http://www.freeabq.com/2017/05/16/cop-union-rips-pay-boost-as-a-joke/

(See also May 17, 2017 Albuquerque Journal article, “Budget may eliminate police longevity pay; Amendment ties current and future incentives to revenue, Mayor’s office says”)

The Albuquerque City Council has adopted the 2017-2018 city budget and it contains a longevity pay plan for police officers where essentially bonuses are given to APD police officers with so many years of experience to stay with the department or not retire.

City Councilor Pat Davis sponsored the longevity pay budget amendment and the council voted 5-4 to give officers longevity pay of up to $13,000 a year, but only if the city meets its quarterly revenue projections.

The Davis amendment to the budget places the entire $4 million for longevity pay into a reserve fund, the city would spend $1 million a quarter on longevity pay, with payment to officers contingent on the city meeting revenue forecasts over the next 15 months.

The City’s Budget Officer Gerald Romero says “If revenues don’t pick up [then the money for the longevity pay] stays in reserves. … The way I read it, it doesn’t give us much wiggle room.”

Arguably, an APD officer could decide to stay and work with APD or not retire because of the promised longevity pay and then the City could turn around and say it has not met its revenue forecast and decide not pay the officer the promised longevity pay.

The Albuquerque Police Officers Association Union has called foul and is very critical of the plan given that there is no guarantee that the longevity pay will materialize.

Sean Willoughby, the President of the Union says “Every city police officer considering retirement needs to run because they don’t care about us. … They [councilors] don’t care about solving the problem. This is not going to get ratified [by union members]. This is a joke. They should be embarrassed even talking about it.”

Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis says in responding to the police union criticism “Never has the progressive wing of the council and the mayor’s office agreed on so many sort of different strategies to deal with public safety in a comprehensive way, but the APOA [police union] has not been a good partner. You can’t do anything nice.”

Davis argues that the union should be thankful because “In the two years since I have been on the council, this will have been the third increase for raises and bonuses and longevity to keep retiring officers on the force, and it is working.”

No its not working Councilor Davis because for the last three (3) years, APD has been funded for 1,000 full time officers but has only employed about 850 full time sworn with the police academy unable to keep up with retirements.

The police union may not be “playing nice”, but you cannot blame the police union for reacting the way they did given the eight year history with the Berry Administration and the City Council.

Eight years ago, the Berry Administration abolished the longevity program that kept experienced police officers from retiring, unilaterally decided not to pay a 5% negotiated pay raise, abolished the APD take home car policy for APD, eliminated sign on bonuses and mortgage down payments for new recruits, all policy changes implemented by Chief Public Safety Officer Darren White with the Albuquerque City Council remaining silent and not voicing any objections.

When the longevity pay was abolished 8 years ago, moral within APD plummeted and the mass exodus of experienced officers began.

Pat Davis and the City Council are being disingenuous when it comes to any real commitment to bring back the longevity pay for experienced officers.

If the City Council really wants a longevity pay program they should fund it without any strings attached.

Pat Davis has not been on the City Council for two years as he proclaims but a year and six months, and he has a whole lot to learn about city finances and budgets.

Albuquerque City Councilor Pat Davis is now running for the US Congress as a progressive Democrat to replace Michell Lujan Grisham less than two (2) years into his City Council four (4) year term.

Davis proclaims to be a “progressive” but his actions and votes on the City Council for the past year and a half seem to indicate otherwise.

Pat Davis has agreed with the Berry Republican Administration and Republican City Councilors on so many other strategies and other issues you would think Davis was a conservative.

Some specifics regarding Pat Davis’s voting record:

1. Davis refused to put the ART Bus project on the ballot, voted to fund and support ART and saying there was nothing he could do.
2. When he served on a task force to overhaul our public fiancé law, Davis declined to advocate meaningful changes to our public finance laws making it easier for candidates to qualify for public finance.
3. Davis has done nothing when it comes to Albuquerque Police Department (APD) reforms and has never challenged the APD command staff in any meaningful way demanding compliance with the Department of Justice (DOJ) consent decree reforms.
4. Davis has never demanded the City Attorney’s office to enforce the existing Albuquerque minimum wage ordinance.
5. Davis voted for over $63 million dollars over the past two years in revenue bonds to build pickle ball courts, baseball fields and the ART bus project down Central not seeking public input and bypassing the capital improvements process (CIP) that mandates public votes.
6. Davis voted to award Taser International, a five-year, $4.4 million contract for 2,000 on-body cameras for police officers, and cloud storage despite the fact the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office is investigating the $2 million no-bid contract the city entered with Taser.
7. Davis attempted to privatize certain law enforcement functions with the hiring of a private security company that would employ 25 retired law enforcement personnel who would do field service work and reports for APD, but Davis withdrew the bill after it was reported that the no bid contract for $1 million dollars would go to co sponsor Republican City Councilor Brad Winter’s former campaign manager.
8. Davis called for the City to select and hire an “outside investigator” to investigate the allegations made by a former APD records custodian that there was erasing, altering, corrupting or tampering and withholding of evidence of police officer lapel camera video in police officer involved shooting cases. The allegations included that high ranking APD command staff and the City Attorneys office ordered the altering or withholding of lapel camera video. The allegations are criminal in nature and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced that there is a criminal investigation going on.

As Pat Davis campaigns for the US Congress as a progressive and talks like a progressive, he needs to be asked if once elected to congress will he vote and act like a conservative as he has done so many times during his very short tenure on the Albuquerque City Council.

http://www.freeabq.com/2017/05/15/what-is-the-future-of-apds-reforms/

As I said in this Albuquerque Free Press article “The number one worry that I have is that the current command staff, including the chief, will tell the monitor and the federal judge that so much progress has been made that it would be ill-advised to replace them and that they need to stay and complete the work that they started.”

Another scenario I envision is that before Mayor Berry leaves office, the City will seek dismissal of the Department of Justice case arguing that there has been a substantial compliance of the federal court order, substantial compliance in the implementation of the DOJ reforms and a reduction in officer involved shootings and excessive use of force cases.

Mayor Berry will want to say “Mission Accomplished” when it comes to the APD reforms when he runs for Governor.

In his fifth report, Federal Monitor James Ginger says the lack of scrutiny given by the department’s highest ranking officer’s in use of force cases is “mystifying” and “startling”.

The report is very critical of APD’s high ranking supervisors and command-level officers, accusing them of “deliberate non-compliance”.

The most damning and disturbing findings made by the federal monitor are that APD “subverted” the reform process by issuing “covert special orders,” denying the existence of the orders, and APD exhibiting a “near total failure” to accept civilian oversight.

The federal monitor lays direct blame on the APD command staff for the “deliberate non-compliance” with the city’s settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.

During the May 10, 2017 status hearing, many in the courtroom were stunned when Assistant United State Attorney Luis Saucedo with the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., praised APD’s “tremendous progress” with writing policy and ignored the federal monitor’s findings of intentional noncompliance by the command staff.

After listening to Saucedo, you would have thought he was representing the City and APD.

Court rules are very clear that when you or your client intentionally violate a court order or you lie to a court, you can be held in contempt of court and sanctions and fines can be imposed, including jail time.

ENOUGH ALREADY

How many times does the Federal Monitor have to tell the Court that APD is not complying with the court order, or has mislead or lied to the monitor, before the DOJ files a “Motion for Contempt of Court” and seeks sanctions against the City and the APD command staff for “deliberate non-compliance” of the stipulated settlement order?

In his second report to the federal court, Federal Monitor James Ginger accused the City Attorney of what he called, “delay, do little and deflect” tactics saying his relationship with her was “a little rougher than most” compared with attorneys in other cities where he has overseen police reform.

In the July 1, 2016 third progress report the federal monitor found “Across the board … the components in APD’s system for overseeing and holding officers accountable for the use of force, for the most part, has failed … the serious deficiencies revealed point to a deeply-rooted systemic problem. … The deficiencies, in part, indicate a culture [of] low accountability is at work within APD, particularly in chain-of-command reviews.”

In November 1, 2016 fourth progress report, the federal monitor found that when “excessive use of force” incidents are investigated by the APD Critical Incident Team, it “[deploys] carefully worded excuses, apparently designed not to find fault with officer actions” and “[uses] language and terminology apparently designed to absolve officers and supervisors of their responsibility to follow certain CASA related provisions”.

It’s apparent from the Federal Monitor’s 5th report that the only thing that has changed at APD is the passage of time and paying the Federal Monitor another hefty sum of money for another report that he could have just as easily cut and pasted from his last report.

For the fifth time in three (3) years, the Federal Monitor’s report reflects that you get failed law enforcement management when you appoint a Chief of Police who has absolutely no prior experience managing a municipal police department and who is considered a “political operative” and when you keep or return people who created participated or did not stop the culture of aggression and the “deeply-rooted systemic problems” found by the Department of Justice.

DUMP THEM ALL

The entire chain of command of APD must be removed and replaced by the next Mayor with a new generation of leadership and not from within the ranks of APD.

A national search must be conducted to identify and hire a new Chief of Police, to hire new Deputy Chiefs and a new chain of command to assume control of APD.

The City Council can implement complete civilian authority and management control over APD with a civilian Police Commissioner to assume responsibility for implementation of the DOJ mandated reforms and create a Department of Public Safety.

APD has repeatedly shown it cannot police itself and the APD Internal Affairs Unit must be abolished.

There is a need to “civilianize” the APD Internal Affairs functions to investigate police misconduct cases and use of force cases, and to implement the Department of Justice reforms.

The investigation of police misconduct cases and excessive use of force cases not resulting in death or nor serious bodily harm can be done by “civilian” personnel investigators.

The function and responsibility for investigating APD misconduct cases and violations of personnel policy and procedures can be assumed by the Office of Independent Council in conjunction with the City Human Resources Department and the Office of Internal Audit.

Until there is a real change in the entire APD command staff, we can expect to continue to be “mystified” and “startled” by the lack of progress and implementation of the DOJ consent decree mandated reforms and the disappearance of the DOJ reforms into the “black hole” known as APD.

Albuquerque City Councilor Don Harris suffers from “political amnesia” in an election year when it comes to public safety and the Albuquerque Police Department (APD).

The Albuquerque City Council Finance Committee has voted a “do not pass” recommendation to the Albuquerque City Council on the proposed charter amendment requiring a public vote to mandate the hiring of 375 sworn officers for the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) with the Charter Amendment sponsored by City Councilors Don Harris and Ken Sanchez.

(See May 15, 2017 Albuquerque Journal, Metro & NM Section, page A-6, Panel votes “do not pass” on APD mandate; Charter amendment sent to full City Council”.)

The proposed charter amendment would require the city to have 25 sworn police officers for every 11,500 residents in effect mandating that APD have 1,215 sworn officers.

APD is currently funded for 1,000 sworn police but only employs 844.

Police staffing levels should be tied to work load and case load demands and not tied to population levels.

There is no need for such the charter amendment and it is ill advised.

There is an element of hypocrisy with City Councilor Don Harris sponsoring the charter amendment calling for a public vote on APD staffing levels.

Harris voted for the ART Bus Project and refused to put the ART Bus project on the ballot for a public vote, despite complaints from his constituents, so why does he feel the public needs to vote on APD staffing levels?

The Albuquerque City Council plays a crucial oversight role of the Albuquerque Police Department including controlling APD’s entire budget.

When Mayor Berry took office in 2009, he appointed Darren White Chief Public Safety Officer and the City Council unanimously approved the appointment of White with Councilor Harris voting for the appointment without any objection.

The same year, the Berry Administration abolished the longevity program that kept experienced police officers from retiring, unilaterally decided not to pay a 5% negotiated pay raise, abolished the APD take home car policy for APD, eliminated sign on bonuses and mortgage down payments for new recruits, all policy changes implemented by Darren White with City Councilor Don Harris saying absolutely nothing and not voicing any objections to the changes.

Moral within APD plummeted and the mass exodus of experienced police officers began when the longevity pay program was abolished.

In November 2009 when Don Harris was on the City Council, APD had 1,098 sworn police officers and Don Harris voted for full funding for 1,100 sworn police.

Harris now says in an election year “For three years, we’ve been at 800 plus (sworn officers) and the Department of Justice says 1,000 is a passing grade. … I do not think we’re passing. I think we have to treat this as an urgent situation.”

Is it urgent now because it’s an election year?

In eight (8) years, APD went from 1,100 sworn police to 844 all under the watchful eye of the Albuquerque City Council, including Harris, pretending they supported public safety.

The City Council could act to increase APD staffing levels on its own if it wanted to, because it has in the past and Councilor Harris has voted for it.

The City Council has the ultimate and final authority to fund APD to whatever level it wants with a simple majority vote and historically has done so for many years.

From 2007 to 2009, APD aggressively recruited to get to the 1,100-level using sign on bonuses, mortgage down payments, tuition payoffs and lateral hires to get to the 1,100 level.

Eight (8) years ago, APD was fully staffed with 1,100 officers, and Don Harris voted for the APD staffing and funding for 1,100 sworn officers.

From 2010 to 2014, the city council fully funded 1,100 positions despite the mass exodus of sworn police and the APD Police Academy’s failure to recruit and keep up with retirements.

Three years ago, the City Council voted to reduce funding from 1,100 sworn officers to 1,000 sworn officers because of the Berry Administration’s failure to recruit and keep up with retirements and Harris voted for the reduction in staffing and as of today APD employs 844 sworn officers.

A city council resolution could be enacted calling for the increase in APD personnel and giving raises and calling for retention and incentive bonuses and sign on and education pay to help with recruitment.

Over the last eight (8) years, Harris has said nothing about APD management, not even when the Department of Justice found a ”culture of aggression” that lead to a federal consent decree and mandated reforms.

City Councilor Don Harris has done nothing when it comes to Albuquerque Police Department (APD) reforms and has never challenged the APD command staff in any meaningful way demanding compliance with the Department of Justice (DOJ) consent decree reforms.

Each time the Federal Monitor has presented his critical reports of APD to the City Councilor, Harris has essentially remained silent and declined to demand accountability in any meaningful way from the Mayor and hold the APD command staff responsible for dragging their feet on the reforms, let alone staffing levels.

APD cannot recruit enough officers now to reach the 1,000 level, so what makes Harris think that a charter amendment approved by voters will do any good to add 375 more sworn officers to APD?

If Harris feels so strongly that we need 375 more officers, then he should just introduce and city council resolution calling for it along with the $16 million funding, instead of calling for a charter amendment, but that would require a political backbone in a re-election year.

Harris is part of the problem with City Hall.

For the first time in eight (8) years, the Albuquerque City Council is exerting its independence and performing its oversight authority over the city’s budget to the Berry Administration’s chagrin.

(See May 12, 2017 Albuquerque Journal, “Police wage boost sought in city budget; Increase in longevity pay aimed at retaining officers” page A-1)

In this year’s budget, public safety has suddenly become a top priority for the Albuquerque the City Council, with City Councilor Don Harris saying that there is an “urgent situation” and the council is trying to address it.

In a major understatement, Councilor Harris said crime has become a significant problem in Albuquerque and people are worried.

I hate to break the news to the Albuquerque City Council, but increased crime rates have been a problem in Albuquerque for the last eight (8) years and the City Council has done little to address it.

The urgent situation no doubt is the fact that it is an election year for five (5) of the City Councilors including City Councilors Ken Sanchez and Don Harris who are seeking reelection to their 4th and 3rd terms respectively and no doubt they are worried about their reelections.

The City Council is setting aside $4 million dollars for longevity pay for experienced police officers as an incentive to keep them from retiring or leaving APD to go elsewhere.

For an extended number of years, longevity pay was relied upon by APD and it was a proven and successful program to keep experienced police officers from retiring.

The City Council longevity pay program funding consists of $13,000 for APD officers who have been with APD for 18 years or more, $5,200 for officers who have been with APD 15 to 17 years, $3,250 for officers who have been with APD 10 to 14 years, and $2,600 for officers that have been with APD for less than 8 years.

The Albuquerque Police Officers Association (APOA) praised the city councils longevity pay as “refreshing” saying the $4 million was a step in the right direction.

It’s good to have the police union on your side when your up for reelection seeking an endorsement.

It’s noteworthy that no other city employees are offered longevity pay.

The Berry Administration has expressed strong objections to the longevity pay to APD as a major change to the budget it submitted to the city council on April 1, 2017.

The Berry Administration claims it submitted “a balanced and common sense” budget and does not like the City Council’s changes claiming the councils budget is not “structurally balanced” as proposed, whatever that means.

The Berry Administration strong objections to the longevity pay program should not come as any surprise seeing that they went out of their way to get rid of the program eight (8) years ago and the City Council did not object to it and went along with it.

An additional $6.2 million in spending increases for public safety priorities are being proposed by the city council.

$1.2 million is being set aside for 25 additional police service aides who assist with APD calls and prepare reports.

$2.5 million is being set aside for police vehicles, when normally such funding comes from the capital improvements bonding program.

$960,000 is being budgeted for a 3% raise for firefighters, who are always good to have on your side in an election year.

Eight years ago, when Berry took office he appointed Darren White Chief Public Safety Officer, both Harris and Sanchez had no objections to the appointment and voted to approve White.

The same year, the Berry Administration abolished the longevity program that kept experienced police officers from retiring, unilaterally decided not to pay a 5% negotiated pay raise, abolished the APD take home car policy for APD, eliminated sign on bonuses and mortgage down payments for new recruits, all policy changes implemented by Darren White.

Moral within APD plummeted and the mass exodus of experienced police officers began when the longevity pay program was abolished.

In eight (8) years, APD went from 1,100 sworn police to 856 all under the watchful eye of the City Councilors Sanchez and Harris and an Albuquerque City Council that rubber-stamped every single city budget submitted by the Berry Administration.

The City Council is part of what is wrong with city hall today.

Hopefully voters will not “rubber stamp” the reelection of incumbents on October 2, 2017.

http://www.freeabq.com/2017/05/10/doj-stuns-federal-judge/

I attended the May 10, 2016 day long hearing before US District Judge Robert Brack to listen to Federal Monitor James Ginger’s 5th report on the Albuquerque Police Department’s (APD) implementation of the Department of Justice (DOJ) mandated reforms.

(See also May 11, 2017 Albuquerque Journal, page A-1, “DOJ credits APD with “remarkable progress”; Judge and others concerned by harsh criticism in monitor’s report”.)

The fifth report is the most critical report to date and blames the APD command staff for “deliberate noncompliance” with the DOJ mandated reforms.

In his fifth report, Federal Monitor James Ginger says the lack of scrutiny given by the department’s highest ranking officer’s in use of force cases is “mystifying” and “startling”.

According to Ginger, there has been a “palpable shift” in the police department’s approach to the reform process and supervisors and command-level officers have made too many lapses when reviewing use-of-force cases.

The Monitor reported that after two years significant progress has been made with drafting of “use of force” and “use of deadly force” policies and training.

It was noted that officer involved shooting over the last 3 years have been significantly reduced.

Notwithstanding the progress made with policy and training, the Monitor emphasized during the hearing that the most critical part of the entire reform process is the “supervisor use of force investigations” done by the chain of command and it is where “the rubber hits the road”.

During the hearing, Ginger stated that there is a “disconnect” between APD sergeants, lieutenants and commanders with regards to use of force investigations.

According to the Monitor, there was a 94% failure rate by the chain of command to order additional investigations of police use of force cases when it was appropriate in the cases reviewed by the monitor’s team.

Further, there is an 87% failure rate by supervisors and commanders to actually do use of force investigations.

“Failed oversight by the command level results in little corrective action” reported the Monitor.

APD reported that there are 844 sworn police officers currently employed with 488 assigned to field services along with 37 public safety aides.

APD is fully funded for 1,000 sworn officers and therefore APD is short staffed by 156 sworn officers.

It is the 488 field service officers, spread out over three (3) shifts, or 168 officers per shift, that handle 2,000 calls for service a day and 69,000 priority one calls per year, assuming no officer has called in sick, on vacation or in court and unavailable to take calls for service.

In other words, there are 456 sworn officers that handle criminal investigations or that are in the command staff.

Frankly, there simply is no real excuse for the APD command staff’s failure to do use of force investigations other than resistance to the reform process.

The most damning and disturbing findings made by the Federal Monitor were that APD “subverted” the reform process by issuing “covert special orders” and then denying the existence of the orders.

The problem is that the “covert special order” had to be brought up during the hearing by the Court, and not the Monitor.

Judge Brack asked Ginger point blank why during his presentation he did not mention either the special order or his allegation that APD had been in deliberate non-compliance with the settlement agreement.

“I can’t have that attitude, the process can’t have that attitude,” said Judge Brack of the alleged non-compliance to the parties.

Ginger said he stood by all his findings.

According to Ginger, APD had to be asked several times for information on the order before supplying it.

“I’m concerned about asking several times and not getting responses. I hope it is over” said Ginger.

During the hearing, the US Attorney praised the Albuquerque Police Department’s progress in reforming itself despite the Monitor’s recent report that APD has deliberately undermined the reform process.

Assistant United State Attorney Luis Saucedo with the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C., praised APD’s “tremendous progress.”

Judge Brack did not seem to be impressed with Saucedo’s praise of APD when he said “There is an elephant in this room that is not being addressed, the mention of the deliberate non-compliance in the monitor’s report by APD.”

Judge Brack asked if the Department of Justice is changing its approach to the Albuquerque consent decree and the reform efforts given that US Attorney Jeff Sessions has said that the DOJ will be backing off consent decrees throughout the country involving police excessive use of force investigations.

It appears that is indeed the case in Albuquerque, despite Saucedo’s assurances to the contrary.

We are lucky that the Federal Court has the jurisdiction to enforce the consent decree against APD despite DOJ’s wishes or plans, and despite US Attorney Jeff Sessions change in policy.

Frankly, I was shocked and disturbed by the total turn around by the US Attorney’s office and how it went out of the way to complement APD.

US Attorney Luis Saucedo came up with reasons for APD to issue a “covert special order” to subvert the reform process, their denial of it and their withholding of it from the Federal Monitor.

It was as if the United States Attorney was representing the City and APD and not the people of Albuquerque in what is an adversarial process.

Assistant US Attorney Luis Saucedo reminded me of Sgt. Schultz in the classic TV show Hogan’s Hero’s who said “I see nothing, I hear nothing”.

Another elephant that was not in the courtroom is that we will have a new Mayor and new management at APD come December 1, 2017.

I was downright disappointed, but not at all surprised, that not a single one of the nine (9) candidates for Mayor even bothered to show up and listen to at least the first hour when the Federal Monitor gave his report.

The candidates for Mayor want to talk about “all crime all the time” and ride in on their white horse and say they will replace Chief Eden, increase the size of APD and bring down crime.

The truth is, no candidate for Mayor wants to come to grips with the real problems of APD for fear of offending law enforcement and those who support APD, and fear of loosing votes and address the importance of implementation of the DOJ mandated reforms.

All the candidates for Mayor need to articulate and say just how much they are committed to solving the problems with APD and their commitment to the DOJ mandated reforms.

Republican Mayoral candidate Dan Lewis has released a 2 minute, 10 second commercial on FACEBOOK that is impressive, slick and politically hard-hitting on the issues facing Albuquerque.

The ad has been viewed by thousands and it is effective, but is it true?

Lewis gives the voice narrative and the ad starts by featuring his children who are attending college in Albuquerque.

Lewis laments and wonders if Albuquerque will be a place his children will want to stay and raise their own families.

Lewis goes on to say that the “brutal truth about our city” is that we are not defined by opportunity but by “crime, a stagnant economy, failing schools”.

Lewis boldly proclaims Albuquerque can change and its time our leaders “embrace the grit and determination that built this city!”

Lewis has not lived here long enough to know about the “grit and determination” nor the history of those people and families that built this city even before statehood.

As a native of Albuquerque, I believe we are defined by our people, our cultures and our diversity as a community.

Lewis promises “We’ll make Albuquerque the best place to live, raise a family, and to do business. … And the worst place for the thugs, thieves, and criminal gangs.”

Lewis advocates “Real reform and new leadership in the police department” without even mentioning the Department of Justice (DOJ) Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) that has cost us millions of taxpayer dollars to implement the agreed to DOJ reforms.

Since 2010, there have been 41 police officer involved shootings and the City has paid out over $60 million dollars in civil settlements for police misconduct and excessive use of force and deadly force cases.

In 2014, the Department of Justice found a “culture of aggression” within APD, and at that time Lewis said nothing to hold the Berry Administration accountable for the condition and mismanagement of APD.

Lewis proclaims he will have the “backs of the police” and give them the tools they need to put career criminals behind bars and lock up career criminals.

In 2010, when Lewis was on the City Council, APD had 1,100 sworn police officers and APD was the best funded, best equipped and best trained department in its history.

Over the last seven years while Lewis has served on the City Council, the number of APD sworn officers has dropped from 1,000 sworn police officers to 856, yet little was ever said or heard from Lewis to hold the Berry Administration accountable for a deteriorating APD and the mismanagement of APD.

During the last three (3) years, City Councilor Dan Lewis has voiced no substantive complaints about Chief Gordon Eden nor his command staff, Lewis has never called for their removal until now that he is running for Mayor, not even when Chief Gordon Eden proclaimed the killing of homeless camper James Boyd by APD as “justified”.

Each time Federal Monitor James Ginger has issued a scathing report of the lack of progress by APD, Dan Lewis has done nothing with regards to demanding the removal of the current APD command staff and demanding more be done with respect to implementing the DOJ agreed to reforms.

Three years ago, Lewis voted to reduce funding from 1,100 sworn police officers to 1,000 sworn police officers because of the administration’s failed recruitment efforts to deal with retirements.

Now Lewis promises to spend $15 million dollars in recurring revenue to ensure we will have 1,200 sworn APD officers without giving any real specifics nor plan.

APD has been unable for the last three (3) years to recruit enough sworn officers to reach the 1,000 sworn officer level the department is currently funded for by the City Council, yet Lewis feels that throwing money at the Department is the silver bullet for its problems in order to get to the 1,200 level.

Lewis promises when he is Mayor, there will be “no more big spending boondoggles like the ART” bus project and he will “protect taxpayers” and that there will be transparency at every level of city government.

All great words, aggressive rhetoric but shallow promises by Lewis given his record on the City Council and how he has voted.

In a previous on line video, Lewis vilified and attacked judges and blamed our judicial system for our rising crime rates, a popular tactic of Mayor Berry and Chief Gordon Eden , and Lewis even threatened to put judges pictures on bill boards to “hold them accountable”.

Lewis had my attention and I was impressed with the ad until Lewis says “It’s time to shake up the status quo … It’s time to reform and renew our city.” Really, Councilor Lewis? You say this now that your running for Mayor?

Lewis totally omits in the commercial the fact he has been an Albuquerque City Councilor for the past seven (7) years and has been a very big part of the city hall “status quo” and its leadership, including serving as President of the City Council.

Lewis is part of the problem at city hall.

For over seven (7) years, Lewis has failed to address or propose any solutions to many of the problems he has identified in the ad until now that he is running for Mayor.

As far as protecting taxpayer’s money from boondoggles like the ART bus project, Lewis voted for over $63 million dollars during the past two (2) years in revenue bonds, that must be re paid with taxpayer dollars, to build pickle ball courts, baseball fields, and $13 million in landscaping money diverted to the ART bus project, not seeking public input and bypassing the capital improvements process (CIP) that mandates public votes.

The use of revenue bonds is discretionary with the City Council requiring seven (7) votes and revenue bonds do not require significant review and public hearings as is required with capital improvement bonds, so much for transparency.

My point is, Lewis has not shaken up the city hall status quo for seven years, let alone try to reform and renew the Albuquerque Police Department, so why should we expect him to do so if elected Mayor?

At the end of the advertisement, the Stoneridge Group is identified as producing the commercial.

According to Wikipedia, and I quote, the Stoneridge Group is “a political campaign marketing firm based in Alpharetta, Georgia, with offices in Louisville Kentucky. The Stoneridge Group provides the following services to pro-life, Republican campaigns, associations, and non-profits: voter contact mail, website design and complete online campaigns, print and collateral items, and strategic consulting.”

It’s too bad Mr. Lewis could not find an Albuquerque advertising firm that had the “Albuquerque grit” that could produce his ad for him.

Now we will see if Councilor Lewis has the true grit and money to air his commercial on the TV stations and if he can get elected Mayor.