Saturday, March 31, 2012

Two APD killings in one week: A community call to action

Cesar Chavez Day photos







Important events in ABQ today

Cesar Chavez Day presented by Recuerda a Cesar Chavez


Today, Sat., March 31, 2012 at 10:30 am there will be a march and festival in honor of civil rights activist Cesar Chavez. The march begins at 10:30am at the National Hispanic Cultural Center at 4th and Bridge SW streets i n Albuquerque. The festival is from noon until 3:00 pm and will include a kid's corner, food and beverages. There will also be a free performance from Ivon Ulibarri y Cafe Mocha & La Banda Tierra Manzanera. Call 505-246-2261 or visit www.cesarchaveznm.org for more information. 


LULAC District 1 Convention 


Today, Sat., March 31, 2012 from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm, the League of United Latin American Citizens LULAC, will be hosting it's annual District 1 Convention at the University of New Mexico on Lomas and Central in Albuquerque. A variety of guest speakers and information will be available to the general public free of charge. 

Friday, March 30, 2012

Email to city council from activist


By Silvio Dell'Angela

Councilors

You received the referenced NY Times report about APD below and read today in the Journal an example of just how broken the DA and Grand Jury judicial system is here when a killer cop is not criminally charged.  Who are these Grand Jury people-former cops?  APD cops are truly untouchable-above the law.

The question by most scared of APD citizens here and likely most others in the US who have been following APD’s routinely exonerated “death squad” officers is just why Schultz is still the police chief?

Stopping cop $500 bounty payments and having new union leadership won’t solve the APD record killing problem but making police accountable and stopping the cover-ups condoned absence of recordings as directed by Schultz will.  As long as the corrupt Schultz is still Chief here, nothing will change!

Do you nine represent us or Schultz and his enabler Mayor Berry?  Time to step up!

Silvio
Stop Police Atrocities NOW!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Police association vote in interim president

Today, March 29, 2012, the executive board of the Albuquerque Police Officers Association unanimously voted in an interim president and vice president. Sergeant Greg Weber will be serving as president of the APOA and Sergeant Tom Henderson will be serving as vice-president. Sergeant Henderson currently serves the Foothills area command station.

According to the press release received from Northeast command representative, Mark Aragon, no other business was discussed at today's meeting. The union will hold another meeting on April 5, 2012 to discuss "other issues among the entire membership".

Mayor Barry, Chief Schultz and citizen activist groups have criticized the union after is was discovered that police officers involved in fatal shootings were given payments in order to decompress. It has not been determined whether or not the payments are part of the current union contract with the City of Albuquerque which may classify them as hazard pay. The Burque Blotter has sent a email requesting additional information regarding these issues to Mr. Aragon and is awaiting a response.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Demonstrators demand 'spring cleaning' from DOJ

By Pilar Armstrong

"Don't procrastinate! Time to investigate!" shouted demonstrators, at an anti-police brutality rally. A group of around 25 activists from the community gathered in front of Albuquerque's City Hall building at 4:00 pm carrying signs of those slain by APD.

The police department has come under additional scrutiny after two killings in one week and the discovery of a "bounty system" in which officers are awarded $500 for each shooting. Officers also receive and additional three paid days off to "decompress". Ralph Arellanes, president of LULAC, is outraged.

"This isn't a timeshare. These are our families, lives, our communities. Until people are held accountable our community will be held hostage by this type of conduct", said Arellanes.

Mayor Richard Barry recently renounced the bounty system asking that APD union leaders put a stop to the practice. Union leaders had an emergency meeting but voted for continuing the bonuses. Ironically the president and vice-president of the Albuquerque Police Officers Association, Joey Sigala and Felipe Garcia, resigned and requested to be reassigned to other positions within the department. An emergency meeting will be held tomorrow, Thur., when an official statement will be made public.

Activists also criticized the popular media in lack of sufficient coverage and racial bias. The recent shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin garnered the immediate attention of the national media and the FBI.

"Why isn't the FBI here investigating? We have 23 dead!" exclaimed Silvia Fuentes, mother of a shooting victim, Lenny Fuentes.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Council is asking that the community attend the next City Council meeting on Mon., April, 2, 2012 and support an investigation of APD by the DOJ.