All have a responsibility in crafting change

Solutions to issues of policing complex and necessary

The solutions to today’s problems of policing are complex. Since law enforcement officers are part of our community, they, as well as our entire community, have a role to play in the needed reforms . ...

The Second Amendment states “a well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” How has this been interpreted and eroded in our state? What does it say about individual citizens’ practice of open carry? The answer is nothing, which leaves both law enforcement and other community members at increased risk to violence. The N.M. Constitution is also complicit in this problem. Will our state Legislature craft and pass a resolution allowing citizens to vote on this issue? ...

A statewide problem exists on tracking bias in citations/ arrests. State Police, sheriffs and police need to have a place on all citations for the cited to state “self-identified race,” “selfidentified gender.” No data can be compiled about bias when we don’t have adequate data . ...

It is amazing to see the pushback by local citizens to have cameras at intersections. This is a way to cut down vehicular and pedestrian accidents and lighten the unnecessary workload of law enforcement when accidents occur. It is also a double standard as we clamor for law enforcement to wear cameras but refuse to monitor our own behaviors.

Bias and implicit bias are communitywide problems. The latter is defined as attitudes and stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions and decisions unconsciously. The city already has an Office of Equity and Inclusion. Its activities could be expanded so all elected officials and interested citizens could take part in trainings.

Police receive many unnecessary calls for service, i.e., nuisance property calls, downand-out and mental illness crisis calls. The latter two are being addressed by the mayor’s suggestion of a community social services department. However, the only way this will be effective beyond what already exists in APD is to have it adequately staffed 24/7. The City Council could address the nuisance calls by promoting certain zoning changes, such as freezing new commercial building permits until most of the existing retail space is occupied and by properly funding demolition of distressed properties which become hangouts for nefarious activities.

I spent a three-year term on the Police Oversight Board and grew to respect so many officers, especially during all the required ride-alongs. However, I think many would agree there are reforms of policies needed beyond the Department of Justice required Court Approved Settlement Agreement.

... APD promotions do not require any community input or knowledge of principles of community policing . ... The Use of Force policy rightfully gets a lot of attention but what about other policies that impact our community? For example, “Crimes Against Children,” and the “Domestic Violence Policy,” which is far from national best practices. The community now has an opportunity to weigh in on these when they are up for consideration . ...

Unions are critical in America to protect workers’ rights. APD’s union has very effective leadership and takes its responsibilities seriously. The only problem is there is not always equal footing between APD needs and other citizen’s needs. For example, at the time of an officerinvolved use of force, the union lawyer is called to be on scene. The victim’s lawyer instead has to go through lengthy processes to get similar information. An APD 72-hour turn-around policy for public information would be a starting point . ...

Many APD officers are caught in a double standard between their training as members of the National Guard and the Reserves. De-escalation and bias trainings are not part of the latter and yet critical to their role as a civilian law enforcement officer. This gap could be bridged by APD having re-entry training after summer camps or deployments . ....

There is a lot to do but we as a state and local community can do it if the will to reform is present in all of us.