Restore trust in APD
Mayor’s leadership needed in efforts to reform police department
Even in a busy holiday season, it is important to remember that today, Dec. 10, is Human Rights Day. This day commemorates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948 and proclaims a call to affirm our common humanity even as we guard against human rights abuses.
Usually, the term “human rights abuses” conjures up images of far-off places: despair coming from Aleppo or fire hoses being turned on the water protectors at Standing Rock.
Unfortunately, this letter concerns human rights violations much closer to home. In April of 2014, after an in-depth investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Albuquerque Police Department “engages in a pattern or practice of use of excessive force” against its own citizens.
When the city entered into a settlement agreement with DOJ, independent monitor James Ginger, a man with decades of police practices experience, was assigned to monitor implementation of reforms required by the settlement.
After more than two years of monitoring APD, Ginger recently stated that APD suffers from a “culture of low accountability” and “systemic deficiencies” in its review of use of force incidents.
These are serious statements worthy of serious consideration on Human Rights Day.
However, rather than serious consideration, the city has attacked the independent monitor simply for doing his job. By undermining the independent monitor, the city seems more concerned with public perception rather than with addressing the substance of his observations.
Sadly, we see our city picking pointless fights with Ginger and impeding the reform of practices that violate human rights.
Moreover, we recently learned of very serious allegations of evidence tampering from the former records custodian for APD. In an affidavit filed in late October, the former custodian alleges that APD officials have altered, or even deleted, footage showing controversial incidents with police including at least two shootings of civilians. Initially, City Attorney Jessica Hernandez told City Council that her staff and APD were investigating these allegations.
From a human rights perspective, this is not a neutral process for such an investigation. Indeed, the Citizen Police Oversight Agency, one of the few bright spots in the monitor’s reports, has called for the FBI to investigate these allegations.
Since the agency was created by the settlement agreement to investigate issues of excessive force by APD officers and relies on evidence shared by APD, its members are understandably worried.
If the allegations in this affidavit are true, their independent investigations of future excessive force concerns may be compromised.
But the deeper issue concerns city leadership throughout this crisis. It is a concern that, despite a settlement agreement requirement, Chief Gorden Eden does not attend most monthly status meetings with the court. He has refused to attend community policing council meetings despite multiple written invitations and has ignored his legal requirement to respond to Citizen Police Oversight Agency findings and disciplinary recommendations.
In this moment of crisis, it is critical that Eden be highly engaged and assert his leadership in future public proceedings surrounding the settlement agreement.
Still, at the end of today – Human Rights Day – responsibility rests with the mayor. His legacy will be forever tied to the effort of reforming APD – whether that effort succeeds or fails. We need the mayor’s leadership now more than ever.
As chief executive of this city, we need him to hold APD accountable and to engage, meaningfully, in reform efforts himself. If he does that, he will lead the way toward restoring community trust in APD and ensuring human rights for all who call Albuquerque home.