEARANCE RATES OUT OF CONTROL

For the past two years during Keller’s tenure as mayor, the homicide clearance percentage rate has been in the 50%-60% range, a dramatic decline from previous years. According to the proposed 2018-2019 APD City Budget, in 2016 the APD homicide clearance rate was 80%. In 2017 the clearance rate was 70% and the clearance rate for 2018 was 56%. The clearance rate for 2019 is 52.5%, the lowest clearance rate in the last decade.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1405615/apd-reports-record-82-homicides-for-2019.html

RESPONSE TIMES OUT OF CONTROL

The time it takes for APD to respond to priority 1 calls has a major impact on increasing physical injury to victims or callers. On February 20th KOAT TV Target 7 reported on an investigation into the Albuquerque Police Department’s (APD’s) response times. In 2011, the average response time to all calls, whether it was a life or death emergency or a minor traffic crash was 25 minutes. In 2019, that time period spiked to 48 minutes in the average response time. Since 2011, there has been a 93% increase in 911 response times with 48 minutes now being the average time of arrival.

https://www.koat.com/article/apd-response-times-continue-to-climb/31028667

2019 BANNER YEAR FOR VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION PROGRAMS

On November 20, 2019, it was reported the homicide count in Albuquerque for the year was at 72, matching the city’s record in 2017. By December 31, the final count would be 80 homicides. In 2019, Mayor Tim Keller reacting to the spiking crime rates announced 4 plans in 9 months to deal with and bring down the city’s high violent crime rates . Those APD programs were:

THE SHIELD UNIT

In February 2018 the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) created the “Shield Unit”. The Shield Unit assists APD Police Officers to prepare cases for trial and prosecution by the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office. The unit originally consisted of 3 para legals. It was announced that it is was expanded to 12 under the 2019-2020 city budget that took effect July 1, 2019.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1325167/apd-expands-unit-that-preps-cases-for-prosecution.html

DECLARING VIOLENT CRIME “PUBLIC HEALTH” ISSUE

On April 8, 2019, Mayor Keller and APD announced efforts that will deal with “violent crime” in the context of it being a “public health issue” and dealing with crimes involving guns in an effort to bring down violent crime in Albuquerque. Mayor Keller and APD argue that gun violence is a “public health issue” because gun violence incidents have lasting adverse effects on children and others in the community that leads to further problems.

APD is tracking violent crime relying on the same methods used to track auto thefts, weekly reports summarizing shootings, refining policies, and learning from best practices used by other law enforcement agencies. One goal is for APD to examine how guns are driving other crimes, such as domestic violence and drug addiction.

“VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PLAN” (VIP Program)

On November 22, Mayor Tim Keller announced what he called a “new initiative” to target violent offenders called “Violence Intervention Plan” (VIP). The VIP initiative was in response to the city’s recent murders resulting in the city tying the all-time record of homicides at 72 in one year. Mayor Keller proclaimed the VIP is a “partnership system” that includes law enforcement, prosecutors and social service and community provides to reduce violent crime.

There are 4 major components of the VIP program are:

LAW ENFORCEMENT: APD was “restructured” to create a first-of-its-kind “Violence Intervention Division” with its own Commander. The division is designed to make cross-functional partnership as productive as possible.

PROSECUTION PARTNERS: Prosecutors from all systems including the Attorney General, District Attorney, US Attorney and Office of Superintendent of Insurance will collaborate to share information and make sure cases are going to the appropriate teams and courts.

SOCIAL SERVICES: The City has always funded social services aimed at violence reduction. However, for the first time Family and Community Services is specifically working with the community to identify the most effective evidence-based violence reduction strategies, and requiring providers to work together in the Violence Intervention Program.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS: The City will reach out to community partners, including the Bernalillo County Community Health Council, that are dealing with the causes and effects of violent crime to work together on this program.

METRO 15 OPERATION

On Tuesday, November 26, Mayor Tim Keller held a press conference to announce a 4th program within 9 months to deal with the city’s violent crime and murder rates. At the time of the press conference, the city’s homicide count was at 72, matching the city’s record in 2017. Before 2017, the last time the City had the highest number of homicides in one year was in 1996 with 70 murders that year.

Keller dubbed the new program “Metro 15 Operation” and is part of the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) program Keller announced the week before. According to Keller and Geier the new program will target the top 15 most violent offenders in Albuquerque. In other words, it’s the city’s version of the FBI’s 10 most wanted list. According to Keller, the top 15 will be identified by the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office. Once a violent offender is caught, another violent offender will be added to the list.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1394576/city-launches-violence-intervention-program.html

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/mayor-keller-touts-new-plan-to-tackle-violent-crime/5561150/?cat=500

APD PERSONNEL SHORTFALL

Tim Keller campaigned to be elected mayor on the platform of increasing the size of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), returning to community-based policing and promising to bring down skyrocketing crime rates. To that end, the Keller Administration began implementing an $88 million-dollar APD police expansion program increasing the number of sworn police officers from 898 positions filled to 1,200, or by 302 sworn police officers, over a four-year period. The massive investment was ordered by Mayor Tim Keller to full fill his 2017 campaign promise to increase the size of APD and return to community-based policing as a means to reduce the city’s high crime rates.

Candidate for Mayor Keller promised to increase the size of APD sworn police ranks to 1,200. As of July, APD has less than 1,000 sworn police and not the 1,200 promised, despite the $88 million dollar expansion plan. According to January pay stubs, APD has 950 sworn police and graduated another 50 cadets in mid-March. After adding the new graduating class, and subtracting retirements, APD will still short by at least 200 of what was promised by candidate Tim Keller. With anticipated retirements the total number of sworn officers will be less than 1,000 by January 1, 2021 in that the corona virus has resulted in the cancellation of the Spring APD cadet class.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Three years ago when Tim Keller said “It’s unfortunate, but crime is absolutely out of control. It’s the mayor’s job to actually address crime in Albuquerque, and that’s what I want to do as the next mayor”. In 2017, Candidate Tim Keller campaigned to get elected Mayor on the platform of implementing the Department of Justice (DOJ) mandated reforms, increasing the size of APD, returning to community-based policing and a promise to bring down skyrocketing crime rates.

Mayor Keller no doubt sincerely thought he could do a better job than his predecessor and he could actually make a difference. The truth is, he has not and crime in the city has only become worse since Tim Keller has taken office, especially in terms of violent crime. For the first 18 months of his term Mayor Tim Keller tried repeatedly to take credit for crime rates being on the decline in all categories other than violent crime offenses, but the statistics he released were seriously flawed and mislead the public.

In 2019, in response to the continuing increase in violent crime rates, Mayor Keller scrambled to implement 4 major crime fighting programs that based upon the statistics being released have had very little effect on reducing violent crime.

Although progress has been made with implementation of the DOJ reforms, APD still falls short in completing the reforms within 4 years as agreed to and reforms are still being implemented after a full 6 years. Increasing and growing APD to 1,200 has been somewhat anemic, with the number of sworn police by the end of the year projected to be 1,000.

Mayor Tim Keller can take some limited comfort that the statistics show Crimes Against Property have dropped by a little more than 10%. Property crime may be down, but it is still higher than when Keller was sworn into office.

The far more serious Crimes Against Persons increased by 1% to 14,971, with both aggravated assault and statutory rape showing significant increases. There were 80 murders in the City last year which was the highest number of murders in the city’s history, up from 69 the year before. There were also 2,796 drug offenses and 709 weapons violations.

Tim Keller has already made it known he is running for a second term in 2021. Despite all of his new programs, increases in budgets and millions spent, violent crime is still very much out of control. Simply put people do not feel safe in their own homes. Voters are very fickle and unforgiving when politicians make promises they do not or cannot keep. Sooner rather than later people demand and want results. No amount of data collection, public relations or nuance programs are going to satisfy those demands or make people feel any safe.

When Tim Keller was asked in 2017 why he was running fro Mayor he said “I think it would be really neat to be Mayor of my home town and I have done good job at all the jobs I have ever had.” A re election campaign based on “Give me more time and another chance to do good” is not a winning strategy, especially after what Tim Keller promised when he was running the first time and what is still happening with violent crime being “absolutely out of control”.