Many barriers to recruiting cops

With COVID-19 vaccinations increasing and infections hopefully decreasing nationwide and in New Mexico, we are encouraged and thankful to see businesses and organizations reopen and fill (or refill) vacant positions. There are exceptions, however. The Santa Fe New Mexican has reported that vacant positions in the Santa Fe Police Department are at the highest level since 2016, likely due to COVID-19 because new recruits couldn’t be trained while the police academy was closed temporarily.

A sampling of Santa Fe New Mexican front-page articles and op-eds from the past year shows other reasons that could have influenced their career paths: George Floyd. Breonna Taylor. Black Lives Matter. Nationwide initiatives to reduce or eliminate police qualified immunity, with New Mexico’s version, House Bill 4, recently signed by the governor. Nationwide demands for police reform, including the Santa Fe mayor initiating a police reform task force. Pending whistleblower and retaliation lawsuits by a 19-year former Santa Fe Police Department lieutenant. Related to those lawsuits, a recent judgment preventing SFPD’s Internal Investigations from withholding requested documents. Mismanagement of the police department’s evidence room resulting in a scathing audit, necessitating a major revamp of the entire system and a million-dollar taxpayer bill. And finally, Santa Fe Police Department misconduct complaints increasing 32 percent from the previous year.

Santa Fe City residents should look forward to these issues being addressed by candidates in the upcoming mayoral race.

COVID-19 might be a valid reason for these high vacancies, but it is not the only reason. The Santa Fe Police Department must acknowledge and address the elephant in the room perceived by those they serve: lack of trust.

Steve Mesko Santa Fe