A message of hope

I just received this message from activist and Vietnam Veteran, Silvio Dell'Angela:


Over the many, many months we have become a growing family who have been working very hard to make this a better and safer City.  Hopefully in 2012 we will begin to see the results of our work. 

Our City leaders likely believe that they have convinced the US DOJ not to come here-that now all is well in APD.   We know that it is not.  We must continue to speak out until there is finally justice. 

Silvio

The Burque Blotter wishes everyone a safe and festive holiday.  

Pilar Armstrong

MLK group never asked City for "free" lunch

Jewel Hall, the president of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Task Force, vehemently denies requesting any monetary support from the City of Albuquerque for it's annual celebration much less sponsoring a full meal for the event. The celebration, held on Jan. 16, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, honors high school students by awarding individual $1000 college scholarships. Students compete for the scholarships by entering an essay contest sponsored by the MLK group. The City recently withdrew it's support of the event claiming that they could not meet the groups demands for sponsoring a full meal for the event and that they were going to start "bundling 'black events'". Hall claims her organization never made any monetary demands whatsoever on the City or  the Mayor's office.
"In previous years there was a liaison from the City named Joyce Pullian who helped coordinate the "Unsung Heroes" (an award given to outstanding unrecognized community heroes) portion of the program," explained Hall.

Last June the organization received a letter from Pullian stating that she was resigning as City liaison and would no longer be participating in the event. Pullian retired shortly afterward. Hall called Tito Madrid, Constituent Services Director to Mayor Berry, and asked who would be taking Pullian's place.
"He said, 'No one as long as Renetta Torres is on the Board of Directors'," claims Hall.
Torres, who's been on the board of directors for 20 years, has had a successful relationship with the City until her son Christopher Torres was shot in the back three times by Albuquerque Police Officers last April. APD claims that the two APD officers involved in the shooting, were in the process of serving Christopher a warrant for road rage. An altercation ensued in the backyard of  the Torres house in which Christopher allegedly reached  for one of the officers guns. Hall alleges that the information she received from the Torres family stated that Christopher was first handcuffed, laid face down on the ground, and shot in the back three times until dead.
The grieving family promptly filed suit against the City and filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Hall claims Renetta even offered to resign from the board so that the City would continue it's sponsorship of the event.
"I said, 'No! You've been on the board for 20 years!'", says Hall.

In a phone interview, Madrid stated that Hall expected for the City to foot the bill for the MLK celebration's lunch. "They wanted more than just a snack tray and we weren't prepared to do that,".
Hall firmly states that all the organization asked was that the City provide program folders, a welcome letter from Mayor Berry, letters of recognition for the 29 scholarship recipients, and help serve refreshments.

According to Hall, Madrid's replacement, Doug Luzt informed her that the city would be "Taking care of all of the 'black events' in one bundle.". When asked what was meant by 'bundling black events' and if the City was going to start "bundling" "Mexican or Hispanic events" both Gardner and Madrid were at a loss for words.
"We are a multicultural group, not just a 'black group'", exclaimed Hall, "This celebration is about community and coming together to celebrate cultural diversity.".

At a recent City Council Meeting, the city awarded a group run by former city employee, Catherine McGill and "New Mexico Need to Know" Journalist, Gene Grant, $10,000 to promote Black History Month.

The City is currently embroiled in a discrimination lawsuit filed by the Albuquerque Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

This year's Martin Luther King Jr. celebration will be held on Jan. 16, 2012, from 1 to 3:00p.m., at Congregational Albert on 3800 Louisiana NE. Admission is free.

Activists demand City Council refuse Deaton's new contract

By Pilar Armstrong

In the wake of the 22 police shootings civil rights activists are demanding that Albuquerque's City Councilors not renew Independent Review Officer, William Deaton's contract with the City. Activists originally asked for Deaton's resignation from the Independent Review Office of the Police Oversight Commission. However, after Deaton was a no show at two City Council meetings activists are now demanding that Deaton's contract be nixed. The new proposed contract adds and additional $50,000 to Deaton's current salary of $98,440. Deaton, who was hired in 2007, is listed under the City's 250 highest paid employee's. Deaton is considered a part-time employee. 

The POC deemed all 22 shootings justifiable by APD. In contrast, many of the families of the shooting victims have filed civil lawsuits against the City and won large judgments because judges have ruled the shootings unjustifiable. Both Civil Rights groups and independent citizens have blamed the complacency of the POC on it's current leadership and are also asking that Chairperson Bambi Folk resign. 

"Grieving family members and many other citizens have repeatedly seen the IRO's and POC's routine excusal of all APD's abuses based solely on lies told by APD to internal affairs," claims activist Silvio Dell' Angela.

Dell'Angela and several family members of the shooting victims allege that the City's record's department also plays a part in complacency by denying them access to written records and tapes related to the shootings. The records office claims that the recordings either were unavailable, reorders weren't turned on or were malfunctioning or a combination of all three.  In an 2010 article featured in the Albuquerque Journal, APD officers claim that the new Scorpion Recorders are not as efficient as expected because they only offer 20 minutes of recording time and that it's too difficult to download data onto computers. However, after visiting a website that sold the same Scorpion recorders that APD purchased, it was discovered that the recorders actually offer over two hours of recording time and come with a complete owners manual. 

POC meetings are held the second Thur. of each month at 4:00p.m., in the City Council Chambers on the lower level of One Civic Plaza NW. The next City Council meeting will be held this Mon., Dec. 19, 2011 at 5:00p.m. at One Civil Plaza NW. Activists are asking for community support in demanding the resignation of Bambi Folk and the refusal of Deaton's contract at the Dec. 19th meeting. 

Road closures in Albuquerque

Traffic on I-40 at Eubank has been closed as well as West bound traffic on I-40 at 98th street.

Update in garbage and green waste pickup

The City of Albuquerque's Solid Waste Department sent out a "recall" on the previous press release stating that there would be delays in Green Waste and garbage pickup. Bobby Sisneros, Marketing Manager for the Solid Waste Department, affirmed that all garbage in Albuquerque should be picked up by the end of the day. The City will send out additional updates if necessary.

Green waste and garbage delays in ABQ

• Green Waste pickup in ABQ is on one day delay.
• Garbage pickup in ABQ is on two hour delay, if your garbage is missed today it will be picked up tomorrow.

Oh snowy day! Delays and closures in ABQ

The following are a list of  closures and delays in Albuquerque due to the wind and snow:

• APS schools are currently closed until weather improves
• UNM is on a two hour delay
• The Metropolitan Court House will be open at 10:00a.m.
• The Bernalillo County District Court House is on two hour delay
• ABQ Ride Buses are experiencing some delays due to icy road conditions on the West and East side of town, log onto www.myabqride.com
• All City of Albuquerque Offices are currently open

Response to APD car article

 

Personally I think that it is ludicrous for Schultz and Berry to be  focused on buying new vehicles and asking for input on the color of the new cars, when both of them are sticking their heads in the sand as to all of the police murders, and Berry cannot even spend a full minute to watch the complete video of his 2 cops beating a subject who was handcuffed and already subdued.

Mayor and police chief request public opinion on new car style

APD is considering retiring it's red, white, and blue fleet of Crown Victoria's for a sportier new black and white Dodge Charger and wants public input. People are encouraged to visit cabq.gov and vote on the two designs. The new prototype was revealed at a press conference hosted by Mayor Berry and APD today, Nov. 30, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. in Albuquerque's Civic Plaza. According to Chief Ray Schultz, Ford will cease production of the Crown Victoria Police Cruiser at the end of 2011. This prompted APD to look at new style and a new color scheme. The City has been using the current model, color scheme, and graphics since 1994.
"The black and white design would allow for more consistency (in style) with BCSD and State Trooper cars," stated Schultz. The chief also claims that the new "look" would make it easier for people to identify law enforcement vehicles when officers pull up behind them. APD has also considered the Ford Taurus to replace fleet vehicles. However, design issues were found with the interior of the car.
The Charger has a full sized spare tire in the trunk area of the car which enables officers to change a flat tire and continue using the car throughout their shift instead of having to leave it at the garage. Chief Schultz also heralded to ease of cleaning out the back of the cars when people (who are detained) have "accidents".
"The rear containment module is completely self contained. Police officers can easily hose out the back of the car,".
According to Schultz, the Dodge Chargers are also cheaper than the traditional Crown Victoria's. Prices of the new cars were not discussed at the press conference. The City expects to purchase approximately 60 new cars with Capital Improvements Plan funding to replace existing fleet cars in 2012. The majority of the cars will be marked vehicles.
Additional Comment:
When asked by The Burque Blotter if a GPS tracking system would be installed in the new vehicles Schultz replied, "No, but with our ongoing efforts to keep up with technology eventually they will be,". In my humble opinion  all government vehicles should have GPS tracking installed to keep track of employee use. Recent discoveries of misuse of city vehicles have been documented in the media. Therefore, it is imperative that APD utilize GPS tracking devices in all of it's vehicles as part of it's "Smart Policing Policy".

APD successfully takes cat killer into custody

SWAT and APD Crisis Intervention Officers responded to a call on the 300 block of General Marshall NE, in the international district of Albuquerque, on Nov. 21, last night, at 7:36p.m. "The subject was having a mental health episode," informed Officer Robert Gibbs, who was also on duty at the scene. Officers were responding to a 911 call made by the family of a person suffering from mental illness who had allegedly killed the family cat with a knife. Additional information regarding the incident was obtained in a phone conversation with APD's Information Director Sargent Trish Hoffman.  Approximately ten to twelve police units were dispatched to the residence blocking off both ends of the street. Officers used a PA system to call the individual out of their home. "Five minutes after the (APD) units arrived on the scene the subject came out of their residence on their own accord (unarmed)," stated Hoffman. The individual was taken into custody and is currently undergoing a psychological analysis. Officers stayed behind to take additional information from family members. The incident was peacefully resolved without any use of force by APD. "The subjects mental health issues will be addressed first then we will address the issue with the animal," stated Hoffman. The Heath Insurance Portability and Accountability Act ( HIPAA) prevents the disclosure of the name of the individual and the nature of their mental illness. 

They Didn't Have to Die Video

Activists remain hopeful despite DOJ delay

On Monday, Nov. 7, at 6:00 pm, approximately 100 civil rights activists of varied ethnic and economic backgrounds, family members of APD shooting victims, and concerned citizens gathered for some long awaited answers from the US Department of Justice. US DOJ attorneys Michael Hoses and Ruth Keegan introduced themselves and explained the role of the DOJ in the impending investigation on Albuquerque's Police Department. The attorneys explained that while they did not have a definitive answer as to whether or not the DOJ would be proceeding with the civil rights investigation they were in the process of reviewing all of the complaints. According to Jewel Hall, President of the Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Center Task Force on Social Justice for Public Safety, hundreds of complaints have been submitted. Activists at the meeting stated that they expect more complaints expected  in in the following days to come. However, many complainants are afraid to come forward in fear of retaliation from APD. "I meet one man (in the South Valley) who had been beaten 37 times by police officers. He showed me a letter that had been  notarized saying 'I'm a US citizen. Please don't beat me'.", said Silvia Fuentes, mother of APD shooting victim Lenny Fuentes. The MLK Task Force has set up a form on it's new website in which citizens can submit information anonymously as long as there are dates relating to the incident, badge numbers and names of officers involved in the alleged incidents are also useful information. Ken Ellis, father of purple heart, shooting victim Ken Ellis Jr., has purchased an additional cell phone in order to receive information from the community. "We will win," stated Hall triumphantly, "We have the numbers and there's power in numbers". Despite the group's proactive stance there were members of the crowd who expressed their displeasure with the DOJ's delayed response. "I've been a victim of police brutality all of my life. I just recently got beat up. When is it going to stop?", stated Gilbert Elizondo, board of director's member for Vecinos United angrily. Information about police misconduct and brutality from APD, The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department, and New Mexico State Police can be sent by regular mail or or email. The web address for the new MLK Task Force website will be posted shortly.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center Board
PO Box 40306
Albuquerque, NM 87196
jcyrus6@msn.com

The MLK Task Force is also in need of donations of any monetary amount which can be sent to the above mail address.

How transparent is the City?

A little over a month ago I introduced myself to Albuquerque's City Council at a city council meeting, informing city councilors that I would be conducting an information audit on the City of Albuquerque and other government entities. One might ask what the heck is an information audit? An information audit is an audit that can be conducted by a private citizen or a large media outlet on a government entity in order to test the accessibly of information. The first step taken in this process was to ask to be placed on the city's press release list. Initially the Director of Information had hesitations on whether or not to place me on the list since I am currently a freelance journalist and blogger. After pleading my case for three weeks I was placed on the list. In the interim I succeeded on being placed on press release lists from The City of Santa Fe to U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman. The average wait time to be placed on these lists ranged from five to ten minutes. I also found difficulty accessing information form the city's official website. Most city websites have a link to the city council agenda's on the home page. The City of Santa Fe emails the agenda after you sign up to be on their media release list. In order to access the City of Albuquerque's council meeting agenda I had to run several queries to access the link. Ironically the website received a transparency award. The Mayor's office will be hosting a "Chat with the  Mayor" event at the Cesar Chavez Community Center at 7505 Katheryn SE, tomorrow Oct. 27 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. For more information call 505-768-3000. 

A Community Call to Action

They Didn't Have to Die
A COMMUNITY CALL TO ACTION

Monday, November 7, 2011

6:00 p.m.

Don Newton /Taylor Ranch Community Center
4900 Kachina NW
Albuquerque, NM 87120
505-768-6006

Speakers U. S. Department of Justice:
Assistant U.S. Attorneys
Michael Hoses
Ruth Fuess Keegan
District of New Mexico

PUBLIC MEETING

• U.S. Department of Justice investigation into Patterns and Practices of Profiling, Excessive Use of Force and Deadly Force within the Albuquerque Police Department
•
• Information and an overview of the September 30, 2011 meeting between U.S. Department of Justice and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center Task Force on Social Justice for Public Safety.
•
• The MLKMC Task Force on Social Justice for Public Safety continues its efforts to bring the United States Department of Justice to Albuquerque to conduct an investigation into the patterns and practices of profiling, excessive use of force and deadly force within the Albuquerque Police Department.

Email response to recent City Council Meeting

Below is an email received by The Burque Blotter, written by activist Silvio Dell'Angela, in response to the recent City Council Meeting on Monday.


Councilor Garduno seemed to be the only one committed to calling for a DOJ
investigation but the "compromise" he felt he somehow had to agree to wasn't
a compromise at all but a surrender to the other four and this Mayor.  What
did they give up?  Nothing.

The Mayor vetoed the original bill claiming it wasn't properly announced to
the public and the amendment changed the purpose of the original resolution.
Well the "compromise" amendment last night did the same thing and yet nobody
cared.

Both the Mayor and the Council will be obligated to support a DOJ
investigation should one occur so this passed resolution accomplished
nothing.

Politics as usual in Albuquerque.

More on this later.

Silvio

Angry words at City Hall over DOJ | Albuquerque, N.M. | KRQE News 13

Angry words at City Hall over DOJ | Albuquerque, N.M. | KRQE News 13

City council votes unanimously for investigation

Tonight at approximately 6:45p.m., Albuquerque's City Council voted unanimously for R-11-275, a substitute bill for the original bill vetoed by Mayor Berry, which calls for an investigation into Albuquerque Police Department by the Department of Justice. The bill was sponsored by Vice-President City Councilor Rey Garduno from District 6.

"This is the best thing the city could have done," exclaimed Garduno after the bill was passed.
"Your voices have not fallen on deaf ears," he assured the families of APD shooting victims.

People from varied backgrounds spoke during the "General Public Comment" part of the meeting. The youngest speakers were two, elementary aged girls, Christina and Alegra who pleaded for the council's vote on the bill.

"Albuquerque citizens are no longer comfortable dialing 911," they exclaimed. "We are working for justice....They (shooting victims) didn't have to die," exclaimed the girls.

Some speakers urged the council to listen to the concerns of it's constituents and warned of the extreme civil unrest in foreign countries as a result of  police brutality.

"Maybe you should ask the people in the UK about how they deal with murderous police," said Joe Gallegos from the ANSWER Coalition.

Veteran civil rights activist Andreas Valdez, reminded city councilors of APD officer, Trey Econimedy's  inflammatory Facebook post.

"I don't think that APD is in the business of "human waste disposal" but we need to make sure," he said.

Small Changes Made
The bill was placed as the fourth item to be heard at the meeting. In the past such bills have been placed at the end of the meeting agenda. This was a small victory for those who are forced to stay until the wee hours of the night to witness the results of a vote. Councilor Garduno noted that the bill was placed earlier in the agenda in consideration for those who have to work the next day. All speakers were required to adhere to the two minute speaking rule.

The Burque Blotter: City Council Bill No. R-11-275

The Burque Blotter: City Council Bill No. R-11-275: CITY of ALBUQUERQUE NINETEENTH COUNCIL COUNCIL BILL NO. R-11-275 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________ SPONSORED BY: Rey Garduño 1 RE...

City Council Bill No. R-11-275

CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
NINETEENTH COUNCIL

COUNCIL BILL NO. R-11-275 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________

SPONSORED BY: Rey Garduño

1 RESOLUTION
2 SUPPORTING A UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION
3 INTO WHETHER THERE HAS BEEN A PATTERN OR PRACTICE OF CIVIL
4 RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
5 WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) conducts “pattern or
6 practice” investigations of local law enforcement agencies if it determines that
7 such investigations are warranted and DOJ involvement can bring about a
8 sustained change where necessary; and
9 WHEREAS, the DOJ has begun reviewing whether a “pattern or practice”
10 investigation should be conducted with regard to the Albuquerque Police
11 Department; and
12 WHEREAS, the Mayor has informed the DOJ that “we will fully cooperate
13 and will work collaboratively in regards to any investigation they choose to
14 conduct in this matter”; and
15 WHEREAS, based on the recent spike in incidents of the use of deadly
16 force by Albuquerque Police Officers, concerns have been brought to the
17 Council about whether Albuquerque Police Officers are receiving appropriate
18 training related to the use of deadly force; and
19 WHEREAS, based upon claims by public advocacy groups of systemic
20 profiling, concerns have been raised as to whether APD Officers are receiving
21 appropriate training regarding implicit bias; and
22 WHEREAS, a local law enforcement agency cannot be effective unless it
23 reduces crime, protects individual constitutional rights and engenders public
24 confidence; and
25 WHEREAS, a loss of the public’s confidence in APD and its leadership will
26 have a devastating impact on the community; and

Page 2

1 WHEREAS, an outside investigation is necessary to restore  the public’s
2 trust at this time; and
3 WHEREAS, by conducting a comprehensive review of APD recruitment and
4 training practices and operating procedures, the DOJ can identify issues that
5 must be addressed by APD; and
6 WHEREAS, the Council expresses its support of a DOJ investigation and of
7 the Mayor’s commitment to cooperate and work collaboratively with the DOJ
8 on such an investigation.
9 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF
10 ALBUQUERQUE:
11 The Council supports a comprehensive investigation by the U.S.
12 Department of Justice into whether there has been a pattern or practice of civil   rights violations by the Albuquerque Police Department.

Jewel L. Hall,PresidentDr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Center Board
PO Box 40306
Albuquerque, NM 87196-03306

The Burque Blotter: Garduno sponsors bill for DOJ investigation

The Burque Blotter: Garduno sponsors bill for DOJ investigation: City of Albuquerque Councilor Rey Garduno is sponsoring city bill No. R-11-275. The bill is a resolution supporting an investigation by the ...

Garduno sponsors bill for DOJ investigation

City of Albuquerque Councilor Rey Garduno is sponsoring city bill No. R-11-275. The bill is a resolution supporting an investigation by the Department of Justice into the Albuquerque Police Department to establish whether there has been a pattern or practice of civil rights violations. The resolution cites Mayor Berry's agreement cooperate with any investigation and recent spikes in the use of deadly force by APD. The bill will be presented at the City Council meeting on Sept. 19, at 5:00p.m. People who wish to participate in the public forum are asked to arrive at 4:00p.m. to sign up to speak. Supporters of the families of victims who have been shot by APD officers are asked to wear blue to show their support.

Activists want equal treatment at city meetings

Albuquerque's last City Council meeting left more than a few people feeling that they had been slighted by City Council President Don Harris's two minute rule.

Councilor Harris announced that speakers in the Public Forum section of the meeting would be allowed to speak for only two minutes on each topic they had signed up for and that pooling or giving up of ones time would not be allowed. Topic of interest to the public were Mayor Berry's Veto of the Department of Justice Investigation and APD's internal affairs report. The Burque Blotter contacted Councilor Harris's office today (Sept. 14) and asked via email and telephone message, if there was any written policy regarding time limits for the public forum and when had it been implemented in the past. The Blotter did not receive a response directly from Councilor Harris's office however, an email response with an excerpt from the rules book for City Council meetings, from Laura Mason, Director of Council Services. Section 8 of the rule book states that the amount of time allowed for each speaker is at the discretion of the President and that time limits must be applied equally to all speakers in the Public Forum.

Jewel Hall, President of The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center Task Force on Social Justice for Public Safety disagrees.

"Two minutes is barely enough time to take a breath. I was not going to move (even when they rang the bell) because I needed some more time," said Hall.

Hall is a certified Parliamentarian who has resided in Albuquerque for over 30 years and is a staunch supporter of freedom of speech and civil rights issues.

"This (police brutality) is making Mississippi look like a Golden State. That's why we organized to advocate for people who are intimidated," said Hall.

Hall also noted the placement of "Reserved Seating" signs extensively throughout the first two front rows near the podium and also mentioned that some speakers who did not speak on Mayor Berry's Veto were allowed more time to speak. Hall's concerns regarding the two minute time limits were relayed to Mason in a phone interview.

"We try to be very accurate as to the time limit.Overall I think that we do a good job at timing. I also noticed that some of the councilors tried to give folks extra time by asking them questions," she replied.

Mason also noted that people can type statements and submit them to the City Council before the meeting so that the statements go on record at the meeting.

Nicol Moreland, Ph.D, a research psychologist with Bernalillo County disagrees with the two minute rule and the structure of the meetings.

"They (City Council) set the meetings too early and put the "hot topics" at the end of the agenda. People have to take time off to get to a meeting that starts at 5:00p.m." she said.

As for the implementation of the two minute rule.

"There's no freedom of speech if people can't get up and effectively question their government," said Moreland.

The Burque Blotter also contacted The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government regarding the issues surrounding the City Council meeting. Executive Director, Sarah Welsh, stated that the Open Meetings Act does not cover public forum at city meetings. However, evidence of discrimination against individual speakers violates the Freedom of Speech Act.

People interested in viewing the Sept. 7th meeting can go to www.cabq.gov\council and click on the streaming video of council footage. A complete copy of City Council Meeting rules and procedures can also be downloaded.

Society of Professional Journalists News: SPJ gives Utah national “Black Hole Award” for egregious anti-transparency law

Society of Professional Journalists News: SPJ gives Utah national “Black Hole Award” for egregious anti-transparency law

City council fails to override veto

Even after many emotional pleas from citizens, Albuquerque's City Council failed to override Mayor's Berry's decision to veto a Department of Justice investigation on APD. Council members needed a 6 to 4 vote in favor of overriding the veto. Instead, they voted 5 to 4, one vote short. Councilors in favor were Garduno, O'Malley, Sanchez, Lewis and Benton. Councilors against were, Winter, Cook, Jones and Harris.

The majority of speakers in the open forum were supporters of the override however several speakers openly supported the mayors decision.

"When have the police become the enemy? We live in a violent ugly society," said Bob Martinez, Organizer for the Fraternity of Police Officers.

In a separate interview with Channel 7 News, Martinez stated that an investigation by APD wasn't necessary and that the community needed to work together to improve Albuquerque's quality of life.

The majority of those supporting the investigation openly asked for APD and Chief Schultz's support.

"The Chief of Police should get up and support the DOJ investigation," said Richard Moore from Los Vecinos United.

It is possible for the DOJ to conduct an investigation with or without approval from the Mayor. It is still uncertain whether or not the DOJ will conduct the investigation.

Mayor's veto of APD investigation by DOJ on City Council meeting agenda

Tonight at 5:00pm Albuquerque's City Council will meet and discuss a myriad of city issues. The most hotly debated issue is Mayor Richard Berry's veto message on article R-11-247 which addresses the City Council's request for an investigation by the Department of Justice into the Albuquerque Police Department officers use of deadly force and alleged pattern of civil rights violations. In previous interviews with local media outlets, the Mayor has stated that an independent investigation of APD has already been conducted and that another investigation isn't necessary. However, civil rights groups and city council members disagree. The meeting calls for an open dialog with the general public. A large turnout is expected.

Another item of interest is the 2011 Citizen's Perception Survey conducted by Research and Polling , Inc. for the City of Albuquerque in March of 2011. According to the survey, a random sampling of 408 adult residents were interviewed by telephone. 54-55% of residents answered that the overall quality of life in Albuquerque was good. 11-12% of residents answered that the quality life was excellent, 24-29% answered fair, 5-9% answered poor, 1% answered very poor, and 1% weren't sure or didn't know. Go to the City of Albuquerque website to download the meeting agenda and attachments at: www.cabq.gov

Cycle of Violence Wheel

Oh crazy day!

After many sleepless nights and countless conversations with attorneys I've decided to start a blog that accurately covers events surrounding the investigations of the Albuquerque Police Department and the civil rights organizations involved. This blog will also cover most Albuquerque City Council meetings. I will stress that I will cover most City Council meetings but not all of them because I am a one person operation at the moment.

For those of you who are not familiar with the events leading up to the Department of Justice's investigation of APD let me refresh your memory. There have been 20 shootings by APD officers on Albuquerque civilians within less than one year. 13 of the shootings have resulted in fatalities. The Albuquerque Police Department's Internal Affairs Unit has ruled that the majority of these shootings were justified. However, civil rights groups and families of the victims who were shot believe that none of the victims had to die and that APD could have used alternative methods to resolve the alleged conflicts that resulted in the shootings. Victims Andrew Lopez and Christopher Torres were shot in the back, at point blank range. Both men were unarmed.

In a recent television interview, Albuquerque's Mayor Richard Berry stated that the majority of APD officers do an excellent job serving the citizens of Albuquerque and that the officers that have engaged in the shootings represent only five percent of the department. Both the Mayor and Police Chief Ray Schultz acknowledge that officers need more training. However, three days of paid administrative leave after a shooting is the only solution that APD and the mayor's office seem to have come up with. Civil rights groups cite that much larger cities such as New York have far less police shootings than Albuquerque. On June 23, 2011, the mayors office paid $60,000 for an analysis of the shootings to the Washington, D.C. Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). A letter to the Mayor from the MLK Task Force for Public Safety cites that the PERF report is flawed and blames the victims for police violence, "rather than reviewing whether deadly force was appropriate in these incidents".

It is my humble opinion that there is a problem within APD which desperately needs to be remedied. Perhaps hiring practices need to be reviewed more stringently or new questions need to be added to the psychological assessment in order to weed out aggressive personalities. The cycle of violence that I have seen with APD is similar that of the domestic violence power and control wheel. I was raised to believe that the police are our friends and that they protect and serve the community and I would still like to maintain that belief. But I have difficulty maintaining that belief when I read reports of police officers shooting unarmed civilians in the back and witnessing officers laugh when the family members of the victims speak out at City Council meetings against police brutality.