Politico Magazine Article

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http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/what-works-albuquerque-homeless-solution-housing-policy-214527

I was delighted to have made a small contribution to this very lengthy and well written article in Politico Magazine.

My comments relate to APD’s dealings with the mentally ill and how the killings of police officers Michael King and Richard Smith affected APD.

Darren White is not specifically named as Berry’s Chief Public Safety Officer in the article who said it was time to “take the gloves off” when he ordered the removal of the homeless from downtown.

Darren White’s orders and attitude about the homeless cost the City $98,000 to settle a lawsuit.

Mayor Berry has never said publicly if he knew or approved White’s directives and declined to comment.

When I was Chief Public Safety Officer and Head of the Safe City Strike force, I recall vividly being able to work out the differences the City had with the good Samaritans who were feeding the homeless on a Sunday in a park so they could continue to feed the homeless.

My belief is that a greatness of a city is reflected in how it treats its poor, its homeless, and senior citizens.

I want to thank Dr. Jeremy Reynolds the founder and director of Joy Junction for inviting me to speak with the reporter.

Please see my November 21, 2016 blog article “It’s Time to Cleanout APD’s and City Hall’s Sewer Line’s” on blog PeteDineli.com on what I feel needs to be done to reform APD and address our rising crime rates.

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About

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