The City of Albuquerque employs approximately 4,800 to 5,000 full time city hall employees with 26 separate departments.
The 26 Departments at Albuquerque City Hall are:
Animal Welfare
Aviation
City Clerk’s Office
City Council
Civilian Police Oversight
Cultural Services
Economic Development
Emergency Management
Environmental Health
Family and Community Services Department
Finance and Administration
Fire and Rescue
Human Resources Department
Inspector General
Internal Audit
Legal Department
Management and Budget Office
Mayor’s Office
Municipal Development Department
Parks’ and Recreation Department
Planning Department
Police Department
Senior Affairs Department
Solid Waste Department
Technology and Innovation Department
Transit Department
The City of Albuquerque pays an average of $17.61 an hour to City Hall employees or $36,628.80 a year depending on the positions held and required education level and training levels.
(40 hour work week X 52 weeks in a year = 2,080 hours worked in a year X $17.61 paid hourly = $36,628.80)
https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Employer=City_of_Albuquerque/Hourly_Rate
CLASSIFIED VERSUS UNCLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES
Roughly 4,500 City Hall employees are considered “classified employees” who are covered by the city’s personnel rules and regulations.
Classified employees have vested rights including retirement benefits, sick leave and annual leave benefits and can only be terminated for cause.
Disciplinary actions such as suspensions, demotions and terminations can be appealed by classified employees to the City Personnel Board.
There are 223 full time “ungraded” positions at City Hall, who are in unclassified positions and “at-will” employees who can be terminated “without cause” and who work at the pleasure of the Mayor or the City Council.
“Ungraded employees” or exempt employees do not have the same vested rights classified employees have and have no appeal rights to the City Personnel Board for disciplinary action so when they are fired, they are in fact gone with little or no recourse.
All City Hall Department Directors are all “unclassified employees” and serve at the pleasure of the Mayor and can be terminated without cause.
Albuquerque Police Department Commanders up to the Deputy Chiefs and the Chief Police are at will employees who serve at the pleasure of the Mayor.
APD Lieutenants, Sergeants and Patrol officers on the other hand are all classified employees and are part of the police union and can be terminated only for cause.
Albuquerque Fire and Rescue Deputy Chiefs and the Fire Chief are at will employees.
TOP 250 PAID CITY HALL EMPLOYEES
At the end of each calendar year, City Hall releases the top 250 wage earners at city hall.
The list of 250 top city hall wages earners is what is paid for the full calendar year of January 1, to December 31 of any given year.
The City of Albuquerque has updated the list of the 250 top wage earners at City Hall for 2018.
You can review the full 2018 listing at the below link:
BREAKDOWN ACCORDING TO DEPARTMENT
The Breakdown of the 250 top paid city hall employees for 2018 reveals that all are paid between $100,000 to $192,937.23 with all 250 employees combined making in excess of a total of $25 million in pay.
There is a lopsided number of those employed by the Albuquerque Police Department and the Albuquerque Fire and Rescue Department compared to all the other department with the breakdown as follows:
Police 140
Fire and Rescue 55
Municipal Development 7
City Support 7
Technology and Innovation 7
Finance Admin Svc 6
Aviation 4
City Council Services 3
Planning Department 3
Chief Administrative Office 3
Cultural Services 3
City Attorney Office 2
Human Resources 2
Animal Welfare 2
Mayor’s Office Department 1
PR-Parks and Recreation 1
Environmental Health 1
Transit 1
SW-Solid Waste 1
Civilian Police OS Dept 1
TOTAL 250
The lopsided numbers in APD and Fire & Rescue can be attributed to overtime pay to “classified” employees.
The earnings figures do not include take home vehicles, reimbursements, such as mileage and tuition, and vacation and sick leave accumulated amounts.
With the election of new Mayor Tim Keller, there has been a major shift of priorities and top wage earners at City Hall that merits comparison to the previous Berry Administration.
FORMER MAYOR RICHARD BERRY’S TOP WAGE EARNERS
In 2017 Mayor Richard Berry’s 250 top paid wage earners in order of their pay included the following 27 “at will” employees:
Chief Administrative Officer Rob Perry: $189,936 (#1 highest paid employee)
APD Chief Gordon Eden: $166,699 (#2 highest paid employee)
Chief Administrative Officer Michael Riordan: $152,319 (#4 highest paid employee)
City Attorney Jessica Hernandez: $150,217 (#5 highest paid employee)
Fire Chief David W. Downey: $138,993 (#11 highest paid employee)
Deputy Fire Chief Eric Garcia: $133,872 (#13 highest paid employee)
APD Assistant Chief Robert Huntsman: $132,435 (#14 highest paid employee)
Deputy Director of Municipal Development Gregory Smith: $126,623 (#17 highest paid employee)
Deputy Fire Chief Michael Silvera: $125,603 (#19 highest paid employee)
Deputy Fire Chief II/Commander Joshua McDonald: $124,374 (#21 highest paid employee)
Mayor’s Chief of Staff Gilbert Montano: $124,345 (#22 highest paid employee)
John Soladay, Director, Solid Waste Department: $115,227
Barbara Taylor, Director, Parks and Recreation Department: $114,136
Mary Leonard, Director, Environmental Health Department: $112,230
Dana Feldman, Director, Cultural Services: $110,020
Susan Lubar, Director, Planning Department: $110,020
Mary L. Scott, Director, Human Resources Department: $110,020
Jorja Armijo-Brasher, Senior Affairs Department: $106,441
APD Deputy Chief Jessica Tyler (APD Academy Director): $105,514
Gary Oppendahl, Economic Development Director: $105,510
Bruce Rizieri, Transit Director: $105,202
James Hindi, Director of Aviation (airport): $104,340
Doug Chapman, Director of Family Community Services: $102,260
Natali Y. Howard, City Clerk: $101,942
Lou Hoffman, Director of Finance Department: $99,732
Cilia Aglialoro, City Treasurer: $98,579
Paul Caster, Director of Animal Welfare Department: $98,019
CITY HALL TOP WAGE EARNERS
Under the Keller Administration, there has been a dramatic change in salaries paid to APD with more classified positions as opposed to unclassified positions.
What the Keller Administration pays its top 250 city hall employee is revealing especially when compared to the previous Berry Administration.
The earnings displayed in the below list is the pay in the calendar year 2018.
WHAT ELECTED OFFICIALS PAID
The Mayor’s salary and City Council salaries are determined by the Citizens’ Independent Salary Commission.
https://www.cabq.gov/audit/citizens-independent-salary-commission
Beginning January 1, 2019, the Mayor’s salary went from $103,854 a year to $125,00 a year.
Being Mayor is arguably a 24/7 job.
As was the case with Berry, Mayor Keller is provided with a car, expense account as well as an APD protection detail.
Eight Albuquerque City Councilors are paid $30,000 annually and the City Council President is paid $32,000 annually.
DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND OTHERS
City Hall Department Directors are at will employees and serve at the pleasure of the Mayor, meaning they are not classified employees and can be terminated without cause.
Following is a listing of Department Directors and upper city hall management that appear on the list of 250 top wage earners at city hall:
Chief Administrative Office (CAO) SARITA NAIR: $169,556.80.
(Former Chief Administrative Officer Rob Perry was paid $189,936.)
Chief Administrative Office Chief Operations Officer LAWRENCE RAEl: $165,524.80.
(Former Chief Administrative Officer Michael Riordan was paid $152,319)
Albuquerque Police Department Chief MICHAEL GEIER: $159,513.60.
(Former APD Chief Gordon Eden was paid $166,699.)
Albuquerque Fire and Rescue Chief PAUL DOW: $132,691.20.
(Former Fire Chief David W. Downey was paid $138,993.)
Chief Administrative Office Deputy CAO/Chief of Staff SUNALEI STEWART: $141,300.80
(NOTE: Mr. Stewart has resigned and was appointed Deputy State Land Commissioner).
(Former Mayor Chief of Staff Gilbert Montano was paid $124,345.)
Santiago Chavez was appointed Deputy Chief Administrative Officer/Chief of Staff on January 31, 2019.
Finance Admin Svc CFO/Director SUNALEI BHAKTA: $131,200.01.
(Former Director of Finance Department Lou Hoffman was paid $99,732.)
Animal Welfare Director DANNY NEVAREZ: $130,516.00.
(Former Director of Animal Welfare Department Paul Caster was paid $98,019)
Municipal Development Deputy Director GREGORY SMITH: $124,462.80. (Retired)
ATI-Technology and Innovation Director BRIAN OSTERLOH: $123,643.11.
Chief Investment Officer DANIEL CHRISTOPHER, Finance Admin.: $122,252.80.
Environmental Health Deputy Director MARK DIMENNA: $122,252.80.
Assistant City Attorney STEPHANIE GRIFFIN, Legal Department: 121,073.32.
Finance Admin Services Controller PAMELA FANELLI: $116,443.21.
Cultural Services, BioPark Administrator BAIRD FLEMING: $115,395.22.
MTI-Technology and Innovation IT Project Manager VINCENT QUIJANO: $114,136.00.
Finance Admin Svc Director Gerald Romero (Early Ret E series): $113,155.62
Finance City Budget Officer Olivia Padilla-Jackson: $113,102.04
Human Resources Director Mary Scott: $112,224.04.
(Mary L. Scott was paid $110,020 under Berry.)
Planning Department Director David Campbell: $111,645.60.
(Former Planning Director Susan Lubar was paid $110,020.)
Cultural Services Associate Director Library Dean Smith: $110,987.20.
Municipal Development Assoc Director, Engineering Melissa Lozoya, $110,945.61.
Municipal Development Engineering Project Manager Keith Reed: $110,945.60.
City Attorney ESTEBAN AGUILAR JR.: $110,296.80.
(Former City Attorney Jessica Hernandez was paid $150,217.)
Human Resources Deputy Director LOC TRUONG, $107,576.66.
Cultural Services BioPark Senior Veterinarian CAROL BRADFORD: $105,901.02.
Municipal Development CIP Official JAMES HAMEL: $105,656.00.
Planning Department Deputy Director, BRENNON WILLIAMS, $105,656.00.
Municipal Development Engineering Division Manager BRYAN WOLFE: $105,656.00.
Municipal Development Engineering Division Manager PAULA DODGE-KWAN: $105,656.01.
Municipal Development Engineering Division Manager DAVID HARRISON: $105,656.01.
Wilson, Erika L.PD – Police Emergency Communications Manager: $105,760.00
Planning Department City Engineer SHAHAB BIAZAR: $105,656.00.
ATI-Technology and Innovation Application Architect III JASON FLETCHER: $104,918.40.
Animal Welfare Senior Veterinarian NICOLE VIGIL: $104,326.40.
Aviation Deputy Director Aviation JAMES HINDE: $103,938.00.
(Under Berry, James Hindi was Aviation Director and paid $104,340.)
Transit Deputy Director ANNETTE PAETZ: $103,644.81.
(Former Transit Director Bruce Rizieri was paid $105,202)
Parks and Recreation Deputy Director Kenneth Mitchell: $102,978.00.
(Former Parks and Recreation Department Director Barbara Taylor was paid $114,136.)
City Treasurer, Finance Administration CILIA AGLIALORO: $102,763.60.
Parks and Recreation Deputy Director KENNETH MITCHELL: $102,978.00.
Director of Solid Waste Director MATTHEW WHELAN: $102,440.80.
(Former Solid Waste Director JOHN SOLADAY was paid $115,227.)
KELLER “AT WILL APPOINTMENTS” NOT LISTED
Mayor Keller made a few appointments during the last calendar year but their names do not appear on the list of 250 top paid employees because they yet to have worked a full calendar year.
Notwithstanding, Mayor Keller has been hiring Department Directors at starting pay of between $108,000 to $112,00 a year.
There are 6 Department Directors that are not on the list of 250 top paid city hall employees and they are:
Aviation Director Nyika Allen
City Clerk Katy Duhigg
Cultural Services Director Shelle Sanchez.
Senior Affairs Director Ana Sanchez.
New Jersey State Trooper Leonard Nerbetski as the “Real Time Crime Center Director”.
Newly created job positions created and appointed hires not listed in the 250 list are:
APD Deputy Chief of Staff Elizabeth Armijo in charge of public and media relations.
Former United States Attorney Damon Martinez as an APD Policy writer at $118,000 a year.
Senior Public Safety Advisor James Lewis (Reportedly hired on $75,000 contract.)
Assistant Mayor Gary Lee who reportedly was hired at $75,000.
311 Assistant and Keller longtime political consultant Alan Packman reportedly hired at $75,000.
APD CHIEF UPPER COMMAND STAFF
All 5 of the APD top command staff are “unclassified positions” and serve at the pleasure of the Mayor, can be terminated without cause and arguably the positions are 24/7 jobs.
The salaries Mayor Keller is paying his top APD command staff are significantly less than many Police Officers 1st Class, Sergeants and Lieutenants and are as follows:
Geier, Michael PD-Police Chief of Police, $159,513.60
(Former APD Chief Gordon Eden was paid $166,699)
Garcia, Eric JPD-Police PDP Deputy Chief, $134,249.53
Gonzalez, Arturo EPD-Police PDP Deputy Chief, $126,199.92
Banez, Rogelio NPD-Police PDP Deputy Chief, $123,856.00
Medina, Harold PD-Police PDP Deputy Chief, $123,856.00
(Former APD Assistant Chief Robert Huntsman was paid $132,435)
ABQ’S FIRE AND RESCUE UPPER COMMAND STAFF
The AFR Fire Chief and Deputy Chiefs are unclassified positions and serve at the pleasure of the Mayor and can be terminated without cause and arguably the positions are 24/7 jobs
40 of the top 250 wage earners are employed by Albuquerque Fire and Rescue and they include the following 24 individuals:
Dow, Paul, Fire & Rescue Chief – $132,691.20
(Former Fire Chief David W. Downey was paid $138,993)
Eakes, Adam CFD-Fire FP2, Deputy Fire Chief – $133,245.50
Gallegos, Gene LFD-Fire FP2, Deputy Fire Chief – $149,659.60
Mowery, David EFD-FireFP2, Deputy Fire Chief – $142,378.40
Eakes, Adam CFD-FireFP2, Deputy Fire Chief – $133,245.50
Frazier, Sean RFD- Deputy Fire Chief – $125,193.89
(Former Deputy Fire Chief Michael Silvera was paid $125,603.)
(Former Deputy Fire Chief/Commander Joshua McDonald was paid $124,374)
Nieto, Edward JFD-Fire Para Lieutenant – $141,920.62
Justiniano , Anthony LFD, FireFC2Captain – $140,291.73
Anderson, Clinton LFD, Fire Para Captain – $134,018.66
Rosato, Mario PFD-Fire, FL1 Lieutenant – $136,603.80
Garcia, Santos, CFD-Fire FM, Battalion Chief – $131,794.12
Tapia, Jacob AFD-Fire, Para Lieutenant – $130,426.11
Elks, Sean TFD-Fire Deputy Fire Chief, $129,113.45
Kim, Chad SFD-Fire Battalion Chief – $128,490.77
Hansen, Jeremiah JFD-Fire Battalion Chief – $126,961.42
Gallucci, Pasquale AFD Battalion Chief – $123,586.48
Garcia, Jason AFD Battalion Chief – $123,277.01
Longdon, Jonathan DFD-Fire Para Lieutenant – $122,363.85
Staley, Justin, LFD-Fire Battalion Chief – $121,120.90
Montero, Alex OFD-Fire FM1 Battalion Chief – $120,955.19
Lujan, Robert WFD-FireFM2 Battalion Chief – $120,660.24
Puariea, Karla -Fire RL1 Para Lieutenant – $120,450.67
Cordova, Paul LFD-Fire Lieutenant – $119,467.36
Sanchez, Frank PFD-Fire Battalion Chief – $118,345.43
APD HOURLY WAGES PAID
Starting pay for an APD Police Officer immediately out of the APD academy is $29 an hour or $60,320 yearly. (40 hour work week X 52 weeks in a year = 2,080 hours worked in a year X $29 paid hourly = $60,320.)
Police officers with 4 to 14 years of experience are paid $30 an hour or $62,400 yearly. (40-hour work weeks in a year X 52 weeks in a year = 2,080 hours worked in a year X $30 paid hourly = $62,400.)
Senior Police Officers with 15 years or more experience are paid $31.50 an hour or $65,520 yearly. (40 hours work in a week X 52 weeks in year = 2,080 hours worked in a year X $31.50 = $65,520.)
The rate for APD Sergeants is $35 an hour, or $72,800. (40-hour work week X 52 weeks in a year = 2080 hours worked in a year X $35.0 paid hourly = $72,800.)
The rate for APD Lieutenants pay is $40.00 an hour or $83,200. (40 hour work week X 52 weeks in a year = 2080 hours worked in a year X $40.00 = $83,200.)
THE 124 TOP PAID APD SWORN POLICE OFFICERS
The listing of the city’s 250 top wage earners includes 140 rank and file police officers who are patrol officers first class.
The 140 top wage city hall wage earners employed by the Albuquerque Police Department include patrol officers first class, sergeants, lieutenants, commanders the deputy chiefs, and the chief with annual pay ranging from $101,000 a year up to $192,937 a year.
Far more Police Officers 1st Class are earning six figures under the Keller Administration than under the last year of the Berry Administration.
The six figure salaries being paid to sworn police can be directly attributed to “overtime” worked by those sworn police officers.
124 sworn police officers were paid between $101,633.11 to $192,037 for 2018 calendar year under the Keller Administration and they are:
POLICE OFFICERS PAID $151,313 TO $192,000
Drobik, Simon – Master Police Officer 1st Class $192,937.23.
Johnson, Brian APD- Senior Police Officer 1st Class: $166,692.01.
Garza, Ramiro JPD- Senior Police Officer 1st Class: $163,223.63.
Hollier, Jeremy BPD-Police, PE1, Senior Police Officer 1st Class: $160,692.06.
Canales, LadioPD-Police, Senior Police Officer 1st Class: $152,876.94.
Redhouse, Leighton – Senior Police Officer 1st Class: $151,313.71.
POLICE OFFICERS PAID $126,162.80 TO $144,510.44.
Bassett, Jeremy, Police Lieutenant, $144,510.44.
Martinez, Yvonne, Master Police Officer 1st Class, $144,421.25.
McCumber, Wayne – Master Police Officer 1st Class $142,033.83.
Correia, Donald RPD- Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $140,755.81.
Maes, Kelly RPD- Senior Police Officer 1st C1ass, $138,318.85.
McElroy, Matthew PD-Police Sergeant, $138,158.09.
Lehocky, Andrew , Master Police Officer 1st Class $137,449.07.
Languit, Luke CPD-Police Lieutenant, $134,328.74.
Price, Bryan HPD-Police Sergeant, $133,880.63.
Mc Carson, Timothy, Senior Police Officer 1st Class $132,742.86.
Rico, Michael KPD-Police Senior Police Officer 1st Class $132,740.13.
Kenny, Sean PPD-Police Sergeant $132,604.80.
Parsons, Scott – Police Lieutenant, $131,519.64.
Frick, Sean, APD Lieutenant, $131,375.48.
Pearson, Nicholas, Master Police Officer 1st Class, $130,077.97.
Hernandez, Francisco Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $128,887.30.
Burchell, Edward – Master Police Officer 1st Class, $127,987.25.
Stockton, Robert MPD-Police Sergeant, $127,612.72.
Patterson, Christopher APD-Police Sergeant, $127,557.19.
Hernandez, Michael FPD-Police Sergeant $127,456.76.
Arnold, Jerry, Police Officer 1st Class $127,409.90.
Martinez, Vicente, Senior Police Officer 1st Class $126,798.71.
Breeden, Charles, Senior Police Officer 1st Class $126,300.45.
Wetterlund, Christopher, Senior Police Officer 1st Class $126,162.80.
POLICE OFFICERS PAID $113,498.98 TO $125,088.48
Economidy III, Byron, Senior Police Officer 1st Class $125,088.48.
Schmidt, Matthew -Police Sergeant $124,581.73.
Sandoval, Albert, PD-Police Sergeant $124,555.16.
Jones, Aaron M., PD-Police Sergeant $122,687.41.
Solis, Emmanuel, PD-Police Officer 1st Class $120,859.89.
Solis, Brenda, – Senior Police Officer 1st Class $120,202.55.
Haugh, Paul, – Police Sergeant $116,785.41
Frazier, Jared Senior Police Officer 1st Class $116,584.31
Pitzer, Brian -Police Sergeant $116,233.46
Mcpeek, Luke, Police Officer 1st Class, $116,079.13
Brown, Jason, Police Officer 1st Class, $116,019.57
Altman, Steve APD- Police Lieutenant, $115,945.46
Pholphiboun, Phetamphone – Senior Police Officer 1st Class 115,789.25
Garcia, Jennifer, Police Lieutenant $115,466.52
O’Neil, Craig -Police Master Police Officer 1st Class, $115,449.83
Walsh, Johnathan – Senior Police Officer 1st Class, 115,362.83
Vigil Jr, Thomas – Police Officer 1st Class, $114,873.36
English, Michelle – Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $114,843.40
Martinez, Dominic- Police Sergeant $114,744.44
Avila, Michael APD-Police Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $114,608.23
Acosta, Arthur – Master Police Officer 1st Class, $114,301.75
Velarde, Mark – APD-Police Commander, $113,775.47
Hernandez Jr, Jimmy – Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $113,711.03
Duda, Christopher – Police Officer 1st Class $113,686.70
Nelson, Eric -Police Sergeant, $113,676.40
Swessel, Robert APD-Police Master Police Officer 1st Class, $113,631.63
Trebitowski, Justin, Police Sergeant, $113,498.98
POLICE OFFICERS PAID $109,315.89 TO $112,516.27
Chavez, Matthew Police Sergeant, $112,516.27
Griffin, David Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $112,184.05
Shook, Michael. Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $112,127.41
Lujan, Jude -Police Sergeant, $112,105.32
George, Christopher -Police Commander, $112,051.14
Lowe, Cori MPD-Police Lieutenant $112,042.96
Jojola, Eric, -Aviation, Senior Police Officer 1st Class $112,012.36
Curtis, Kyle -Police Sergeant, $111,713.00
Rogillio, Justin Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $ 111,459.55
Hernandez, Armando F. Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $111,333.69
Geno Virgil -Police Master Police Officer 1st Class, $110,790.71
Tafoya, Dennis -Police Sergeant $110,515.94
Westbrook, Jason, Police Sergeant, $110,467.02
Martinez, Christopher Police Officer 1st Class 110,462.11
Deyapp, Lena, Lieutenant $110,409.49
Franklin, Daniel Senior Police Officer 1st Class 110,353.90
Barraza,ReneP -Police Lieutenant $110,322.89
Lewandowski, Kamil – Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $109,704.42
Espinosa, Timothy, -Police Lieutenant $109,431.88
Sanchez Jr, Arturo – Commander $109,377.75
Burke, Joseph MPD-Police Commander $109,324.78
Middleton, Robert LPD-Police Commander $109,315.89
POLICE OFFICERS PAID $105,076.20 TO $108,946.45
Montano, JoshuaPD- Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $108,946.45
Rivera, Donovan JPD-Police Lieutenant, $108,887.81
Richards,Joshua , Police Sergeant $108,769.94
Champine,Daniel, Master Police Officer 1st Class $108,688.47
Hotle, Timothy Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $108,637.13
Saladin, David Police Lieutenant, $108,530.11
Henckel, Louis, Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $108,025.43
Sanders, Nicholas, -Police Lieutenant $107,908.60
Wallace,Sean, -Police Lieutenant $107,162.20
Griego, Jon JPD-Police Commander $107,107.76
Anderson, Hollie , Police Sergeant $107,028.92
Hernandez, Kevin, Police Officer 1st Class $106,998.58
Abernathy, Jeffery, Police Sergeant, $ 106,746.23
Willsey, Cody, Police Officer 1st Class $106,555.32
Barnard, Jeffery R.PD-Police Sergeant $106,080.11
Miller, Michael -Police Commander $106,066.92
Sanchez, Jose -Police Lieutenant $106,009.53
Burton Whitney N., PD- Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $105,751.51
Duran, Paul -Police Commander $105,715.70
Ortiz, JamesPD-Police Sergeant, $105,650.05
Pelot, Jerrod, Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $105,625.48
Landavazo, Mark -Police Sergeant, $105,556.20
Collins, James WPD-Police Commander, $105,551.20
Reeder, Matthew -Police Sergeant $105,384.17
Campbell, Michelle MPD-Police Commander, $105,076.20
POLICE OFFICERS PAID $101,633.11 TO $104,987.69
Luna, Michael APD- Master Police Officer 1st Class, $104,987.69
Brodbeck, Michael, – Police Sergeant $104,444.00
Simmons, Ferris APD- Police Lieutenant $104,370.87
Hunt, Justin, Police Sergeant, $104,240.59
Edmonson, Larry RPD-Police Master Police Officer 1st Class $103,980.08
Porlas, Dwight -Police Master Police Officer 1st Class $103,913.13
Candelaria, Deirdre -Police Master Police Officer 1st Class $103,714.21
Sather, Jonathan CPD-Police Lieutenant, $103,570.91
Cottrell, Zakary FPD-Police Lieutenant, $103,508.14
Juarez, Terra – Master Police Officer 1st Class, $103,502.51
Wild, Amanda -Police Sergeant $103,327.14
Olvera, Donovan, -Police Commander, $103,164.40
Groff, Matthew SPD- Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $103,119.45
Oates, Michael, Senior Police Officer 1st Class, $103,023.11
Brown, Eric- Police Sergeant $102,843.60
Babcock, Tod, Master Police Officer 1st Class $102,420.66
Jones, Michael, Senior Police Officer 1st Class $102,357.23
DeAguero, Daren JPD- Senior Police Officer 1st Class $102,060.09
Meyer, Jesse, Master Police Officer 1st Class $102,001.77
Roach, Gerald, Master Police Officer 1st Class, $101,968.25
Moreno, Alan Police Officer 1st Class, $101,633.11
APD LONGEVITY BONUS PAY
APD police officers are also paid longevity bonus pay at the end of a year as follows:
For 5 years of experience: $100 are paid bi-weekly, or $2,600 yearly
For 6 years of experience: $125 are paid bi-weekly, or $3,250 yearly
For 7 to 9 years of experience: $225 are paid bi-weekly, or $5,800 yearly
For 10 to 12 years of experience: $300 are paid bi-weekly, or $7,800 yearly
For 13 to 15 years o experience: $350 are paid bi-weekly, or $9,100 yearly
For 16 to 17 years or more: $450 are paid bi-weekly, or $11,700 yearly
For 18 or more years of experience: $600 are paid bi-weekly, 15,600 yearly
COMPARING BERRY AND KELLER TOP APD WAGE EARNERS
During the Berry Administration last year in office, a total of 124 of the 250 top wage earners at city hall were employed by the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) and included patrol officers, sergeants, lieutenants, commanders and deputy chiefs, assistant chief and the chief with annual pay ranging from $95,000 a year up to $166,699 a year.
Under the Keller Administration first full calendar year in office, 140 of the 250 top city hall wage earners are employed by APD and include patrol officers first class, sergeants, lieutenants, commanders the deputy chiefs, and the chief with annual pay ranging from $101,000 a year up to $192,937 a year.
During the Berry Administration last year in office, 5 APD Patrol Officers First Class were listed in the top 250 city wage workers as being paid $146,971, $145,180, $140,243, $137,817 and $125,061 respectfully making them the 6th, the 7th, the 10th, the 12th and the 20th highest paid employees at city hall.
Under the Keller Administration first year in office, 5 APD Senior Patrol Officers First Class are listed in the top 250 city wage earners for 2018 as being paid $166,692, $163,223, $160,692, $152,876.94 and $151,313.71 making them the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 10th, and 11th highest paid employees at city hall.
APD Sergeants and Lieutenants are supervisors and managers are part of the police union bargaining unit and under the union contract are allowed to bill for overtime worked.
Under the union contract APD Patrol Offers First Class are paid a minimum of two hours in overtime pay at time and a half when they appear in court on their days off for arraignments or trials.
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 but actually spent $13 million.
A city internal audit report released in March, 2017 revealed that the Albuquerque Police Department spent over $3.9 million over its $9 million “overtime” budget.
APD EXPANSION PROGRAM
The Keller Administration intends to spend $88 million dollars over a 4 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 2018-2019 fiscal year budget provides for increasing funding from 1,000 sworn police to 1,040.
The massive investment is being done in order to full fill Mayor Tim 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.
APD is projecting that it will have 980 officers by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, 2019 summer by growing the ranks with both new cadets and lateral hires from other departments, including APD retirees.
ELECTED ALBUQUERQUE CITY COUNCILLORS
Albuquerque City Councilors’ salary are determined by the Citizen’s Independent Salary Commission.
Eight Albuquerque City Councilors are paid $30,000 annually and the City Council President is paid $32,000 annually.
There are 3 City Council staff that are in the top 250 paid city hall employees:
Director of City Council Services Stephanie Yara, $124,118.61
KCL-Council Services Director Jon Zaman, $121,174.16
Council Services Council Policy Analyst/Lg&Land Christopher Melendrez $119,462.40
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
The number of six figure salaries or pay under Mayor Tim Keller has increased significantly during his first full calendar year in office.
There are significantly more “classified” positions that are being paid six figure salaries, especially within APD and requires you to assume they are doing a good, great or an exceptional job which is very problematic if and when it turns out that is not the case.
The six figure salaries being paid to sworn Patrol Officers 1st Class is directly attributed to “overtime” worked by those sworn police officers which is very problematic.
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 can be 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 and bonus pay.
APD is projected to have upwards of 980 sworn police by July 1, 2019.
Last year, APD spent $11.5 million paying sworn police overtime.
The city budgeted $9 million in police overtime in the 2019 fiscal year, which ends in June 30, 2019.
Overtime used by APD should come down as more police officers are added to the ranks, but do not bet on it given the APD’s extensive history of spending more on overtime than they are given.
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.
For the first time in years, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) is placing a “cap” on how much overtime police officers can work in a week.
It’s about time and long overdue that APD places a cap on all police overtime and it should be made permanent.
APD police sergeants and lieutenants are the ones on the frontline to enforce personnel rules and regulations, standard operating procedures, approve and review work performed and assist in implementing DOJ reforms and standard operating procedures policies.
All Police Officers 1st class, Sergeants and Lieutenants are “classified positions” and part of the police union, they cannot be terminated without cause and have appeal rights and remedies under the personnel rules and regulations and have protections under their collective bargaining agreement between police and the city.
Police Officers 1st class are not part of management and have every right to be represented by a union to negotiate wages and benefits.
APD Sergeants and APD Lieutenants need to be made “at will” and unclassified and removed from the union bargaining unit to reflect they are management and in order to get a real buy in to APD management’s goals, police reform and the Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA).
CONCLUSION
The trend of having more classified employees earning such high pay does not bode well from an executive personnel management standpoint of not being able to remove personnel without cause nor make management and policy decisions that that may be strenuously resisted by classified upper management personnel who are more interested in being disruptive to getting anything done.
Placing a mandatory “cap” on overtime will be resisted.
Management must be able to make policy and personnel decisions and be able to immediately remove and even replace upper management employees who are not performing their jobs or who engage in unethical, questionable, disruptive and at times illegal conduct in violation of personnel rules and regulations.
For related blog articles see:
Highest Paid City Hall Employees Are Police; Cap On Police Overtime Pay Long Overdue
APD Deputy Chief Of Staff In Charge Of Media Relations Is “Political Damage Control” Position
Remove APD Police Union From CASA And Remove Sergeants And Lieutenants From APD Union