Councilor calls for outside investigations
Davis proposes independent review of shootings by APD officers
City Councilor Pat Davis will introduce legislation Monday calling for an outside law enforcement agency — not APD — to investigate when Albuquerque police shoot someone.
The goal, he said, is to boost public confidence by requiring that shootings get an independent, unbiased review.
“It’s the next logical step in our reform process — to put into law the principles of transparency and accountability for our police department,” Davis said in an interview Friday.
The proposal comes as Albu- querque police carry out a series of reforms as part of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice. A federal investigation in 2014 — following 24 police shootings over a fouryear period — found that APD had a pattern of violating people’s rights through the use of excessive force.
The legislation will be introduced at Monday’s council meeting and referred to a committee for further consideration.
City Attorney Jessica Hernandez said the proposal could put the city in violation of the DOJ settlement, which already outlines how the police department must handle shooting investigations.
Under the current system, an APD detective takes the lead but works with a representative from another agency to investigate when Albuquerque police shoot someone, Davis said.
Shaun Willoughby, president of the union that
represents police officers, said there’s no need for a change. The settlement with the DOJ already provides some independent oversight, he said.
“It tears down what we’re trying to accomplish, what we’re trying to build,” Willoughby said. “We have to be able to police ourselves. We have to be a part of these investigations.”
Davis, a former police officer in Washington, D.C., and at the University of New Mexico, said he’s open to amending the bill to address criticism. It could be months before councilors take final action the proposal, he said.