Oversight Board votes to fire cop
Chief must decide whether to abide by decision on Brachle
The city’s Police Oversight Board voted 6-1 on Thursday evening to recommend the firing of the Albuquerque police lieutenant who shot and seriously injured an undercover detective in a botched drug sting last year.
It was the first officer-involved shooting case reviewed by the civilian board, and its recommendation will be sent to Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden, who will decide whether to comply with the board’s wishes in the case of Lt. Greg Brachle.
The board’s decision may be moot, however, since Brachle filed for retirement earlier this week, police spokeswoman Celina Espi-
noza announced shortly after the meeting.
Under normal circumstances, if Eden disagrees with the Police Oversight Board, he will give the board a written explanation of his reasons.
Brachle shot detective Jacob Grant multiple times during an undercover drug sting that went awry in January 2015.
Edward Harness, the executive director of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency, earlier concluded that Brachle violated APD’s use-of-force and other polices during the shooting in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant on East Central near Tramway.
Operating undercover, Grant and another officer had just purchased $60 worth of drugs from two suspects. Both officers and both suspects were in the vehicle when Brachle ran up to it, opened rear driver’s side door where Grant was sitting and started shooting.
Brachle was wearing a lapel camera that recorded the incident, though police have so far refused to make the video publicly available. Police also haven’t said what Brachle told investigators about why he opened fire on a fellow officer.
Board members reviewed the lapel camera footage, statements Brachle gave to investigators and other evidence before reaching a decision.
“This is a really tragic case,” said Beth Mohr, the chairwoman of the board. “The fact that he survived was almost a miracle.”
Mohr said that in the lapel camera footage, a radio near Brachle can be heard announcing where the suspects were sitting during the drug bust.
She said it also showed that Brachle never gave Grant any commands before he opened fire.
Shot eight times, Grant survived but was severely injured. He has filed a lawsuit against the city.
The lawsuit accused Brachle of skipping a meeting at which officers went over details, such as what the undercover officers were wearing and where they would be sitting in the car.
The Police Oversight Board consists of nine members, two of whom didn’t cast a vote Thursday because they are new to the body.
Those voting to recommend termination were: Mohr, Leonard Waites, Eric Cruz, Scott Wilson, Joanne Fine and David Ring. The lone no vote was made by Susanne Brown, who said she still had more questions about the case.
The case was forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office in October, Espinoza said.
Board member Ring questioned why police officers are continuing to do “buy-bust” operations given there is a shortage of officers on staff.
“When we have a shortage of officers and enough crime happening without the police department creating it,” he said. “It seems we have plenty of crime for the police to be working on it.”
In addition to firing Brachle, Harness also recommended that police make several policy changes in the wake of the shooting.
He said detectives in the Special Investigations Division should receive Drug Enforcement Agency training and that only officers present during operational briefings should be involved in those operations, among other policy changes.
Police officials have said Brachle has been on an administrative assignment since the shooting took place 14 months ago.