Mixed reaction to retention bill
State and city officials expressed support for a restricted return-to-work bill that will be introduced in the upcoming 30-day Legislative session, but several other groups insisted there are better ways to address the shortage of police officers.
Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry, Department of Public Safety Secretary Greg Fouratt and other officials and policymakers announced their support for a return-towork bill at a news conference at City Hall on Thursday.
“For those of you who think this is an Albuquerque-only problem, you are mistaken,” Fouratt said, citing police departments across the state that are short of officers. “Though Albuquerque has the most high-profile problem, it does not have the worst problem in the state.”
The bill — to be introduced and carried by Rep. Larry Larrañaga, R-Albuquerque — would allow police officers who retired before 2016 to return to work for up to five years and collect their pension and a paycheck. The officers would be required to pay into the Public Employees Retirement Association’s retirement fund, but the officers’ pensions would not change as a result of their continued work.
Shaun Willoughby, president of the Albuquerque Police Officers Association, questioned whether officer shortages are a statewide issue and said return to work is bad public policy created by city leaders.
“It’s a Band-Aid bill to fix a problem that the city is responsible for,” he said.
City officials said they tried to address the union’s concerns about return to work. In Albuquerque, police officers would be rehired with the rank of patrol officer first class and would make $28 an hour. They said the rehires would not ever be promoted.
Willoughby said college reimbursement, housing down payment assistance and allowing police to use their take-home vehicle for some personal reasons, which would also show a greater police presence in the city and possibly deter crime, are better solutions for the officer shortage.
Additionally, state Sen. George Munoz, D-Gallup, said he is considering a bill that would call for interested municipalities to partner with the state and pay up to $25,000 retention bonuses to officers who are eligible to retire but choose to continue working.
Edward Harness, the executive director of the city’s Civilian Police Oversight Agency, said return to work could result in bringing back the same officers that led the police to be investigated by the Department of Justice.
“If they were part of that pattern or practice, I don’t know if it helps to bring them back,” he said.