A runoff election for Albuquerque City Council District 2 is scheduled for November 10. City Council District 2 is the city-center district encompassing Downtown, Old Town, parts of the University of New Mexico and parts of the North Valley. District 2 is heavily Hispanic and considered Democrat. A runoff election is required because no one candidate of 5 candidates secured the required 50% plus one vote on Nov. 5 to avoid a runoff.

The City Council District 2 runoff election is between 14-year incumbent City Councilor Isaac Benton, age 67, and Zack Quintero, age 28, an economist and recent UNM Law school graduate. Both Quintero and Benton qualified for public finance, but both are also receiving assistance from measured finance committees that have attacked them both.

ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

On November 27, the Albuquerque Journal published a font page District 2 profile of candidates Isaac Benton and Zack Quintero. The Albuquerque Journal article is a must read for anyone in City Council District 2 who has not voted yet in the run off . You can review the full article at the below link:

https://www.abqjournal.com/1395807/veteran-incumbent-faces-newcomer-in-district-2-runoff.html

ZACK QUINTERO

Zack Quintero is a 4th generation working class New Mexican and a graduate of New Mexico’s public-school system. He graduated from the UNM School of law in the spring of 2019 with a Juris Doctorate of Law. He has earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and bachelor’s degree in government from New Mexico State University.

Mr. Quintero is currently employed as a legal analyst with the law firm of Roybal Mack and Cordova. He has been a law clerk with the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and was employed as a city economist and economic development specialist with the City of Santa Fe. While with Santa Fe city government, he helped manage the contract between the City of Santa Fe and Meow Wolf which helped them to remain in the state. Meow Wolf is a major sponsor of United New Mexico Soccer Team which is based in Albuquerque.

Mr. Quintero lists as major professional accomplishment as building and managing a statewide portal to connect graduates to jobs in New Mexico in order to keep young people talent here and drafted and managed workforce contracts and investments between the city and the creative arts sector. Mr. Quintero also drafted and managed workforce contracts and investments between the city and the creative arts sector.

Zack Quintero is campaigning on a promise of change for City Council District 2. His platform and his positions on issues are very reflective of the needs of District 2 and the city’s needs. His 5-point platform is:

1.Fully fund community policing. Quintero wants to “establish a residential burglary unit team within APD and invest in shot detection systems that help our officers’ triangulate gun related crimes.”

2.Targeted funding to address behavioral health and addiction issues. Quintero supported the bond for a homeless center and wants to provide wrap-around services that connect people to mental health and addiction resources.

3. Work with the Mayor and City Council to create a citywide labor force plan to retain our recent graduates. Quintero has said he wants to “connect 5,000 graduates to jobs in health care, tech, education, government, and the creative arts through a coordinated jobs plan.”

4. Invest in after school and summer opportunities for the city’s youth

5. Provide partial student loan relief to graduates who commit 5 years to Albuquerque

In addition to his platform issues, Quintero has taken positions on major issues affecting District 2 and the city. Those issues include:

Quintero has said the Integrated Development Ordinance (IDO) enacted two years ago by the city council resulted in many historical neighborhoods losing protections they once had. His opponent was a sponsor of the IDO which was a major priority of the former Republican Mayor and the development community. (See below Benton profile). The IDO calls for the city to review 12 community planning areas over five years, but Quintero wants to invest in planning personal to cut the review to two years.

With respect to the ART Bus project, Quintero questioned how city leaders allowed it to advance, saying the city failed to “do some basic things” like ensure the quality of the electric buses originally purchased and which eventually had to be replaced with diesel buses and the city failing to get adequate public feedback on the entire project.

Quintero supports mandatory paid leave for workers in the city and has said he likes the Bernalillo County ordinance as it was originally passed. A similar ordinance is now pending before the City Council.

RACIST ATTACK AD AGAINST QUINTERO

The Friday before the November 5 election, a mailer was sent out by a measured finance committee identified as “Progressive Abq” attacking Zack Quintero. “Progressive Abq” was formed to promote the candidacy of Isaac Benton. The Progressive ABQ committee sent a series of mailers questioning Quintero’s resumé. Political observers were saying that there was a poll showing Mr. Quintero was gaining on Benton in the race, hence the attack mailers.

The mailer proclaimed “ZACK QUINTERO DIDN’T INVENT CHRISTMAS ENCHILADAS” an obvious reference to his Hispanic heritage. The mailer had a color photo that was “photo shopped” with the head of a smiling Zack Quintero superimposed on the body of another man of color standing in a kitchen with the person dressed in a short sleeve shirt crossing their arms to reveal an extensive number of tattoos on both arms. Zack Quintero has no tattoos. Candidate Zack Quintero denounced the mailer as racist, as did one of his opponents Robert Blanquera Nelson and other elected officials.

ISSAC BENTON

Isaac (Ike) Benton, 68, is the District 2 City Councilor and was first elected to the council in 2005. Benton is a retired architect and avowed urbanist. At debate forums, Benton emphasizes his 14 years of experience on the city council and highlights his legislative efforts to fund affordable housing, promote walkability and ensure preservation of historic properties such as the Rail Yards.

What is interesting is the Albuquerque Journal story on the runoff race says both Benton and Quintero are progressives, which is simply not at all true. The link to the Journal candidate profile article is here:

https://www.abqjournal.com/1395807/veteran-incumbent-faces-newcomer-in-district-2-runoff.html)

Benton proclaims he understands the area he represents, but his voting record says otherwise. For a full 8 years when Republican Richard Berry was Mayor, Benton acted, talked and voted more like a Republican than as progressive democrat he proclaims to be to voters. All one has to do is review Benton’s voting record:

Benton voted not once, but twice to cut APD’s budget reducing the amount of financing for police officers and their numbers and using the financing for capital projects.

Benton voted repeatedly for the disastrous ART Bus project that has destroyed the character of Route 66. He refused to place ART on the ballot saying it was the Mayor’s project and he supported it. Benton voted to use $13 million dollars in revenue bonds to pay for the ART Bus project.

Benton did nothing when it comes to Albuquerque Police Department (APD) reforms and never challenged the previous Administration and the former APD command staff in any meaningful way demanding compliance with the Department of Justice (DOJ) consent decree reforms.

The most egregious votes by Benton when Berry was Mayor is when he voted for the final adoption of the ABC-Z comprehensive plan which will have long term impact on our historical neighborhoods, many which are in his District 2, and favors developers. The enactment of the comprehensive plan was a major priority of Republican Mayor Berry and the development community pushed hard for its enactment before Berry left office.

The ABC-Z project rewrite was nothing more than making “gentrification” an official city policy and the “gutting” of long-standing sector development plans by the development community to repeal those sector development plans designed to protect neighborhoods and their character. Benton’s support of the ABC-Z plan and his sponsorship was clearly against his own constituents.

On July 2, 2018 Democrat Mayor Tim Keller vetoed the $2.6 million economic development package that would help Topgolf to construct a $39 million entertainment complex at the site of the former Beach Waterpark. Benton went along with the City Council voting 8-1 to give the incentives after a 9-0 veto override Keller’s veto of a resolution expressing the city councils support. A few weeks later, Benton again voted to override Democrat Mayor Keller’s veto of the funding.

Isaac Benton has said he has done a great job as a City Councilor by acting “non-partisan” and that he needed to cooperate with Republicans to get things done.

CONCLUSION

What people should be sick of are Democrats acting and talking like Republicans especially after they get elected to positions like City Council and arguing that they are being “nonpartisan”.

There is a significant difference between cooperating and working with other elected officials from the opposite party and then being hypocritical and going against your own basic political philosophy of what you believe to be true and then turning around and acting and voting against the best interests of your own constituents.

What would be disappointing is if Isaac Benton is elected again saying he is Progressives Democrat when in fact he has voted so very often like a conservative Republican.

VOTE ZACK QUINTERO FOR A BETTER CITY.

On November 25, it was announced that University of New Mexico Head Football Coach, Bob Davies, 65, who is in his 8th season at UNM, has submitted his resignation effective after the team’s season finale on November 30. In a statement issued to the media, Davies said:

“In stepping aside, I’m proud of what we accomplished at UNM, but we are all disappointed that we have not been able to sustain the success that we achieved and all desire. My family and I will be forever grateful to UNM for giving me the opportunity to coach again after being at ESPN for 10 years.”

With his resignation, Davies is ending a 33-year college coaching career which included coaching at the University of Norte Dame.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1395428/davie-out-as-unm-football-coach.html

https://www.koat.com/article/bob-davie-out-as-unm-head-football-coach/29964132

YET ANOTHER UNM FOOTBALL LOOSING SEASON

The departure of Bob Davies come as no surprise to UNM athletic program observers. The UNM Lobo football team has lost 8 straight football games this season with 2 wins and 9 losses. The team has a record of 8 wins and 27 losses the past three seasons. Coach Davies all around record at UNM is 35 wins and 63 losses with the November 30 game remaining. When Davie became UNM Football Coach, the program’s record was 3 wins and 33 loses from 2009 to 2011. Davie did have some success with 16 victories that lead to consecutive New Mexico Bowl appearances in 2015 and 2016.

EXPECT SIX FIGURES BUY OUT

Bob Davies has the distinction of being New Mexico’s highest paid public employee earning a salary and compensation package of $822,690 a year. ($422,690 in base salary and $400,000 in additional compensation for the UNM Lobos to wear Nike products, his agreement with Learfield Sports for radio and television appearances and general “program promotion” obligations). Based on salaries reported by USA Today, Davie’s salary and compensation package ranks eighth among the 12 Mountain West football head coaches.

In contrast, Lobo men’s basketball coach Paul Weir earns $675,000 with a $300,000 in base salary and $375,000 for the same additional compensation clauses as are in Davie’s contract. At the start of 2018-19 UNM season athletic season, Weir’s salary was ranked 7th in the Mountain West Conference (MWC) , and now ranks 6th when a scheduled $50,000 increase in salary began to be paid.

Overall, UNM athletics’ total personnel expenses is $14,531,524 and makes up 42% of its total $34,988,718 in expenses.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1155987/unms-athletic-salary-trend-has-reversed.html

The financial terms and conditions of Davies departure were not announced. The buyout will most assuredly require another six-figure amount paid by UNM. Davies has two seasons remaining under his contract of $422,690 a season as his base pay. It is likely the Board of Regents will approve his departure and buy out at the next Board of Regents meeting on December 10.

The UNM Regents are required to follow policy governing contract buyouts. That policy is very specific and provides:

“The University shall not agree to pay a financial settlement without
(a) an appropriate risk assessment of the case,
(b) written approval by the Chancellor for Health Sciences, Provost, or Executive Vice President for Administration, and
(c) final approval by the President.”

A financial settlement payment by the University of $400,000 or more must also be approved by the Board of Regents.”

A FULL DECADE OF FAILED ATHLETIC PROGRAMS

On July 20, 2019, the University of New Mexico Board of Regents voted in favor of recommendations to eliminate four sports as the school’s troubled athletics department worked to control its spending and 10 years of deficits. The four-sports eliminated were beach volleyball, men’s and women’s skiing and the highly successful men’s soccer program. The UNM Regent’s unanimous vote came after dozens of people, from coaches and players to alumni and community members, testified on behalf of preserving the men’s soccer team and the skiing and beach volleyball programs.

The programs were cut anyway, eliciting boos and heckles from the crowd. Many expressed anger at the Board of Regents for not cutting one of the sports who has the most money problem at the university, such as the failing football program.

https://www.koat.com/article/four-athletic-teams-at-unm-get-axed/22467188

UNM’s athletics department has had chronic financial problems, having missed its budget 8 of the past 10 years. 2018 was one of the worse of the years having a $3.3 shortfall. UNM’s Board of Regents attempted to mitigate that by allocating the use of $1.3 million in reserves in November of last year.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1151469/athletics-mess-threatening-unm.html

In the last two years, the financial woes and major missteps, including criminal felony charges, of the UNM athletics for the last decade came to a head. Following is the chronology of events:

March 27, 2018: Higher Education Secretary Barbara Damron under Republican Governor Susana Martinez wrote to UNM that it had to submit by May 1, 2018 a plan for correcting the athletic department’s deficit.

April 10, 2018: With $4.7 million in debt accumulated over a decade, UNM Athletics announced a plan to eliminate more than one sport, but it did not detail which sports. The university’s Board of Regents ultimately approved a plan to cut $1.9 million from the athletic budget for fiscal year 2020.

July 18, 2018: Citing the deficit, costs but also Title IX concerns, UNM Athletics announced a recommendation to eliminate men’s soccer, men’s and women’s skiing and the women’s beach volleyball to be effective July 1, 2019.

July 19, 2018: The Board unanimously approved the proposal to cut the identified sports programs.

August 8, 2018: The state Attorney General’s office issued an opinion that the Regents’ decision to cut the sports occurred in violation of the state’s open meetings law.

August 17, 2018: Yielding to the NM Attorney General, the UNM Regents meet again and vote 7-0 to cut the four sports.

September, 2018: Gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham vows to reinstate the sports if she is elected.

February 2019: A House budget bill proposes a boost of the state’s general-fund appropriation for UNM Athletics to $4.6 million, up from $2.6 million and more than the $4.1 million UNM requested, on the condition that the four slashed sports be reinstated for 2019-20.

March 2019: UNM sharply defends the decision to cut the 4 sports saying the $2 million offered in the House bill would not cover the costs to keep the sports long term. UNM President Garnett Stokes says “there was no way to become Title IX compliant without reducing sports. ”

March 2019: The state Senate eventually strips out budgetary language in the House Bill requiring the return of the sports in order to receive funding, decrying the approach as “micromanaging.”

August 19: Former UNM Athletic Director Paul Krebs is indicted on 7 felony counts relating to misuse of UNM athletic funds.

May 9, 2019: A new Board of Regents approves a budget of $32 million for FY 2020 for UNM athletics that projects a $1 million shortfall, even with a $32 million budget that has four fewer sports to operate as of July 1. Regents decide to funnel $1.2 million to the athletics program for debt service payment on the Pit Dreamstyle Arena renovation.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1334832/fishbein-closes-the-door-on-unm-career.html?fbclid=IwAR1JCv5yHRxG5y1rSIgS5yjMqr0QC9rnivUvOx_NIcMJpdc0KXDYoe0lSpc

November 25, 2019: UNM Football coach Bob Davies resigns as head coach of the UNM Football program.

UNM ATHLETIC DIRECTOR PAUL KREBS SCANDAL

On August 24, 2019, it was reported that a grand jury indicted former UNM Athletic Director of the University of New Mexico Athletics Department Paul Krebs on seven felony counts in connection with a golf trip to Scotland in 2015 that was paid for, in part, with university funds. The indictment charged Krebs with embezzlement over $20,000 for using $24,500 of UNM money to pay for three individuals not affiliated with UNM or the UNM Association to go golfing in Scotland.

Krebs was also charged with embezzlement counts for using $13,625 in UNM money to pay a down payment for the trip and taking $9,379 from UNM to pay for himself to go on the trip. The indictment also charged Krebs with unlawful interest in a public contract, tampering with evidence, criminal solicitation and tax fraud. The criminal trial of Paul Krebs is still pending. The golf trip to Scotland in 2015 was a prime example of just how bad UNM Athletics has been mis managed for over so many years.

https://www.koat.com/article/former-unm-athletic-director-indicted-in-connection-with-elaborate-golf-trip/28776087#f

https://www.abqjournal.com/1356489/former-unm-athletics-director-indicted.html

When Krebs finally resigned, he was paid $319,262 as UNM Athletic’s Vice President and was on the job for 11 years. During his 11 year tenure, Krebs fired and bought out the contracts of football coaches Rocky Long, Mike Locksley and basketball coach Richie McKay, with the programs still loosing money. Krebs also could not convince basketball coach Steve Alford to stay and Alford went on to coach UCLA.

When Krebs left, virtually all the UNM athletics program were operating in the “red”.

UNM FOOTBALL GAMES FALLING ATTENDANCE

UNM football has hit its lowest per-game total in nearly 30 years with an average attendance below 20,000 fans for the first time since 1992. On October 29, 2018, it was reported that the Lobos were the 27th worst team in the nation in terms of average attendance, ahead of just San Jose State, UNLV and Nevada among Mountain West institutions. In terms of the percentage of stadium filled, the Lobos were the ninth worst in the entire country.

For related media coverage and sources see:

https://www.dailylobo.com/article/2018/10/unm-football-attendance-2018-struggles

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/sports/decline-and-fall-of-lobos-football/article_28f52bff-6537-538a-a9ec-828882bb4f64.html

https://www.abqjournal.com/1368557/unm-hoping-ags-help-give-gate-needed-boost.html

AUDIT IDENTIFIES UNM ATHLETICS TITLE IX VIOLATIONS

Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 is a short and simple federal law that states:

“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/advocacy_category/title-ix/

On May 31, 2018, amid talks of cutting sports at UNM to fix the university’s athletic department debt that a University Audit revealed Title IX issues with the school’s athletics department. In short, it was found that UNM was not treating men’s and women’s sports equally in regards to the ratio of men and women on campus.

The audit broke down the disparity between men’s and women’s sports programs. Overall, it was found that UNM has about 11% more women on campus than men, but men comprise about 13% more of the school’s athletics program. The audit did not just look at numbers. It broke down everything from the quality of practice facilities and locker rooms to issuing of gear.

Examples found by the audit include the women’s soccer, swimming, golf and track teams had not been given sports bras. The women’s softball clubhouse was found to be in shambles compared to its baseball equivalent. Another example identified in the audit was that the women’s beach volleyball team did not even have a practice facility and were forced to use the courts at ‘Lucky 66 Bowl’ on 4th Street with problems reported including beer caps and needles in the sand.

The Title IX Audit looked at disparities with scholarships and money spent on team travels. The audit recommended fixing the violations either by adding women’s sports or eliminating men’s and adding facilities.

https://www.krqe.com/news/audit-reveals-title-ix-issues-within-unm-athletics-amid-possible-cuts-to-sports/

CONFERENCE AFFILIATION

The University of New Mexico (UNM) is a Division I athletic program with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). UNM athletics maintains that its affiliation with the Mountain West Conference (MWC) is critically important because it has over 400 student athletes who attend UNM to compete at the highest level. UNM has over 16,000 students.

Colleges and universities that belong to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, designate themselves as Division I, II, or III, according to NCAA guidelines that set standards for such variables as the number of teams, team sizes, game calendars, and financial support. Within the world of college sports, Division I is the most intense and Division III the least intense.

As a Division I athletics program, UNM must sponsor a minimum of 14 varsity sports, which is problematic for UNM. It is required to sponsor football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball along with 11 other sports. It also must maintain the ability to be competitive, be able to assume costs associated with conference travel.

NCAA DIVISION I

Division I is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics overseen by the NCAA in the U.S. Division I schools comprise the major athletic powers in the college ranks and have larger budgets, more advanced facilities, and more athletic scholarships than Divisions II and III or smaller schools, even those that are competitive in athletics.

As of 2018, nearly 350 schools were classified as Division I, representing 49 of the 50 states. Sports played at Division I schools include hockey, basketball, baseball, and football.

Division I schools must:

Offer at least 14 sports: seven for men and seven for women, or six for men and eight for women
Offer at least two team sports for men and two for women
Can guarantee an audience of a specific size for football and basketball
Provide athletic scholarships and meet minimum financial aid awards for their athletics program, but there is a cap on financial aid awards for each sport.
Have enough games to fit each sport’s requirements
Require students to maintain a certain GPA and take at least 16 core courses for eligibility.

NCAA Division II

As of 2018, there are more than 300 schools classified as Division II. Sports in which Division II schools compete in addition to football, baseball, and basketball include fencing, golf, tennis, and water polo. Division II schools include the University of Charleston, University of New Haven, St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, Truman State University in Missouri, and Kentucky State University.

Their student-athletes might be just as skilled and competitive and those in Division I, but schools in Division II have fewer financial resources to devote to their athletics programs. Division II offers partial scholarships for financial aid. Students can cover their tuition through a mixture of athletics scholarships, and need based grants, academic aid, and employment.

Division II is the only one that holds National Championships Festivals, Olympic type events in which national championship competitions in several sports are held at one site over a period of days.

Division II schools must:

Have a minimum of 10 sports
Offer five each for men and women or four men’s and six women’s plus two team sports each
Have enough games to fit each sport’s requirements
Require students to maintain a 2.0 GPA and take at least 16 core courses to be eligible.

NCAA Division III

Division III schools don’t offer scholarships or financial aid to athletes for athletic participation, though athletes are still eligible for scholarships offered to any students who apply. Division III schools have at least five men’s and five women’s sports, including at least two team sports for each. There are 451 colleges in Division III as of 2018. Schools in Division III include Skidmore College, Washington University at St. Louis, Tufts University, and California Institute of Technology (CalTech), and Pomona College.

https://www.liveabout.com/what-does-ncaa-divisions-mean-3570381

DIVISION II ATHLETIC PROGRAMS COST HALF OF DIVISION I PROGRAMS

According to the NCAA, it costs Division II schools, including football, about half as much to sponsor a competitive athletics program as it does in Division I. The net operating costs in Division II even tend to be lower than for programs of similar size in Division III primarily because of higher net operating revenues in Division II.

The NCAA reports as follows:

“Division II relies on a partial-scholarship model to administer athletics-based financial aid. Very few of the 110,000 student-athletes competing in Division II will receive a full athletics grant that covers all of their expenses, but most of them will receive some athletics-based financial aid to help them through school. For the rest of their expenses, student-athletes use academic scholarships, student loans and employment earnings just like most other students attending the school.

The study found that athletics scholarship athletes – particularly women – bolster an institution’s academic profile and increase ethnic and geographic diversity among new students. In just about every measurable way, the study showed that scholarship student-athletes contribute positively, which means that even absent their participation in athletics, institutions would still be happy to have them as students on their campuses.”

http://www.ncaa.org/about/division-ii-partial-scholarship-model

STAYING WITHIN $32 MILLION BUDGET BY A MERE $115,000

The University of New Mexico athletic department has a $32 million operating budget. On August 7, 2019, it was reported the University of New Mexico’s Athletics Department stayed within its budget last fiscal year by a mere $115,000 last in a $32 million athletic department budget. According to the report, the UNM Athletics did not overspend from its $32 million operating budget. The department didn’t stay within its budget 8 times in 10 years, racking up nearly $5 million in debt that athletics is planning to pay back in increments.

UNM Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez said:

“I do see … [staying within budget by $115,000] as a victory because I understand the sacrifices and hard work our coaches, our staff, our students, our university, everybody put into this … But I also still understand there are some challenges ahead of us.”

In order to make budget last year, the athletics department relied on a transfer of roughly $1 million from the rest of the university and the transfer of a $789,000. The department also saved money by leaving positions vacant, according to media reports and budget documents.

The biggest revenue sources for Lobo athletics was the media rights, sponsorships, licensing contract and the school’s membership in the Mountain West Conference, which each accounted for nearly $5 million in revenue last year.

Men’s basketball sold almost $3.6 million worth of tickets and the athletics department also received $3.3 million in student fees, according to budget documents.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1351151/unm-athletics-stays-within-2019-budget.html

UNM INCREASING TUITION WITH DECLINING ENROLLMENT

Founded in 1889 the University of New Mexico is considered the states “flagship” college institution. The University of New Mexico offers a wide variety of academic programs through 12 Colleges and Schools. These academic options include more than 215 degree and certificate programs, including 94 baccalaureate, 71 masters and 37 doctoral degrees. UNM has a n undergraduate enrollment of a little over 16,000 students with approximately 400 student-athletes.

On April 23, 2019, the University of New Mexico Board of Regents voted 6-1 to raise UNM’s base tuition by 3.1%. The increase was to provide for a 3% employee compensation increase, lower than the state-mandated 4 percent. The additional 1% was covered by a supplemental appropriation to the state of an additional $4.6 million dollars.

https://www.dailylobo.com/article/2019/04/tuition-raise-unm-spring-2019

On September 26, 2019, the Daily Lobo, UNM’s school paper, reported that for the seventh consecutive year, student enrollment at the University of New Mexico had dropped significantly.

According to the Daily Lobo report:

“Undergraduate enrollment fell 6.5% (16,170) for the fall 2019 semester, while combined graduate and professional enrollment fell 6% (6,130), contributing to a five-year decline of 16.67% (22,792). The Albuquerque Journal reported that UNM expects a $4 million budget shortfall as a result of the enrollment decline.

Many of the smaller schools and colleges at UNM have actually seen an enrollment increase. Fine Arts saw a slight increase from 994 in 2015 to 1,004 in 2019. College of Population Health grew from 63 in 2015 to 82 in 2019.”

https://www.dailylobo.com/article/2019/09/unm-enrollment-2019

UNM’s total student count, including undergraduate, graduate and non-degree students, has gone down every year since 2012. In 2018, it took a sharper-than-expected drop when overall enrollment was down to 24,393 from 26,278.

Many schools across New Mexico are seeing declining enrollments. According to a New Mexico Higher Education Department report, total statewide post secondary enrollment fell 18.6 percent between 2010 and 2017. UNM officials have pinned the enrollment slump on a complex mix of factors that include New Mexico’s population stagnation, less regard for higher education’s value, fear over campus crime, and an improving state economy that means potential students pick jobs over education.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1235701/unm-sees-steep-freshman-falloff-176-drop-ndash-a-total-of-566-students-ndash-creates-97m-shortfall.html

SURVEY PINPOINTS CAUSES OF ENROLLMENT DECLINE

In 2018, UNM did a survey of freshmen admitted by UNM but who did not enroll on main campus to determine why they did not choose UNM. Money emerged as a major factor in their decision. Asked the reasons they bypassed UNM, nearly half of the 120 respondents (48.3 percent) said getting a better scholarship or financial aid package at another school significantly influenced their decision. Over a third (36.4%) said the high cost of tuition played a significant role in their decision, and 27.5% rated the lower costs of community college as a key reason they skipped UNM.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1235701/unm-sees-steep-freshman-falloff-176-drop-ndash-a-total-of-566-students-ndash-creates-97m-shortfall.html

Tuition and fees for a full-time New Mexico resident start at $7,556 for in sate residents and is $23,292 for out of state residents. Room and board, books and supplies add approximately $11,200 more a year. Roughly one-third of its undergraduate students get tuition assistance through the New Mexico Lottery scholarship.

https://admissions.unm.edu/costs-financial-aid/index.html

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

The University of New Mexico needs to concentrate on its intended and most important function: to provide and offer a quality college education at an affordable price to students. UNM needs get out of the business of trying to be a University Division I athletics program powerhouse which is doubtful will ever achieved in the near future after 10 full years. The UNM regents need to take steps to get back to the basics of higher education and stop “rat holing” money in failed sports programs and stop increasing tuition.

A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER TEAM IN SEARCH OF A STADIUM WITH AN UNUSED ONE AVAILABLE

During the last 30 years, soccer in Albuquerque has flourished and excelled in Albuquerque, especially in grade schools, high schools and pre school programs. Today, it is very common to find grown men in their 30s who played soccer in grade school, mid- school and high school and who play in city adult leagues.

Soccer is now part of the city’s fabric with programs for children, adolescence and young adults. Soccer programs throughout the city have proven far more important and more inclusive for Albuquerque athletes than football programs could even hope to imagine.

New Mexico United, the highly successful professional soccer team has announced it is seeking a permanent home in Albuquerque after one year of existence in the city. Team owner and president Peter Trevisani said the current arrangement with the United Soccer League (USL) requires United to have a soccer-specific stadium for the 2021 season. It currently plays at Isotopes Stadium that is owned by the city and leased to the Isotopes.

United Soccer Team owner Peter Trevisani made a presentation to an interim legislative fiancé committee for $30 million in state capital outlay funds to be appropriated during the upcoming 2020 session that starts in January for a soccer stadium. The total price tag for such a stadium would approach $100 million. According to Trevisani, a new facility would help United jump up to the Major League Soccer Level (ML) which is the sport’s equivalent of the National Basket Ball Association (NBA) or Major League Baseball.

One option that should seriously be considered is to sell or lease the UNM Football Stadium to the City and the football stadium converted to a United New Mexico Soccer Stadium.

CONCLUSION

With UNM football coach Bob Davies now gone and the football season ending, now is the best time to end the UNM football program as it exists and continue the entire UNM Athlectics Program as a Division II program.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico Legislature should force UNM to become a Division II sports program and restore successful programs such as the winning Soccer Program.

The University Regents and elected officials need to stop having unrealistic high hopes and dreams for UNM football. UNM needs to stop the insanity of wasting so much money on a failing athletic program in general known for paying outrageous salaries to coaches who do not cut it with loosing seasons and the university is force pay six figures to buy out contracts when they never work out or produce winning seasons.

On November 8, 2019, Mayor Tim Keller announced that after over 2 years of delay, including a lawsuit over the first 21 buses, the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project will begin operations on Saturday, Nov. 30. Keller deemed it “one of the first positive announcements we’ve gotten about this project.” It was in mid-November, 2017, that former Republican Mayor “Boondoggle Berry” dedicated ART project with a photo op, yet only one bus had been delivered at that time just for Berry’s “photo op” victory lap.

The new ART Buses will run on a nine mile stretch of Central Avenue between Unser Blvd on the West Side to Louisiana and Central traveling on dedicated lanes in the middle of central where bus stop platforms have been constructed. No left turns are allowed on the 9-mile route. The ART bus route will replace the existing Rapid Ride “Red” and “Green” lines and will run supposedly every 10 minutes. Keller announce rides will be free through Jan. 1, and $1 per adult thereafter.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1389158/after-years-of-delay-art-is-set-to-begin-operation.html

On November 5, 2019, the city’s ABQ RIDE Ridership Statistics by Route for Fiscal Year 2018 (July 2017 through June 2018) were released by the Keller Administration. You can read the report here:

https://www.cabq.gov/transit/documents/fy18-annual-productivity-summary.pdf

The city report published by ABQ RIDE bus service shows a decreasing number of riders boarding buses in total and a decrease in ridership on some of the city’s bus system’s most popular routes. According to the statistics compiled by ABQ Ride for Rapid Ride buses, ridership fell from 1.91 million total riders on all Rapid Ride routes in FY 2017, to 1.65 million total riders on all Rapid Ride routes in FY 2018.

On the popular Route 66 bus across Central Avenue, the total number of riders fell from 2.26 million total riders in FY 2017, to 2.06 million total riders in FY 2018. Comparing the data between FY 2016 and FY 2018, the ridership decline is especially noticeable. In FY 2016 (July 2015-June 2016), ABQ Ride counted 11.20 million riders on all Rapid Ride and regular routes.
In FY 2018 (July 2017-June 2018) ABQ Ride counted 9.47 million riders on all Rapid Ride and regular routes.

Referring to the comparison between Fiscal Year 2018 and Fiscal Year 2017 data, Rick DeReyes, spokesman for ABQ Ride had this to say about the report:
“We had the Rapid Ride routes overall decrease about 15 percent ridership over the previous year, we had the Route 66 decrease in ridership about 9 percent. … We’re looking at decreases all over the country in ridership in most major cities. … Especially in the southwestern cities like Denver and Phoenix, comparable cities, but we’re talking about El Paso, Lubbock, Tucson, some of those cities as well.”

Reyes added that the city thinks low gas prices and ART construction on Central were in part to blame but said there are other factors. ABQ RIDE still thinks ART itself will get more people riding the bus once the service launches.
“Once we get a chance to get people to realize how much more timely that system will be, we’re hoping that people will be attracted to that” said DeReyes.

According to a news report, the city has started the process of reviewing the entire bus route system to see what can be changed to increase ridership. The problem with ART is that it is a specialized bus route that cannot be moved, changed or altered in any way because of the platforms built in the middle of Central.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-sees-decreased-bus-ridership-as-art-service-awaits/

ABQ REPORT

On November 13, 2019, the online news publication ABQ Reports published article on bus ridership. Following are excerpts on the articlce:

“ABQ bus ridership plunges again; down 7.5 percent this year. Minus 31 percent since 2012”
November 13, 2019
By: Dennis Domrzalski

“Bus ridership in Albuquerque continues to fall and fall and fall and fall.

And it appears that the transit department might ignore a resolution passed by the Albuquerque City Council in 2015 that it reach a Farebox Recovery ratio of 25 percent by June 30, 2022. Getting to a 25 percent FRR would involve raising fares—one dollar now for most rides—but ABQRide spokesman Rick De Reyes says the agency has no plans in the foreseeable future to raise fares.”
… “

HIGLIGHTS OF STATISTICS REPORTED:

The following statistics are reflected in graphs published in the ABQ Reports article:

Boardings have dropped every year since 2012 and they are now down by 31%.

Bus usage has fallen since 2012 with boarding’s down this year by 3 million from the same period in 2012.

There is a decline in ABQRide’s Farebox Recovery Ratio reflecting 10% decline in 2013 and 7% in 2017.

Bus system’s fare revenues are down from $4.5 million from fares in 2013 to $3.6 million in 2017.

The bus system’s yearly operating budget is $52 million a year and expenses continue to grow while ridership declines.

You can review the entire ABQ Report article with graph here:

https://www.abqreport.com/single-post/2019/11/13/ABQ-bus-ridership-plunges-again-down-75-percent-this-year-Minus-31-percent-since-2012

In a follow up story written by reporter Dennis Domrzalski and published by ABQ Reports on November 18, it was reported that very few, or almost no one, uses the Albuquerque bus transit system. According to the United states Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, a meager 1.7% of working-age people in the Albuquerque area use public transit to commute to work while 89.5% take cars or trucks to commute to work.

According to the census, there are 322,822 working-age people and mere 4,857 of those people, or 1.5%, walked to work, and 6,150, or 1.9% found some other way to get to their jobs. In other words, the statistics reflect that 98.3% of the working-age people in the Albuquerque area do not use public transit to get to work all the while the city’s bus system keeps growing despite falling ridership.

You can read the full ABQ Report and review statistical graphs here:

https://www.abqreport.com/single-post/2019/11/18/Almost-no-one-rides-buses-in-ABQ-Really-almost-no-one

REASONS FOR DECLINE

ABQ Ride spokesman Rick De Reyes noted two reasons for the decline in ridership:

“Gas prices have been low for an unprecedented amount of time during the past 20 years and auto sales are up the past six years. That’s allowed more people to afford to drive to and from work and attractions.”

According to De Reyes, Mayor Keller has asked the he Transit Department to evaluate the distribution of the city’s bus service to make sure it’s meeting the public’s expectations for service. Fares have not been raised since 2002 and the city has no plans in the foreseeable future to raise fares.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

According to the ABQReports, the city has started the process of reviewing the entire bus route system to see what can be changed to increase ridership. The problem with ART is that it is a specialized bus route that cannot be moved, changed or altered in any way because of the platforms built in the middle of Central.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-sees-decreased-bus-ridership-as-art-service-awaits/
Within the first two years of operation of ART, the city should find out if ART is a success and take the time and make an effort to develop a “back up” plan should bus ridership continue to drop and the ART Project is the failure so many believe it is or will be.

ALTERNATIVE USE SOLUTION PROPOSED

Although the financial cost of ART was $135 million, it did not come out of the city’s coffers. The funding was overwhelmingly from federal grants from the Federal Transportation Department. The real loss the city sustained is the destruction of the character of central and Route 66. Mayor Tim Keller when refusing to stop the project said it would cost upwards of $200,000,000 million to restore central to its original state. The argument made by Keller was highly doubtful without him providing how that figure was arrived at and it also presumed the bus stop platforms would have to be removed.

One solution to consider is to get rid of the dedicated bus lanes and return Central to the two-lane traffic it was in both directions and restore the 350 lost parking spaces on Central and find an alternative use for the bus station platforms. The white “elephant canopies” should be removed and the platforms stripped barren. An alternative use for the platforms that blends into the neighborhood architecture needs to be found. Such alternative use could be large sculptures to commemorate route 66, neon signage reminiscent of the 1950s and Route 66’s heyday or even planters for trees and nighttime lighting.

The $50,000 BURQUE sculpture which now sits on a flat bed at the Rio Grande zoo after removed from civic center could be placed on one of the platforms as a permanent fixture. Designed sculptures could carry the theme of the platform’s locations, such as the Nob Hill platform, the UNM platform across the street from the Frontier Restaurant and the Old Town area platform.

The funding could have easily come from the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) with general obligation bonds placed on the November 5 ballot for voter approval, where $127 million in bonds were approved. Funding could also come from the “Art In Public Places” fund mandated for development.

Work on rededicating the bus platforms for other usage would not take as much time nor as much construction and no tearing up central the way ART did.
The $135 million ART Bus project was built on the philosophy “if we build it, people will use it”. Given the continuing plunge in bus ridership, it is more likely than not ART is already an obsolete project that no one will use.

For related blog articles see:

The “Great ART Enabler” Mayor Keller Announces ART Service To Begin On November 30; Whistle Blower Lawsuit Filed; Proposed Alternative To ART

Dinelli Blog Articles On ART Bus Project Listed

On November 20, it was reported that the homicide count in Albuquerque for this year so far is at 72, matching the city’s record in 2017. Before 2017, the last time the City had the highest number of homicides in one year was in 1996 with 70 murders in one year.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1393905/abq-on-track-to-shatter-homicide-record.html

This blog article is an in-depth report on the efforts of Mayor Tim Keller and APD to reduce the city’s violent crime and murder rates, review of his programs, APD personnel, the effects of the Department of Justice mandated reforms and what should be done to reduce the city’s violent crime rates.

“Violence Intervention Plan”

On November 22, Mayor Tim Keller announced what he called a “new initiative” to target violent offenders called “Violence Intervention Plan” (VIP). The VIP initiative is in response to the city’s recent murders resulting in the city tying the all-time record of homicides at 72 in one year. Mayor Keller proclaimed the VIP is a “partnership system” that includes law enforcement, prosecutors and social service and community provides to reduce violent crime.

According to Mayor Keller:

“This is a first-of-its kind program for Albuquerque that pairs law enforcement and public health working together to put the drivers of violent crime behind bars while creating paths away from violence for those who are not yet drawn into the cycle of violence or are looking for a way out. Our partners in the program include the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General, Bernalillo County District Attorney, New Mexico State Police, Probation and Parole, ATF, DEA, FBI, US Marshal, US Attorney, Family & Community Services, Bernalillo County Community Health Council and more.”

Mayor Keller acknowledged the “VIP” program is modelled after other such programs in other cities and that APD has been working on the program since spring. According to Keller, in other cities, it has brought down violent crime rates by as much as 10%.

Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair for her part said that APD started their research at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York and visited Oakland, which has implemented “Operation Ceasefire”, a data driven crime fighting strategy to coordinate law enforcement, social services and the community to reduce gun and gang violence. According to Nair, the city’s VIP program will be looking at Domestic Violence and said:

“There is a big component of gang violence here but if we focus on that we’re not going to change. We need to make it broader than that.”

https://www.abqjournal.com/1394576/city-launches-violence-intervention-program.html

VIP FOUR MAJOR AREAS OF CONCENTRATION

During the November 22 press conference, Keller outlined 4 major components of the VIP program:

LAW ENFORCEMENT:

APD will be “restructured” to create a first-of-its-kind “Violence Intervention Division” with its own Commander. The division is designed to make cross-functional partnership as productive as possible. The goal is to remove the barriers between investigative units, increase coordination among field officers, violent crime, undercover detectives, the intelligence unit, forensic techs, crime analysts and victim advocates to fight violent crime. Law enforcement partners on the program include the State Police, Probation and Parole, ATF, DEA, FBI, US Marshal and Homeland Security. (EDITORS NOTE: There is absolutely nothing new about this component of VIP. It is standard practice for all of these agencies to coordinate their activities and many times participate in joint initiatives depending on funding for tactical plans.)

PROSECUTION PARTNERS:

Prosecutors from all systems including the Attorney General, District Attorney, US Attorney and Office of Superintendent of Insurance will collaborate to share information and make sure cases are going to the appropriate teams and courts. Prosecutors and law enforcement partners will also work with analysts from APD’s Real Time Crime Center and the NIBIN and Gun Violence Reduction Units to review shooting incidents on a bi-weekly basis. (EDITORS NOTE: There is absolutely nothing new about this component of VIP. The most recent example is the very successful coordinated auto theft initiative with APD, BCSO, the State Police, the Superintendent of Insurance and the DA’s Office to combat auto thefts.)

SOCIAL SERVICES:

The City has always funded social services aimed at violence reduction. However, for the first time Family and Community Services is specifically working with the community to identify the most effective evidence-based violence reduction strategies, and requiring providers to work together in the Violence Intervention Program. The administration created a Deputy Director of Health position held by a clinical social worker.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The City will reach out to community partners, including the Bernalillo County Community Health Council, that are dealing with the causes and effects of violent crime to work together on this program. A technical advisor will lead partnership-based violence reduction efforts to improve police-community trust and sustain the strategy over time.”

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/mayor-keller-touts-new-plan-to-tackle-violent-crime/5561150/?cat=500

KELLER TO ASK FOR $30 MILLION FROM STATE

During a previous press conference held on November 19, Mayor Keller announced that he plans on asking New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and the New Mexico State Legislature for $30 million in funding during the upcoming 2020 legislative session to “modernize” APD. Keller said $20 million dollars of that will go to changing the way police file reports and produce crime stats and how they connect all the crime-fighting data into one. Keller said:

“We’re dealing with systems that are decades old and older. It’s a situation that is holding back everything that we are trying to do as a department. It’s essentially a deferred investment that I wish we would have made a decade ago and that we have to make now.”

The other $10 million would go to the city’s new violence intervention program.

https://www.koat.com/article/mayor-claims-he-has-plan-to-address-albuquerques-crime-crisis/29897479

https://www.koat.com/article/city-leaders-announce-new-crime-fighting-measures/29863717

KELLER’S “VIP”INITIATIVE ANOTHER DATA ORIENTED PROGRAM

If much of the VIP initiative sounds familiar, it should. This is the third time in 9 months that Mayor Keller has announced a “new program” to combat violent crime that is data oriented. The other two programs are the “Shield Unit” and declaring violent crime “public health” issue.

THE SHIELD UNIT

In February 2018 the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) created the “Shield Unit”. The Shield Unit assists APD Police Officers to prepare cases for trial and prosecution by the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office. The unit originally consisted of 3 para legals. It was announced that it is was expanded to 12 under the 2019-2020 city budget that took effect July 1, 2019.

According to a June 6, 2019 press release issued by the city expanding the Shield Program:

“In addition to providing police reports [to the DA’s office], the unit orders and provides the audio from 911 calls and dispatch logs, all reports and dispatch records mentioned in any report, all documents referenced, copies of any photos/CDs/DVDs/USBs which are tagged into evidence, and copies of any items tagged into evidence which can be copied, … They often contact businesses for any surveillance video of events, and receipts for damage which occurred. All of this together provides the DA with a solid case to prosecute.”

The city press release proclaimed that throughout 2018, the Shield Unit provided discovery documents for 2,871 felony cases and in 2019 it has provided discovery for 2,787 felony cases. The Shield Unit works on felony cases for officers across the department, except in cases involving homicide, vehicular homicide, gangs and vice. The unit is expected to work on discovery for about 6,000 cases by the end of the year.

According to a Bernalillo County Criminal Justice study:

“Since the [Shield Unit] … began work, the … new felonies successfully indicted by the … [2nd Judicial District Attorney Office] increased from 50% to 80%, a statistically significant increase … It is highly likely that some of this success is attributable to the work of the APD [Shield Unit], although improvement or changes in other processes could also have contributed. “

https://www.abqjournal.com/1325167/apd-expands-unit-that-preps-cases-for-prosecution.html

DECLARING VIOLENT CRIME “PUBLIC HEALTH” ISSUE

On April 8, 2019, Mayor Keller and APD announced efforts that will deal with “violent crime” in the context of it being a “public health issue” and dealing with crimes involving guns in an effort to bring down violent crime in Albuquerque. Mayor Keller and APD argue that gun violence is a “public health issue” because gun violence incidents have lasting adverse effects on children and others in the community that leads to further problems.

APD is tracking violent crime relying on the same methods used to track auto thefts, weekly reports summarizing shootings, refining policies, and learning from best practices used by other law enforcement agencies. One goal is for APD to examine how guns are driving other crimes, such as domestic violence and drug addiction.

The data gathering data highlights of the initiative includes:

1.Using data from APD’s Real Time Crime Center to focus on areas with a heavy concentration of gun violence and identify any patterns.
2. Implementing a standardized shooting response protocol that police must follow within the first 72 hours of a reported crime. APD intends to collect and test all casings at shooting scenes and intends to purchase new equipment and technology that can assist detectives in investigating gun crimes.
3. Increasing the use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network and the Problem Response Teams. The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network program is used to identify which guns have been used in multiple crimes by analyzing all casings they can find at violent crime scenes where a firearm has been discharged.
4. Hire additional personnel for the crime lab and securing technology that will increase efficiency around DNA testing including automating the entire unit. The unit that tests DNA and the unit that tests latent fingerprints will be split in an attempt to reduce a backlog of evidence that needs to be tested.
5. Forming units of officers called Problem Response Teams in each area command. The Problem Response Teams will be made up of officers who don’t take calls for service but will be available to help community members as they need it. After a violent crime, the teams, along with Albuquerque Fire Rescue, will visit the neighborhood and provide resources or information.
6. Forming units of officers called Problem Response Teams in each area command. The Problem Response Teams will be made up of officers who don’t take calls for service but will be available to help community members as they need it. After a violent crime, the teams, along with Albuquerque Fire Rescue, will visit the neighborhood and provide resources or information.
7. Working with agencies and universities to conduct research on gun violence as a public health issue.

OAKLAND’S OPERATION CEASEFIRE MODEL USED FOR VIP

Oakland’s Operation Ceasefire is the model that the city is utilizing for Keller’s new VIP program. Oakland’s Operation Ceasefire began in spring of 2012. That year in Oakland there were 164 homicides but the number of homicides decreased the following year and the downward trend has continued.

During the press conference announcing the VIP program, CAO Sarita Nair had this to say:

“How fast it works is important, how long it lasts is more important. We really feel like this program can break an inter-generational cycle of violence so that the next time there’s a budget contraction and someone makes difficult decisions about police staffing it’s not going to have the effect it had here because we were not looking at the underlying factors of crime.”

Last Spring, the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office (DA) began working on its own version “Operation Ceasefire” to target the most violent individuals. Its Crime Strategies Unit has been tracking all shootings with injury and looking at gang or group affiliations of offenders and victims in order to identify patterns to disrupt them and to prosecute. Notwithstanding the DA’s “Operation Ceasefire”, nothing was discussed at the November 22 press conference on the success of the program.

SUCCESS OF AGGRESSIVE TACTICAL PLANS UNDISPUTED

During the November 22 news conference, Mayor Keller and CAO Sarita Nair referred to other law enforcement agencies and had representatives from a few, including the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s office. However, nothing was discussed as to what those agencies have done to be proven and effective in dealing with crime, and that is the proven success of tactical plans.

STATE POLICE METRO SURGE OPERATION

On Friday, May 10, 2019, in reaction to the murder of a 21-year-old college student, Mayor Tim Keller, APD Chief Michael Geier, UNM President Garnett Stokes, 2nd Judicial District Attorney Raúl Torrez held a joint press conference to announce initiatives aimed at making the Nob Hill Business District safer and reducing violent crime up and down the Central corridor. At the time of the murder of the college student, there had been 26 homicides in Albuquerque.

The initiatives announced at the May 10 press conference included announcing that Governor Mitchell Lujan Grisham assigned an additional 50 New Mexico State Police officers from across the state to work out of Albuquerque to help reduce violent crime. By all accounts, the surge was a resounding success. On May 23, 2019, it was announced that the NM State Police arrested more than 450 people in two weeks with at least 100 of those arrests involve felonies, and more than 300 misdemeanors.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/metro-surge-operation-over-100-felony-arrests-in-two-weeks/5365130/

BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF MANNY GONZALES TACTICAL OPERATION

On September 6, Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales announced the results of a one-day operation by Bernalillo County Sheriff’s (BCSO) deputies in southeast Albuquerque. The BCSO operation was spearheaded by the Gang Recognition and Intelligence Patrol and resulted in 8 gang related charges.

The sheriff’s department focused on the Nob Hill and Highlands neighborhoods. The Sheriff’s initiative included 30-35 deputies patrolling the Highland area. According to Sheriff Gonzalez the action was conducted after requests from business owners with HUB 66 (Highland Unified Businesses) who had been having problems with people living on or defecating on their property, doing drugs, committing misdemeanor offenses and experiencing mental health crises.

In total, Sheriff Deputies made 51 felony arrests and 25 misdemeanor arrests. They also collected 45 pounds of meth and 3 pounds of heroin.

At a press conference Sheriff Manny Gonzales said pulling dangerous people off the streets is easier when citizens have a connection with law enforcement, something the Sheriff said he is doing by building a new partnership with the local business coalition and said:

“If we empower them with the resources that we have, then we’re gonna be able to make strides that we’ve never made before. ”

City officials previously said they feel it’s important for BCSO deputies patrolling in Albuquerque to follow the same policies the police department had agreed to under the federal Court Approved Settlement Agreement, particularly those regarding pursuits, use of lapel or dashboard cameras, and use of force.

Gonzales said he had no intention of ever ordering his deputies to follow the federally approved policies while patrolling in city limits by saying:

“We have independent officers; we don’t follow their [APD] policies. … Why would we comply with something that doesn’t allow us to totally execute all our constitutional powers? This is an office of the people, and they want to be protected. We have an obligation to protect their property, lives and rights and we’re going to exercise that.”

Sheriff Gonzales has made it known he intends to continue with similar tactical plans throughout the city.

https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/bcso-operation-leads-to-51-felony-25-misdemeanor-arrests/

https://www.abqjournal.com/1363014/bcso-abq-operation-netted-17-felony-12-misdemeanor-arrests.html

GOVERNOR CREATES FUGITIVE APPREHENSION UNIT

On October 30, 2019, in part because of the success of the New Mexico State Police surge in Albuquerque in May, which resulted in 738 arrests for felony or misdemeanor warrants, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham ordered the creation of the “Fugitive Apprehension Unit” to apprehend hundreds of criminal defendant’s across New Mexico who have not shown up for court hearings or wanted on bench warrants. The Fugitive Apprehension Unit consists of State Police officers and state Corrections Department staffers. The unit will work with local law enforcement officials around New Mexico to track down and arrest people charged with committing violent crimes. According to the New Mexico Administrative Office of the District Attorneys, there are more than 1,600 outstanding bench warrants for people charged with violent crimes.

EFFECT OF DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CONSENT DECREE ON APD

It has now been a full 5 years has expired since the city entered into the Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) with the Department of Justice (DOJ). New “use of force” and “use of deadly force” policies were written and implemented with all APD sworn receiving training on the policies. All APD sworn have received at least 40 hours crisis management intervention training. APD has created a “Use of Force Review Board” that oversees all internal affairs investigations of use of force and deadly force.

Sweeping changes ranging from APD’s SWAT team protocols, to banning chokeholds, to auditing the use of every Taser carried by officers and have been completed. “Constitutional policing” practices and methods as well as mandatory crisis intervention techniques and de-escalation tactics with the mentally ill have now been implemented at the APD Police Academy with all sworn also having received the training. APD has adopted a new system to hold officers and supervisors accountable for all use of force incidents. Personnel procedures have been implemented detailing how use of force cases are investigated. APD has also revised and updated its policies on the mandatory use of lapel cameras by all sworn police officers.

APD’s is spending $88 million dollars beginning in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, over a four-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 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 and to comply with the DOJ consent decree mandated reforms. Last year’s 2018-2019 fiscal year budget provided for increasing APD funding from 1,000 sworn police to 1,040. This year’s 2019-2020 fiscal year budget has funding for 1,040 sworn police.

APD COMPLIANCE BUREAU

The DOJ consent decree resulted in the creation of a Compliance Bureau. The APD Compliance Bureaus consists of the Internal Affairs Professional Standards Division, Policy and Procedure Division, Accountability and Oversight Division, Internal Affairs Force Division and the Behavioral Health and Crisis Intervention Section. One of the major concentrations of the bureau is the ongoing cooperation with the Department of Justice (DOJ) consent decree (CASA) and its implementation of its terms and conditions. Internal Affairs deals with the investigation police misconduct cases. Crisis Intervention deals with the crisis intervention teams who deal with the mentally ill. Policy and Procedures deals with the review and writing of standard operating procedures.

On August 1, 2019, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued a “Staffing Snapshot” that reported the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to implementation of the Department of Justice (DOJ) mandated reforms under the Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) with APD’s Compliance Bureau. According to the staffing report the Compliance Bureau has assigned to it 1 Deputy Chief, 3 Commanders, 1 Deputy Commander, 6 Lieutenants, 10 Sergeants and 40 Detectives for a total of 61 which is 6.28% of the department sworn police officers. Confidential APD sources are reporting that the actual number of sworn police officers assigned to the compliance bureau is now at 70 sworn police.

According to the staffing report, APD as of August 1, 2019 has a total of 972 sworn officers with only 600 officers are assigned to the field services patrolling 6 area commands and neighborhoods. At least 800 sworn police need to be assigned to field services for effective community-based policing. You can view the APD staffing breakdown here:

https://www.petedinelli.com/2019/08/08/apd-staffing-levels-970-sworn-police-300-more-needed/

OBJECTIVES, SPIRIT AND INTENT OF CASA ACHIEVED

From all appearances, and from review of all the Federal Monitor’s reports, the City and APD have completed the following mandated reforms under the federal Court Approved Settlement Agreement:

1. The new “use of force” and “use of deadly force” policies have been written, implemented. All APD sworn have received training on the policies.
2. All sworn have received at least 40 hours crisis management intervention training.
3. APD has created a “Use of Force Review Board” that oversees all internal affairs investigations of use of force and deadly force.
4. The Internal Affairs Unit has been divided into two sections, one dealing with general complaints and the other dealing with use of force incidents.
5. Sweeping changes ranging from APD’s SWAT team protocols, to banning chokeholds, to auditing the use of every Taser carried by officers and re writing and implementation in new use of force and deadly force policies have been completed.
6. “Constitutional policing” practices and methods as well as mandatory crisis intervention techniques and de-escalation tactics with the mentally ill have now been implemented at the APD Police Academy with all sworn also having received the training.
7. APD has adopted a new system to hold officers and supervisors accountable for all use of force incidents with personnel procedures implemented detailing how use of force cases are investigated.
8. APD has revised and updated its policies on the mandatory use of lapel cameras by all sworn police officers.
9. The Repeat Offenders Project, known as ROP, has been abolished.
10. Police Oversight Board has been created, funded, fully staffed and a director has hired been hired and his contract renewed.
11. The Community Policing Counsels have been created in all area command and the counsels meet monthly.
12. The Mental Health Advisory Committee has been implemented.
13. The CASA identified that APD was severely understaffed. APD has gone from 850 sworn police to now 980 and intends to add an additional 300.
14. The federal monitors 10th report issued on November 1, reported APD met 100% of CASA-established primary compliance requirements during the reporting period. Secondary compliance rates (training) were reported at 81%, up from 79% and overall compliance rates are at 63%, the same as the 9th audit report.

APD STAFFING REPORT

On August 1, 2019, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued what it entitled “Staffing Snapshot” providing a report on the number of sworn police officers APD now has and where they have been assigned. According to the report, APD as of August 1, 2019 a total of 972 sworn officers with 600 officers in the field patrolling 6 area commands and neighborhoods.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/apd-staffing-numbers-how-many-officers-are-in-your-neighborhood-/5449523/?cat=500

Following a breakdown of sworn police assignments in major areas:

TOTAL STAFFING FOR FIELD SERVICES BUREAU: 600.

The field service bureau’s primary function is to provide uniformed police officers throughout the city and at the six police substations and area commands. Officers assigned to field services handle calls for service and patrol the area commands in 3 separate shifts. This is where the “rubber hits the road” when it comes to keeping neighborhoods safe and community-based policing.

Following is a breakdown of sworn police assigned to each one of the area commands:

SOUTHWEST AREA COMMAND: 58 Patrol Officers, 1 Commander, 3 Lieutenants, 7 Sergeants
VALLEY AREA COMMAND: 67 Patrol Officers , 1 Commander, 3 Lieutenants, 6 Sergeants, 2 School Resource Officers
SOUTHEAST AREA COMMAND: 89 Patrol Officers, 4 Lieutenants, 9 Sergeants, 2 School Resource Officers
NORTHEAST AREA COMMAND: 78 Patrol Officers, 1 Commander, 3 Lieutenants, 8 Sergeants, 2 School Resource Officers
FOOTHILLS AREA COMMAND: 57 Patrol Officers, 1 Commander, 2 Lieutenants, 8 Sergeants, 3 School Resource Officers
Northwest Area Command: 59 Patrol Officers, 1 Commander, 3 Lieutenants, 7 Sergeants, 1 School Resource Officers

TOTAL STAFFING FOR INVESTIGATIVE BUREAU: 173

The Investigative Bureau consists of Criminal Investigations Division, the Special Investigations Division, Scientific Evidence Division and the Real Time Crime Center. This bureau deals primarily with the completion of felony investigations and prepares the cases, including evidence gathering and processing scientific evidence such as DNA, blood and fingerprints, for submission to prosecuting agencies, primarily the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office. Units in the bureau include homicide and auto theft.

The breakdown of the 173 sworn assigned to the Investigations bureau is 142 Detectives, 1 Deputy Chief, 3 Commanders, 6 Lieutenants, 10 Sergeants. The homicide unit is part of the Investigations bureau and it has 11 detectives assigned to the unit.

TOTAL STAFFING FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS AND TACTICAL UNIT: 30

This unit consists of the Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT). SWAT is trained to deal with situations of unusual danger, especially when requiring aggressive tactics or enhanced firepower, as in rescuing hostages, thwarting terrorist attacks or assassinations, and subduing heavily armed suspects. Following is the staffing reported:
24 Officers, 1 Commander, 2 Lieutenants, 3 Sergeants

COMPLIANCE BUREAU: 61 (1 Deputy Chief, 3 Commanders, 1 Deputy Commander, 6 Lieutenants, 10 Sergeants and 40 Detectives)

TOTAL STAFFING FOR BIKE PATROL: 16

The bike patrol is what the name implies: Uniformed police ride on bikes an patrol the areas assigned to show a police presence such as in the Downtown Central Area, the City Plaza and Nob Hill. A total of 16 officers are assigned to the Bike Patrol.

A VIOLENT CARJACKING

On November 22, the very morning of the same day Mayor Tim Keller announced his “Violence Intervention Plan”, a Sandia High School 17-year-old was the victim of a carjacking at gunpoint outside his home driveway. The crime was caught on a surveillance camera. The video shows a masked man walking over with his gun drawn and his laser sight flashing across the 17-year old’s chest. According to the 17-year-old “I saw a dark figure and I noticed he had a gun so I put my hands up” and handed over the keys. The boy ran inside the home to tell his father as the suspect began to take off. The boy’s father said he bolted outside and the suspect was backing out of the driveway. You can view surveillance video in the Channel 7 report here:

https://www.koat.com/article/teen-carjacked-at-gunpoint-outside-his-house/29913799?fbclid=IwAR2ab24MCZjuH3efNU35KFO46nuiRJhw-p4bZ7oz2A6NAkLvdXcIaInE80s

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

If the surveillance video of the carjacking does not give you chills, nothing will. The 11-year-old sister of the victim crying in the Channel 7 story really says it all. For the last 10 years, our city hall leaders, including Mayor Berry and now Mayor Keller and City Councils have failed and now the city has tied its all-time record of 72 murders in one year. It is lucky the 17-year-old had enough sense just to give the asshole with a gun the keys instead of resisting, or he would have been our 73 murder of the year. Mayor Keller really needs to think about another reorganization of APD to get more cops on the street to patrol the neighborhoods and order aggressive tactical plans.

Albuquerque is not Oakland. APD is under a federal court consent decree after the Department of Justice found a culture of aggression within APD. Both Keller and Nair failed to even acknowledge the resource drain of personnel the federal Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) is having on APD. But then again, they probably identify with the Federal Court Monitor and his penchant for auditing and collecting data with no end in sight.

Collecting and sharing data, data, and more data is what Keller’s VIP program, the Shield Unit program, and declaring violent crime “public health” issue really amount up to. It is exactly what one would expect from a former New Mexico State Auditor as well as a Chief Administrative Office who came from the auditor’s office in Santa Fe with both having no background in law enforcement practices, such as law enforcement tactical plans (TACT plans).

What is very concerning for voters is that all the increases in APD budget and personnel and increases and new programs at APD are not having any effect on bringing down the violent crime and murder rates. Do not expect Keller’s VIP program to be any different. It is no longer an issue of not having the money, personnel nor resources but it is a failed personnel resource management issue.

Mayor Keller has been given everything he has wanted for public safety and then some. Keller is now asking for yet $30 million more from the Governor and the New Mexico legislature to “modernize” the police department. The request is being made 18 months after he signed into law a gross receipt increase enacted by the city council that raised taxes by $55 million a year and breaking his promise not to raise taxes, even for public safety, without a public vote.

ORDER AGGRESSIVE, SUSTAINED TACTICAL PLANS

Mayor Keller and APD have initiated programs such as declaring violent crime a “public health” issue, the Shield Unit and now the VIP program in an effort to bring down violent crime rates and gun violence. It’ painfully obvious with 72 murders this year and counting, Keller’s policies and his APD have not had much of an effect. As the shootings, assaults and killings continue to rise, Keller is focused on the gun violence and the city’s murder rates.

Keller is probably realizing that after 2 years in office that governing and reducing violent crime rates will take more than his trademark grin, condolences, press conferences, “nuance programs”, data collection and even more promises to get results. What it will take are very aggressive, sustained law enforcement tactical plans (TACT plans) resulting in actual arrests and prosecutions targeting violent repeat offenders, gangs, drug dealers, repeat property crime. Neighborhood patrols and TACT plans are in order.

The State Police Metro Surge, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department South East Heights initiative and the Governor’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit are the best examples of how successful sustained actions can have to “take back the city” from violent offenders. Law enforcement must act and not just collect piles and piles of data hoping things will get better, which is what Keller’s programs are all about.

REORGANIZE APD AT MIDTERM; SEEK CASA DISMISSAL

At Keller’s midterm, what is also in order is another reorganization APD because what APD is doing now is simply not cutting it nor getting the job done when it comes to violent crime. If the APD command staff Keller handpicked are not getting the job done bringing down violent crime, personnel changes are in order, including asking for more than a few resignations, starting with the APD command staff he picked. The reorganization would include increasing the number of sworn to the field to patrol the streets and increasing the various units, such as the homicide unit and the investigations unit.

The re organization would also include abolishing the APD Internal Affairs Unit with its functions absorbed by other civilian departments. The investigation of police misconduct cases including excessive use of force cases not resulting in death or serious bodily harm should be done by “civilian” personnel investigators, not sworn police. The function and responsibility for investigating police misconduct cases and violations of personnel policy and procedures by police should be assumed by the Office of the Inspector General in conjunction with the City Human Resources Department. The Office of General Council would make findings and recommendations to the APD Chief and Police Oversight Board (POB) for implementation and imposition of disciplinary action.

With the continued implementation of the DOJ reforms, especially those reforms involving the mentally ill, the spirit and intent of the CASA has been achieved and for these reasons every effort should now be made to seek a dismissal of the federal lawsuit. The city should commence negotiations immediately with the DOJ for a stipulated “Order of Compliance and Dismissal” of the CASA, and all causes of action the DOJ has against the city and APD. Otherwise, the city and taxpayers will be sucked into “year after year” of expenses and costs associated with a consent decree whose primary objective has been achieved and whose federal monitor was given another $1.5 million dollar contract extension on top of the first $4.5 million contract.

KELLER WANTS ANOTHER TERM

Candidate Tim Keller campaigned to get elected Mayor on the platform of implementing the Department of Justice (DOJ) mandated reforms, increasing the size of APD, returning to community-based policing and a promise to bring down skyrocketing crime rates. Mayor Tim Keller has tried repeatedly to take credit for crime rates being on the decline in all categories other than violent crime offenses.

Tim Keller has already made it known he is running for a second term in 2021. Voters are very fickle and unforgiving when politicians make promises they do not or cannot keep. Sooner rather than later people demand and want results. No amount of data collection, public relations or nuance programs are going to satisfy those demands or make people feel safe. A campaign based on “Give more time and chance to do good” is not a winning strategy, especially after what Keller promised when he was running the first time and what is still happening with violent crime.

For a related past blog articles see:

“Someone Has To Raise Their Hand And Call Bullshit!”; Abolish APD Internal Affairs And Empower General Council With APD Oversight

City Matches Homicide Record High Of 72 Murders; Mayor Keller Forced To Defend Policies, Makes More Promises, Asks For More Money

“At some point, with all the discussions, someone has to raise their hand and call bullshit!” so said former APD Chief Joe Polisar in a November 21 interview with Channel 7.

Polisar was talking about the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Federal Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) mandated reforms. The “bullshit” Chief Polisar was referring to was the number of sworn police officers investigating other sworn police officers under the consent decree.

You can see the entire Channel 7 interview here:

https://www.koat.com/article/former-police-chief-says-what-is-happening-with-city-and-apd-is-bull/29877363#

Polisar spent most of his career with APD and was appointed Chief of Police by Mayor Marty Chavez in the 1990’s. Polisar left Albuquerque to become Chief of Police City of Garden Grove, California, a post he held for 12 years, where he retired. Chief Polisar has more than 30 years in municipal law enforcement. Amongst his notable accomplishments, Chief Polisar achieved and maintained accreditation for both the Garden Grove and Albuquerque Police Departments and he has a reputation for innovative leadership and effective communication.

http://www.margolishealy.com/about/bio/joseph_m._polisar/

Five years ago, the DOJ found APD had a “culture of aggression” and excessive use of force and deadly force. A Federal Court appointed a monitor to conduct audits of APD compliance of the settlement terms and conditions. The federal monitor was awarded a $4.5 million dollar contract for 4 years that was then renewed for another $1.5 million. The monthly cost of the federal monitor and his team to conduct audits amounts to $130,000 a month.

Retired Police Chief Polisar said what he finds really troubling is that more than 60 sworn police officers are investigating other officers. The 60 sworn officers are part of the APD Compliance Bureau mandated by the settlement agreement. According to Polisar, those sworn officers should be on the streets fighting crime instead.

According to former Chief Polisar:

“The department has moved forward. We’ve done the bulk of the things that you’ve asked of us. Take your boot off our neck and let us get on with protecting the citizens of this town.”

APD SWORN POLICE ASSIGNED TO DOJ COMPLIANCE BUREAU

On August 1, 2019, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued a “Staffing Snapshot” that reported the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to implementation of the Department of Justice (DOJ) mandated reforms under the Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) with APD’s Compliance Bureau.

According to the staffing report, APD as of August 1, 2019 has a total of 972 sworn officers with 600 officers assigned to the field services patrolling 6 area commands and neighborhoods. 61 officers are reported to be assigned to DOJ Compliance Bureau. The staffing report has a breakdown of sworn officers assigned to the various departments. You can view the APD staffing breakdown here:

https://www.petedinelli.com/2019/08/08/apd-staffing-levels-970-sworn-police-300-more-needed/?fbclid=IwAR3bIE5NoLYcBMu96hMUmnmVhOMimMOONil-hV18lrrQpalpc35D3ryE0WE

The APD Compliance Bureaus consists of the Internal Affairs Professional Standards Division, Policy and Procedure Division, Accountability and Oversight Division, Internal Affairs Force Division and the Behavioral Health and Crisis Intervention Section. One of the major concentrations of the bureau is the ongoing cooperation with the Department of Justice (DOJ) consent decree (CASA) and its implementation of its terms and conditions. Internal Affairs deals with the investigation police misconduct cases. Crisis Intervention deals with the crisis intervention teams who deal with the mentally ill. Policy and Procedures deals with the review and writing of standard operating procedures.

The staffing reported for the Compliance Bureau is 1 Deputy Chief, 3 Commanders, 1 Deputy Commander, 6 Lieutenants, 10 Sergeants and 40 Detectives for a total of 61 which is 6.28% of the department sworn police officers. Confidential APD sources are reporting that the actual number of sworn police officers assigned to the compliance bureau is now at 70 sworn police.

COMPLETION OF DOJ MANDATED REFORMS

From all appearances, and from review of all the Federal Monitor’s reports, the City and APD have completed the following mandated reforms under the Court Approved Settlement Agreement:

1.After a full year of negotiations, the new “use of force” and “use of deadly force” policies have been written, implemented. All APD sworn have received training on the policies.

2. All sworn have received at least 40 hours crisis management intervention training.

3. APD has created a “Use of Force Review Board” that oversees all internal affairs investigations of use of force and deadly force.

4. The Internal Affairs Unit has been divided into two sections, one dealing with general complaints and the other dealing with use of force incidents.

5. Sweeping changes ranging from APD’s SWAT team protocols, to banning chokeholds, to auditing the use of every Taser carried by officers and re writing and implementation in new use of force and deadly force policies have been completed.

6. “Constitutional policing” practices and methods as well as mandatory crisis intervention techniques and de-escalation tactics with the mentally ill have now been implemented at the APD Police Academy with all sworn also having received the training.

7. APD has adopted a new system to hold officers and supervisors accountable for all use of force incidents with personnel procedures implemented detailing how use of force cases are investigated.

8. APD has revised and updated its policies on the mandatory use of lapel cameras by all sworn police officers.

9. The Repeat Offenders Project, known as ROP, has been abolished.

10. Police Oversight Board has been created, funded, fully staffed and a director has hired been hired and his contract renewed.

11. The Community Policing Counsels have been created in all area command and the counsels meet monthly.

12. The Mental Health Advisory Committee has been implemented.

13. The CASA identified that APD was severely understaffed. APD has gone from 850 sworn police to now 980 and intends to add an additional 300.

14. The federal monitors 10th report issued on November 1, reported APD met 100% of CASA-established primary compliance requirements during the reporting period. Secondary compliance rates (training) were reported at 81%, up from 79% and overall compliance rates are at 63%, the same as the 9th audit report.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

Former APD Chief Joe Polisar is absolutely correct with his assessment of the number of sworn police to oversee the conduct of other sworn officers as being unnecessary and a waste of personnel resources. At a minimum, the 40 detectives assigned to the compliance bureau should be assigned to the field services to handle calls for service.

The CASA was negotiated to be fully implemented over a four-year period, and it now has been over 5 years. Under the CASA, once APD achieves a 95% compliance rate in all 3 compliance areas, the case can be dismissed.

According to the Use of Force Report for the years 2017 and 2018, APD’s “use of force” and “deadly force” is down, which was the primary objective of the CASA reforms. APD has dedicated 61 sworn police, or 6.28% of the police force to CASA compliance, including 40 detectives.

Many of the duties and responsibilities of the Compliance Bureau do not have to be carried on by sworn police. The duties and responsibilities can be performed by civilian investigators assigned to the city’s general counsel and the city’s human resources department.

ABOLISH APD INTERNAL AFFAIRS

APD has consistently shown over decades it cannot police itself which contributed to the “culture of aggression” found by the Department of Justice. The APD Internal Affairs Unit needs to be abolished and its functions absorbed by other civilian departments.

The investigation of police misconduct cases including excessive use of force cases not resulting in death or serious bodily harm should be done by “civilian” personnel investigators, not sworn police. The function and responsibility for investigating police misconduct cases and violations of personnel policy and procedures by police should be assumed by the Office of the General Council in conjunction with the City Human Resources Department.

The Office of Independent Council could make findings and recommendations to the APD Chief and Police Oversight Board (POB) for implementation and imposition of disciplinary action.

NEGOTIATE DISMISSAL OF CASA

The biggest complaint of all the DOJ consent decrees in the country is implementation and enforcement “go on and on” for years, costing millions in taxpayer dollars. With expected, continued implementation of the DOJ reforms, the spirit and intent of the CASA has been realized. A 95% to 100% compliance with all the CASA primary, secondary and operational compliance goals should be achievable. The role of the federal monitor should be reduced, as well as the continued costs of the monitoring team reduced.

The city should commence negotiations immediately with the DOJ for a stipulated “Order of Compliance and Dismissal” of the CASA, and all causes of action the DOJ has against the city and APD. Otherwise, the city and taxpayers will be sucked into “year after year” of expenses and costs associated with a consent decree whose primary objective has been achieved and whose federal monitor was given another $1.5 million dollar contract extension on top of the first $4.5 million contract.

With the continued implementation of the DOJ reforms, especially those reforms involving the mentally ill, the spirit and intent of the CASA has been achieved and for these reasons every effort should now be made to seek a dismissal of the federal lawsuit.

For related blog articles see:

Ninth APD Federal Monitor’s Report Filed; Negotiate Dismissal of CASA

Create Department Of Public Safety; Abolish APD Internal Affairs; Create Salary Structure

On November 19, just after 5 a.m., a man called 911 to say his wife had been shot. He found his wife slumped over, not moving, in her car in the driveway. He couldn’t open the door and he call 911. When paramedics arrived at the residence located at the 2100 block of Corte de Loma NW, near Unser and Ladera, the woman was already dead. The shooting occurred in a quiet upper-middle-class neighborhood on the city’s West Side. The victim, identified by her neighbors as Jacqueline “Jackie” Vigil, a woman in her 50s, is the mother of two New Mexico State Police officers.

Detectives with the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) think it was an attempted robbery. APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said that after the shooting, a car horn started blaring and neighbors came out of their homes to see a Jeep fleeing the scene. Gallegos elaborated:

“All indications are that she was in her car, getting ready to go to the gym apparently, and this appears to be a robbery attempt of some sort. … It sounds like just an innocent victim who was getting ready to go out in the morning. We don’t know the circumstances if they were trying to rob her or the vehicle, but it does look like an attempted robbery. Two individuals were seen leaving the area in a brown Jeep Cherokee.”

In a press release issued, Mayor Tim Keller had this to say of the murder:

“We lost a member of our community—a mother to two state police officers—to gun violence. This is a senseless, tragic, and heartbreaking loss, for her family and for Albuquerque. We are working tirelessly to bring the killers to justice, and we are committed to continue the fight against criminals who perpetrate violence in our city.”

The murder of Jacqueline “Jackie” Vigil was the 71st homicide in Albuquerque this year, surpassing last year’s total of 69 homicides. The highest number in recent history was in 2017 when there were 72 homicides reported that year.

Mayor Tim Keller’s condolences over the senseless murder of Jacqueline Vigil was not the first time he has issued his concerns over the city’s violent crime rates. Just 6 months ago during a May 10 press conference, Mayor Tim Keller had this to say about the murder of 23-year-old University of New Mexico student Jackson Weller:

“I am saddened and angered by the news that a student’s life was taken last night. … I am getting updates regularly from APD as they work hard to solve this case and bring the killer to justice … Gun violence is not a problem with a quick or obvious solution, but we are determined to fight back in every way. … We understand the urgency of this moment … We are increasing our efforts … Over the last decade, violent crime driven by drugs, gangs, guns, and domestic violence has become an increasingly deadly challenge for this community. … We have made this dangerous mix of crime our top priority.”

https://www.abqjournal.com/1314397/apd-arrests-suspect-in-slaying-of-unm-baseball-player.html

ANOTHER MURDER

On November 20, it was reported that the homicide count in Albuquerque is now at 72, matching the city’s record in 2017. APD confirmed a fight Tuesday night left one man dead. Officers were dispatched to the Econo Lodge on Central near I-25 in response to a fight in progress. Police said that once they arrived, they saw a man who was unconscious. Paramedics from Albuquerque Fire Rescue attempted to save his life, but he died from his injuries on scene.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/apd-man-killed-in-fight-at-econo-lodge-marks-72nd-homicide-this-year-/5558336/?cat=500

ANOTHER SHOOTING

On November 20, it was reported that APD was investigating a shooting near Unser and Tower that occurred Wednesday night. According to reports, when APD arrived to the scene they discovered a male subject with multiple gunshot wounds. According to police, the subject crashed his car into another vehicle. The subject was taken to UNMH to be treated for injuries. The victim was listed in critical condition.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/apd-investigates-possible-shooting-near-unser-and-tower/5559187/?cat=500

KELLER FORCED TO DEFEND POLICIES

On November 20, 2019, just 24 hours after the murder of Jacqueline Vigil, Mayor Tim Keller and APD Chief Michael Geier held a press conference to address the soaring murder numbers as this year has now tied the all-time record for the number of murders in the city at 72. The news conference was somewhat uncomfortable with a somber Mayor Keller forced to defend policies on what APD is doing to reduce the murder rate.

Mayor Keller and APD were specifically asked that after such a senseless murder as the murder of Jacqueline Vigil, how do they reassure the public they’re safe? Mayor Keller acknowledged the problem and said he is working on identifying the root cause of violent crime.

Addressing the growing number of violent crimes during the news conference, Keller said:

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen homicides increase slightly, and the year, of course, is not yet over. So with five or so weeks left to go, we know this is going to be one of our worst years on record.

Underlying each one of these murders is a combination of gangs, drugs or domestic violence and guns. It’s this recipe that is eroding our community and eating away at our families and neighborhoods.”

Mayor Keller said his new efforts include staffing one more APD homicide detective and creating a unit that works with prosecutors to ensure more convictions. Keller proclaimed he will unveil a new initiative to target violent offenders.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/mayor-keller-addresses-growing-number-of-violent-crime/5559096/?cat=500

KELLER INTENDS TO ASK FOR $30 MILLION FROM STATE

APD has an approved general fund budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 of $188.9 million dollars, which represents an increase of 10.7% or $18.3 million above last year’s budget. According to the approved budget, APD has 1,560 approved full-time positions with 1,040 sworn police budgeted positions and 520 budgeted civilian positions. You can review the entire APD approved budget here:

http://documents.cabq.gov/budget/fy-19-approved-budget.pdf (Page 209)

It was in April, 2018 that Mayor Keller agreed to and signed off on a $55 million dollar a year increase in gross receipts tax enacted by the city council, breaking his promise not to raise taxes without a public vote even for public safety. The city council dedicated 75% or the tax increase to public safety needs.

During his press conference, Mayor Keller said he plans on asking the governor and state legislature for $30 million in funding during the upcoming 2020 legislative session to “modernize” APD. According to Keller $20 million dollars of that will go to changing the way police file reports and produce crime stats and how they connect all the crime-fighting data into one.

According to Keller:

“We’re dealing with systems that are decades old and older. It’s a situation that is holding back everything that we are trying to do as a department. It’s essentially a deferred investment that I wish we would have made a decade ago and that we have to make now.”

The other $10 million would go to the city’s new violence intervention program.

https://www.koat.com/article/city-leaders-announce-new-crime-fighting-measures/29863717

APD HOMICIDE UNIT

Since first taking office on December 1, 2017, Mayor Tim Keller has doubled the number of homicide detectives from 5 to 10. On November 17, Keller announced APD was adding one more detective to the unit.

APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said APD is doing everything they can to bring justice to victim’s families and said:

“Our homicide detectives work large caseloads, often under intense public scrutiny. Make no mistake, they put everything into solving these cases and bringing justice to every victim and their loved ones. ”

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/city-staffs-more-homicide-detectives-murder-solve-rate-50/5555863/?cat=500

APD HAS DECREASING HOMICIDE CLEARANCE RATE

According to the proposed 2018-2019 APD City Budget, in 2016 the APD homicide clearance rate was 80%, in 2017 the clearance rate was 70% and the clearance rate for 2018 was 56%. APD officials said they have investigated 70 homicide cases this year. Out of those 70 cases, 36 have been solved. In 2018, APD investigated 69 homicides and solved 37 or just over half. According to APD, it is less about the number of detectives and more about good witnesses willing to testify.

In the past few years, it has been reported that the APD Homicide Unit has botched any number of high-profile murder investigations. The APD Homicide Unit has compiled a history of not doing complete investigations, misleading the public, feeding confessions to people with low IQs, getting investigations completely wrong and even arresting innocent people. For more on APD’s high profile murder cases see:

https://www.petedinelli.com/2018/07/02/abq-report-apd-homicide-units-legacy-of-shame/

The most egregious was the murder investigation of 10-year-old Victoria Martens who was murdered, dismembered and whose body was burned in a bathtub. The initial APD Homicide alleged that it was Jessica Kelley that stabbed 9-year-old Victoria Martens and that Fabian Gonzales strangled her while Michelle Martens, the child’s mother, watched the murder.

It was later revealed that Jessica Kelley did not murder the child. Michelle Martens falsely admitted to committing the crimes when forensic evidence revealed she and her boyfriend Fabian Gonzales were not even in the apartment at the time of the murder, they did not participate in the murder and that there is an unidentified 4th suspect in the case who committed the murder.

On November 20, 2019, it was reported that Defendant Fabian Gonzales was release from jail pending his trial. He was released to the court’s pretrial services division, which is tasked with finding an appropriate place for him to live until his trial. Gonzales had been in the county jail since August 2016 on a $1 million cash-only bond.

https://www.abqjournal.com/1393384/fabian-gonzales-released-from-mdc.html

Shortly after his arrest in 2016, Gonzales had been accused of drugging, raping and killing Victoria, but after further investigation, Bernalillo County D. A. Raul Torrez was forced to revise the prosecution’s theory of the case, and dropped rape and murder charges against Gonzales. Gonzales is now accused of helping his cousin dismember the body of 10-year-old Victoria Martens after she was reportedly killed by an unidentified man who was looking for Gonzales.

ALBUQUERQUE HOMICIDE AND VIOLENT CRIME RATES

Albuquerque’s FBI Uniform Crime statistics for the years 2008 to 2018 reveal just how bad violent crime has increased in Albuquerque over the last 10 years. Violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults. Property Crimes include burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. The hard numbers for the last 10 years reflect that crime has not declined much and that like a waive on a beach, it had “ebbed and flowed” over the years.

As of November 20, 2019, there were 72 homicides in Albuquerque. The number of homicides reported each year from 2008 to 2019 are:

2008: 38
2009: 56
2010: 42
2011: 35
2012: 41
2013: 34
2014: 30
2015: 42
2016: 61
2017: 72
2018: 69
2019: 72 homicides as of November 20, 2019

The number of AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS (assaults with deadly weapon) reported each year from 2008 to 2016 are:

2008: 2,960
2009: 2,597
2010: 2,971
2011: 2,910
2012: 2,740
2013: 2,803
2014: 3,121
2015: 3,273
2016: 3,846
2017: 4,213
2018: 3,885

The total number of VIOLENT CRIMES (murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault combined) reported each year from 2008 to 2018 were:

2008: 4,718
2009: 4,082
2010: 4,291
2011: 4,207
2012: 4,151
2013: 4,322
2014: 4,934
2015: 5,405
2016: 6,245
2017: 7,686 (Aggravated Assaults: 4,213, Non-Fatal Shootings: 470)
2018: 6,789 (Aggravated Assaults: 3,885, Non-Fatal Shootings: 491)

https://www.cabq.gov/police/annual-reports/uniform-crime-reports

BERNALILLO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY VIOLENT CRIME STATISTICS

The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office has implemented a data collection program called “Ceasefire”. Ceasefire is supposedly a data-driven approach to combat gun violence.

According to the DA’s office a breakdown of data from January 1, 2019, to April 23, 2019 is as follows:

There were 101 shootings in which individuals were injured or killed, several of which had multiple victims
114 people were shot, 17 of whom were killed.
95 incidents happened in the city.
6 incidents happened outside the city but within the county.
2 people were shot by law enforcement.
10 cases were self-inflicted shootings.
The shortest time between shootings was 16 minutes.
The longest time was a five-and-a-half-day stretch in early January.
The average number of shootings was just over one shooting per day.
Suspects have been identified in 42 cases, although it’s unclear how many have resulted in an arrest.
There were 27 more shootings so far in 2019 compared to the same time period in 2018 when there were 74 shootings.

KELLER DECLARES VIOLENT CRIME “PUBLIC HEALTH” ISSUE

During his November 19 press conference, Mayor Keller hinted that his Administration will unveil a new initiative to target violent offenders. If this sounds familiar, it should. This will be the second time in 6 months that Keller has announced a new program to combat violent crime.

On April 8, 2019, Mayor Tim Keller and APD announced efforts that will deal with “violent crime” in the context of it being a “public health issue” and dealing with crimes involving guns in an effort to bring down violent crime in Albuquerque.

Mayor Keller and APD argue that gun violence is a “public health issue” because gun violence incidents have lasting adverse effects on children and others in the community that leads to further problems. APD supposedly is tracking violent crime relying on the same methods used to track auto thefts, weekly reports summarizing shootings, refining policies, and learning from best practices used by other law enforcement agencies. One goal is for APD to examine how guns are driving other crimes, such as domestic violence and drug addiction.

The initiatives announced on April 8, 2019 included:

1. Using data from APD’s Real Time Crime Center to focus on areas with a heavy concentration of gun violence and identify any patterns.
2. Forming units of officers called Problem Response Teams in each area command. The Problem Response Teams will be made up of officers who don’t take calls for service but will be available to help community members as they need it. After a violent crime, the teams, along with Albuquerque Fire Rescue, will visit the neighborhood and provide resources or information.
3. Identifying those who are selling firearms illegally to felons or juveniles.
4. Working with agencies and universities to conduct research on gun violence as a public health issue.
5. Implementing a standardized shooting response protocol that police must follow within the first 72 hours of a reported crime. APD intends to collect and test all casings at shooting scenes and intends to purchase new equipment and technology that can assist detectives in investigating gun crimes.
6. APD is in the process of hiring additional personnel for the crime lab and securing technology that will increase efficiency around DNA testing including automating the entire unit. The unit that tests DNA and the unit that tests latent fingerprints will be split in an attempt to reduce a backlog of evidence that needs to be tested.
7. Increasing the use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network and the Problem Response Teams. The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network program is used to identify which guns have been used in multiple crimes by analyzing all casings they can find at violent crime scenes where a firearm has been discharged
8. Use of a placard police officers can hang on doors to encourage residents to call with information about a crime.

For a related blog article see:

https://www.petedinelli.com/2019/05/13/desperate-measures-for-despicable-crimes-and-another-press-conference/

https://www.abqjournal.com/1301057/police-to-focus-on-gun-violence.html

INCREASING SIZE OF APD POLICE FORCE

APD’s is spending $88 million dollars beginning in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, over a four-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 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. Last year’s 2018-2019 fiscal year budget provided for increasing APD funding from 1,000 sworn police to 1,040. This year’s 2019-2020 fiscal year budget has funding for 1,040 sworn police.

On August 1, 2019, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued what it entitled “Staffing Snapshot” providing a report on the number of sworn police officers APD now has and where they have been assigned. According to the report, APD as of August 1, 2019 a total of 972 sworn officers with 600 officers assigned to the field services patrolling 6 area commands and neighborhoods. You can view a detail breakdown of staffing levels here:

https://www.petedinelli.com/2019/08/08/apd-staffing-levels-970-sworn-police-300-more-needed/?fbclid=IwAR3bIE5NoLYcBMu96hMUmnmVhOMimMOONil-hV18lrrQpalpc35D3ryE0WE

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/apd-staffing-numbers-how-many-officers-are-in-your-neighborhood-/5449523/?cat=500

Last year APD sworn responded to 580,238 calls for service, made 9, 592 felony arrest, made 18,442 misdemeanor arrests, made 1,403 DWI arrests and made 2,256 domestic violence arrests. The overwhelming majority of the responses and arrests were made by APD field service officers when APD had 116 fewer sworn police.

AFFECT OF THE DOJ COURT APPROVED SETTLEMEMT AGREEMENT

The August 1, 2019, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) issued “Staffing Snapshot” revealed the extent of resources and personnel are dedicated to implementation of the Department of Justice (DOJ) mandated reforms under the Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) with APD’s Compliance Bureau.

The APD Compliance Bureaus consists of the Internal Affairs Professional Standards Division, Policy and Procedure Division, Accountability and Oversight Division, Internal Affairs Force Division and the Behavioral Health and Crisis Intervention Section. One of the major concentrations of this bureau is the ongoing cooperation with the Department of Justice (DOJ) consent decree (CASA) and its implementation of its terms and conditions. Internal Affairs deals with investigation police misconduct cases. Crisis Intervention deals with the crisis intervention teams who deal with the mentally ill. Policy and Procedures deals with the review and writing of standard operating procedures.

The staffing reported for the compliance bureau is 1 Deputy Chief, 3 Commanders, 1 Deputy Commander, 6 Lieutenants, 10 Sergeants and 40 Detectives for a total of 61 which is 6.28% of the department sworn police officers.

COMPLETION OF DOJ MANDATED REFORMS

From all appearances, and from review of all the Federal Monitor’s reports, the City and APD have completed the following mandated reforms under the Court Approved Settlement Agreement:

1. After a full year of negotiations, the new “use of force” and “use of deadly force” policies have been written, implemented. All APD sworn have received training on the policies.
2. All sworn have received at least 40 hours crisis management intervention training.
3. APD has created a “Use of Force Review Board” that oversees all internal affairs investigations of use of force and deadly force.
4. The Internal Affairs Unit has been divided into two sections, one dealing with general complaints and the other dealing with use of force incidents.
5. Sweeping changes ranging from APD’s SWAT team protocols, to banning chokeholds, to auditing the use of every Taser carried by officers and re writing and implementation in new use of force and deadly force policies have been completed.
6. “Constitutional policing” practices and methods as well as mandatory crisis intervention techniques and de-escalation tactics with the mentally ill have now been implemented at the APD Police Academy with all sworn also having received the training.
7. APD has adopted a new system to hold officers and supervisors accountable for all use of force incidents with personnel procedures implemented detailing how use of force cases are investigated.
8. APD has revised and updated its policies on the mandatory use of lapel cameras by all sworn police officers.
9. The Repeat Offenders Project, known as ROP, has been abolished.
10. Police Oversight Board has been created, funded, fully staffed and a director has hired been hired and his contract renewed.
11. The Community Policing Counsels have been created in all area command and the counsels meet monthly.
12. The Mental Health Advisory Committee has been implemented.
13. The CASA identified that APD was severely understaffed. APD has gone from 850 sworn police to now 980 and intends to add an additional 300.
14. The federal monitors 10th report issued on November 1, reported APD met 100% of CASA-established primary compliance requirements during the reporting period. Secondary compliance rates (training) were reported at 81%, up from 79% and overall compliance rates are at 63%, the same as the 9th audit report.

COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS

It is very problematic that only 600 polices officers are assigned to the field services and the six area commands that are dispatched and handling calls for service on a 24-hour basis. Uniformed police officers in the field services is where the “rubber hits the road.”

In order to have effective community policing, far more sworn police need to be in their cars and in the neighborhoods. At least 800 sworn police need to be in field services, 200 more than the 600 now assigned. A bike patrol does show police presence, but they are limited in what they can do to respond to a major call outs miles away. Having 16 officers on bikes patrolling streets and not in cars is questionable at a time there is such a shortage of field service officers.

The staffing of the investigative bureau at 173 sworn police is also very problematic. This bureau needs to be increased to at least 210 sworn police. This is the Bureau that has the Criminal Investigations Division, the Special Investigations Division and the Scientific Evidence Division. Part of the problem is once again the sure volume of felony cases such as murder, rape, violent crimes that need to be investigated. Confidential sources say the Scientific Evidence Division is particularly overwhelmed with the processing of DNA evidence taking months, such as the backlog in rape kits, that can mean the difference between a conviction and a dismissal of serious felony cases.

INCREASE THE SIZE OF HOMICIDE UNIT

Given the sure number of homicides and the homicide clearance rate, the Homicide Investigation Unit needs to be increased from 11 detectives to at least 25 detectives. Further, given the units low clearance rate and past performance, more needs to be done with respect to recruiting and training. One problem is that it takes years of grooming through various positions, from impact to robbery and burglary detectives, as sworn police “refine” their skills. APD is in a crisis mode and it needs to concentrate on recruiting seasoned homicide detectives from other departments if necessary.

At the very least, APD needs to ask for temporary assignment of personnel from other agencies such as the Bernalillo County Sherriff’s Department or the State Police to help clear out the cases. The longer a homicide case takes to complete an investigation or is neglected because of lack of personnel, the less likely the cases will be solved and prosecuted. Adding to the crisis is the emotional toll an unsolved murder takes on the families of the victims.

NEGOTIATE DISMISSAL OF CASA

The CASA was negotiated to be fully implemented over a four-year period, and it now has been over 5 years. Under the CASA, once APD achieves a 95% compliance rate in all 3 compliance areas, the case can be dismissed. According to the Use of Force Report for the years 2017 and 2018, APD’s “use of force” and “deadly force” is down, which was the primary objective of the CASA reforms. APD has dedicated 61 sworn police, or 6.28% of the force to CASA compliance, including 40 detectives. It is likely many of the duties and responsibilities of the Compliance Burea do not have to be carried on by sworn police and could be accomplished with fewer detectives or by civilian investigators assigned to the city’s general counsel or internal audit department.

With the continued implementation of the DOJ reforms, especially those reforms involving the mentally ill, the spirit and intent of the CASA has been realized and for these reasons every effort should now be made to seek a dismissal of the federal lawsuit.

https://www.petedinelli.com/2019/05/08/ninth-apd-federal-monitors-report-filed-negotiate-dismissal-of-casa/

PROMISES MADE; PROMISES NOT KEPT

Tim Keller campaigned to get elected Mayor on the platform of implementing the Department of Justice (DOJ) mandated reforms, increasing the size of APD, returning to community-based policing and a promise to bring down skyrocketing crime rates. No at all surprising, Mayor Tim Keller has tried repeatedly to take credit for crime rates being on the decline in all categories other than gun violence offenses.

Mayor Keller and APD have initiated programs such as declaring violent crime a “public health” issue in an effort to bring down violent crime rates and gun violence. It’ painfully obvious with 72 murders this year and counting, Keller’s policy of declaring violent crime “public health” issue has not had much of an effect. As the shootings, assaults and killings continue to rise, Keller is focused on the gun violence and the city’s murder rates, but time is running out for him despite his efforts.

VOTERS ARE A FICKLE LOT

Voters are very fickle and unforgiving when politicians make promises they do not or cannot keep. After two full years, APD is now Mayor Tim Keller’s Police Department and he cannot blame his predecessor for continuing increases in our crime rates. Mayor Keller is probably realizing that after 2 years in office that governing and law enforcement takes more than just a smile, condolences, press conferences, “nuance programs” and promises to get results.

It does take very aggressive tactical plans targeting violent repeat offenders, gangs, drug dealers, and repeat property crime offenders. If the Keller APD command staff he handpicked are not getting the job done, personnel changes are in order, including asking for more than a few resignations, starting with the APD command staff.

RUNNING FOR ANOTHER TERM

On December 1, 2019, it will be a full two years that Mayor Tim Keller has been in office. APD has now grown to 980 and counting with Keller hoping to add 300 more sworn police officers. Mayor Tim Keller has made impressive strides in returning to community-based policing, implementing the Department of Justice Court Agreed Settlement Agreement (CASA) reforms, has grown the APD to what will in all likely be 1,100 officers by the end of 2020, and has spent millions to get it all done. The problem is, all of Keller’s efforts have not been enough to bring the city’s murder rates down.

If you have been given everything you want and have asked for, and then some, and then start asking for yet $30 million more from the Governor and the New Mexico legislature to “modernize” your police department, sooner rather later people demand and want results.

What is becoming increasingly concerning for voters is that all the increases in APD budget and personnel and increases and new programs at APD are not having any effect on bringing down the violent crime and murder rates. It is no longer an issue of not having the money, personnel nor resources. It is now an issue of management, or mismanagement of resources, by Mayor Tim Keller and APD Chief Michael Geier.

On November 5, election night, Keller announced he was running for another term. Notwithstanding all of the law enforcement accomplishments, the city’s violent crime rates are still at unacceptable levels. Mayor Keller has another full year before the 2021 municipal election begins in earnest in February, 2021.

Voters can expect that violent crime rates and APD will once again be major issue in the 2021 municipal election for Mayor. Voters will be demanding results and expect more than just heartfelt condolences to families of murder victims and assurances APD is doing better and getting the job done when the statistics show otherwise and Albuquerque is still a violent city.

For related blog articles see:

“Desperate Measures For Despicable Crimes” And Another Press Conference

APD Homicide Investigation Unit Overwhelmed

NM And ABQ Still Violent; Gov. MLG Creates “Fugitive Apprehension Unit” ; Crime Rates Will Be Defining Issue In 2021 Mayor’s Race

NM & ABQ Murder Rates; Training Key To APD’s Poor Clearance Rate