"They did not meet my expectations or my direction," the mayor said Wednesday. "There will be some interesting meetings next week. Having said that, it's hard to grow a police department with the highest standards in the state. And this isn't like growing other departments (in city government). These people have badges and guns.Anyone who has been paying any attention over the last two years could have predicted APD's failure. It has been apparent that APD has been attempting to hide their actual force strength since the 2005 election when Mayor Marty set goals of 1,000 then 1,100 officers by January 1, 2008. APD has steadfastly refused to publish a list of sworn officers and their positions within the organization.
"But I've always, always told my chiefs that it's more important to grow it right than it is to grow it quickly. You pay for years when you make that mistake."
Our Eyes hold that they're counting everyone with a pulse and a badge and the badge may be optional. The number of officers on the street has been an issue for some time. APD's number has ranged from a low of 857 two years ago to a high of 1,033 claimed by DC Castro just last September. It's clear that it's almost impossible to take the 5th floor at their word; which ultimately is at the heart of our crime problem.
"A lot of people will come up and say: 'We need 1,500 officers; we need 2,000 officers,' '' Castro said. "But there is no mathematical equation that says we need X number of officers. We use our crime rates and other factors to determine that.Normally we'd agree with the Deputy Chief but there's just one problem - Albuquerque's crime rate is on the increase in two major areas, property crime and violent crime. There are a lot of reasons for our crime problems and a lack of sworn officers is just one of them.
According to the data, the metro area per capita ranks in the top 10 percent for violent crimes, which include murder, rape and robbery. And the metro area ranks in the top 13 percent for property crime, such as auto theft and burglaries.
The impact is huge. More than 5,000 vehicles were stolen and more than 6,000 homes were burgled last year.If Albuquerque's crime rates were decreasing we'd tend to agree with Castro, but the stats show an alarming increase. Currently (assuming you accept APD's 998 number which we don't), APD has 1.81 officers per thousand assuming a population of 550,000. The national average for cities over 250,000 is 2.8 officers per thousand (FBI Crime in the United States).
Each day, an average 15 autos were stolen and 17 homes or businesses were hit.
The fact is it doesn't matter how many officers APD has if they are able to effectively police their jurisdiction. Since that doesn't seem to be the case, we'd believe that the 5th floor would be doing everything in its power to make sure that we lose as few experienced officers as possible.
Instead we've seen what can only be characterized as an exodus of experienced officers losing over 10% of APD's manpower in just 2 years with 62 retirees last year and at least 55 retiring this year. Our Eyes tell us that officers who are fully vested are leaving even though they would rather stay. In other words, they're voting with their feet; choosing to leave rather than continue to have to fight crime on our streets and an administration that just doesn't seem to get it.
So what's going on? If you've read many stories about APD over the last year, it's plain to see that they've got a problem. There are the standard issues of pay and retirement, but there also seems to be a serious division between the brass on the 5th floor and the rank and file in the field.
Lincoln once said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand" and so it is with our police department. As long as they keep playing the numbers game, it will be impossible for the public or the rank and file officers to trust APD's management and their house will continue to be divided.
We are already one of the top 10 most violent cities and we are seeing "unexpected" officer attrition. As citizens of Albuquerque, we are being placed in more and more danger by and administration that would rather play politics than do their jobs. Eventually, their house will collapse. Unfortunately, it will fall on those who it was designed to protect.
----- Correction -----
Sometimes our fingers out run our spell check... such is the case above when we typed loose when we intended lose. It has been corrected above.
63 comments:
"we loose as few experienced officers as possible.
"
You don't need to post this but it's LOSE as in lost fight as opposed to loose, like APD and numbers interpretations.....
Here are some raw numbers for you:
This is straight from the published field service bid lists so whoever wants to spin it just know this is as primary a source as you can get:
2005 390 officers
2006 433 officers
2007 434 officers
These numbers include P1/C, CR, Bike, Rehire, and P2/C officers. For baseline purposes just remember this is the total number at the beginning of the bid and typically is reduced by 5-7% by the end of the year because of retirement, transfers, and injuries.
The balance of the total officers you see published (850,976,1016, etc...) are going to be everybody who's NOT assigned to the field. In other words people not usually seen by taxpayers.
The mayor said "there's going to be some interesting meetings next week". I hope so, I really do because the administration of this department's staffing has been a failure in every sense of the word. I also hope that somebody will go on record and show some honesty for once...
I agree, this is madness. I am going to contact the Council Office & Mayor's Office & tell them that I would support a repeal of the 20 year retirement plan until they get the numbers up. 20 years is too short of a time & all of these officers leaving at such a young age is just wrong. It needs to go back to 25-30 years like it used to be.
He can be pedantic, he can be pedantic!!
APD has lots of problems.
The mayor's claims of APD high standards are ludicrous. Just look at some of the goofs we have hired and had to fire and indict. APD would be better served sticking strictly to state statute instead of Marty's weird rules which are excluding a lot of good applicants.
In the article Castro states that the number of retirements surprised them. These are the commanders and chiefs, if they can't plan one year ahead they should not be in that position.
The FBI provides a calculation for the number of police to citizens that a city should have. APD falls far short.
The troops have no trust in the command staff. The recently retired Deputy Chiefs ruined any loyalty the 5th floor could expect from its troops. It will take years to repair the damage that those three have caused. Schultz has not started the (I hate this term)the healing process because he hired all three of them back! He did this at a time he tells really good retired APD officers he doesn't want them back. What is wrong with this guy?
The troops know there are not 998 officers, so everytime Castro or the chief talk about the numbers and don't prove them it just is another time the troops don't trust them.
Schultz has done some just crazy things. He fires officers that should never have been hired. He puts on academy classes that are so small they are not only embarrassing but a huge waste of taxpayer dollars. He lets in lateral officers that were in the process of being fired by other departments. High Standards? I don't think so. Then he doesn't fire or discipline officers who should be. No one can figure out what he is doing. I think Ray's failure to get 1100 shows he is in way over his head.
Until they produce the figures no one will believe APD has 998 full time sworn officers as the mayor and city budget call for. In the article it seemed that Castro is counting the 35 cadets that are in the Academy. If that is true then you can subtract them as they are not officers. My bet is he is also counting about 70 part time officers (some of the red light/speed van officers) in this number. These guys are not full time so they can't be counted. Now if Castro and the Chief would like to say we are wrong with this and produce the officer list and prove where they are working then we can lay some of this to rest.
Until that time they have shown they can't be trusted so when they talk no one believes them. What a shame a damn good police force is controlled by people who do not understand how to lead and inspire people.
APD officer's with 19 years or so are leaving the dept because they don't trust the 5th floor. The 5th floor lies not only the public, but to their officers as well.
The only thing this 5th floor cares about is how much money they can make before they retire and split town.
Morale is the worst APD has ever seen to date and the Mayor will not do anything about it!
As for APD numbers, we all know that we are lucky if we have 870 officers. Most of those officers are in inside jobs, not on the street where they belong, hence, Albuquerque's high crime rate!
What are you going to do about APD's major problems mayor!!!!
Hey Mayor Chavez, don't you find it odd that APD has had two record retirement years under Chief Schultz.
It's because he treats his officers like shit and is only interested in making money.
He does not care about Albuq or it's police force! Don't let them fool you by saying it was just the officers time to retire, many would have stayed, if it was not for Schultz.
Most officers are leaving early, before they reach 20 years, much less staying for 23 years. That should tell you there is a problem.
If you don't beleive it, ask those officers that have retired in the last few years!
Fix your police dept!
It cost you the Senate Race, don't let it keep pulling you down!
DCOP Castro will say or do anything to keep his job!
We don't trust him or Chief Schultz at all!
The Mayor has never told us to grow the dept right, that's all he wanted was the dept to grow as quickly as possible, so he could reach his 1100 officers. Chief Schultz and the 5th floor have the same attitude.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT GROWING THE DEPT RIGHT. WHAT A BUNCH OF LYING WEASELS!
WE HIRE JUST ABOUT ANYONE JUST FOR THE NUMBER!
P.S. MEDIA, THEY LIE TO YOU EVERY DAY!
Further, we have hired alot of officers we should not have just to try and reach the Mayor's goal.
Most of the officers hired were turned down by recruiting, but were hired by the 5th floor for the numbers.
A perfect example is to look at APD's current Academy. They started with 52 cadets and are now down to 31 cadets.
The reason for the high loss is because those people should have never been hired in the first place, but the 5th floor ordered them to be hired!
What a waste of taxpayer money, not to mention it hurts morale!
I do not have a dog in this fight, however, it appears as if APD's management and union leadership are driving the rank and file down the wrong road. I happened upon this blog a few months ago and find it quite interesting.
It certainly appears as if the rank and file police officers have all the facts on their side. You have the rising rate of violent crime, the low staffing levels of street officers and the rate of pay seems inadequate for the work that is performed by APD. It also appears as if the mayor would rather put city money into less urgent issues than the ones that APD now faces. For example, the 2 million to create a new department for animal services, the 1 1/2 million for the fire department for 8 new assistant chiefs positions, the money spent for Nick Bakas' and Joe Bowdich's positions and the unknown tens of millions he wanted to put into a light rail system. I am sure this is only the tip of a very large iceberg.
With all this information and all the investigative resources available to you, why has more of this common knowledge not become available and emphasized to the general public? Surely within the rank and file there are the resources to uncover more of this frivolous spending. In addition, are there not people within the mainstream media or city councilors that either your bloggers or the rank and file could contact to apply more public pressure for your causes? If there are people you can go to, then why hasn't this occured? A regular reader,such as myself, would conclude that your group is either inept, lazy, your whiners or that these situations don't really exist. Which is it?
This is a very informative blog, however the people who can apply the pressure you need, the general public, are most likely not readers of this blog.
"If at first you don't succeed, change the goal"
Exactly my thoughts when I read that headline, and indicative of this entire country's attitute, from TOP to BOTTOM. We should change our motto:
"Never Admit Failure: just change the change the goal - and if you still can't win, cheat or lie."
Needs work, I know. Maybe you guys can clever it up a bit, make it rhyme or something...
Well done post, the blame does NOT however, lie at the feet of the 5th floor so much as across the street. An example of the issue is the hidden meanings in Marty's quote about the "interesting meetings". He goes on to admit that the recruiting job is hard with the benefits offered and the outcomes are bad if the wrong people are recruited -- but he WILL rip everone a "new one" in those meetings. This is the same guy who once yelled at a DCOP in a meeting for chewing gum, acting like he was dealing with a 4 year old instead of a well educated senior public servant.These DCs and this chief are doing a far better job then they are credited with, imagine their same efforts were the Mayor someone who actually backed them and who only demanded quality policing with NO ''fast and loose'' numbers play to mislead the public.
"He goes on to admit that the recruiting job is hard with the benefits offered and the outcomes are bad if the wrong people are recruited"
How true, how sadly true! Case in point, APD is now actively recruiting in the Soho area of NYC. Why did APD choose Soho in which to recruit officers? Soho is an artsy, trendy section of NYC.
998 officers. Based on a population of 550,000 = 1.81 per thousand.
Reality is 890-900. Based on a population of 550,000 that's 1.63 per thousand.
We should have 2.8 officers per thousand according to the Justice Department. That means for this PD to be properly manned, and to keep it's citizens safe, we need 1,540 officers.
Sorry for the bad news fellas, but you fall short 500 + officers, even with your fake number of
998.
Under normal circumstaces that's bad enough, but let's grow the city with more and more illegal criminal bastards, just so Marty and Big 'Blowfish' Bill can get their votes. What do they care.
Bottom line; Citizens, excericise your 2nd Ammendment right and arm yourselves. It's the only protection you have against the criminals that run this city.
A couple of thoughts brought on by these comments;
1. you cant really change the retirement package to fix the numbers as one poster asked - simply because the officers pay in 17% (nearly) of all pre-tax salary dollars to fund their own retirement. This is not some simple corporate retirement where all the money is paid by the employer. Many average folks on the street seem to think that it is all paid by the state or municipality - it is not.
2. There was never any question who would retire and when since in the early 80s APD ran two academy classes per year - graduating about 35 to 45 from each. That meant that they all began "maxing out" at from 20 years to 22 years and 10 months in about 2002 and that continues until 2009. Most of the decision makers are graduates of those classes so they know/knew who was leaving and when. That said, there is no incentive to stay beyond retirement date, once you retire at 80% of your salary you quit paying the 17% mentioned in point 1, this leaves you taking home 97% of your previous NET salary (Approximately).
3.And frankly, to you civilian readers, no matter if the city is right, the officers are, or everyone is a bunch of whiners; put yourself in the position of a cop with 22 years on the force... if this was your daily environement, would you stay?
4. and finally, the average age of mortality (death) in prior law enforcement personnell is decidedly lower than any other professions... so on an actuality table having them retiring in their late 40s is not "young" as compared to say, a postal employee or office worker retiring at 60.
This Chief does not care about the officers. He's too arrogant, you're lucky if he even will tell you hello.
The sad part is APD's administration uses threats and punishment towards officers who speak up.
Worse, the APD Union will not stand up to Schultz or stick up for the officers, so no one will dare say anything bad about the dept for fear of punishment!
That's why so many officers are leaving!!!!
Removing the 20 year retirement is not the answer, just get rid of the 5th floor and bring in a chief that care about his officers and dept!
Then you will start to see officer stick around.....
Well, the Mayor said last time that the heads of APD's admin would roll for the evidence scandal.
Only Chief Gallegos' head rolled, although all the deputy chiefs were just as guilty!
In fact, when they retired, Schultz hired those thugs back!
Mayor, let's see what you do with the 5th floor's failure this time?
First, we don't pay 16.3% into the retirement fund anymore. By July 2008 we will be down to only paying 4.1%. This was done in the last contract. Second, the retirment is governed by state statute. The city has no authority to change the retirement system. The employee actually is an owner (once vested) on the retirement system. So even if the legislature decides to remove the 20 year police plan, it would have to be approved by the officers it effects. Hmmmmmm wonder how that vote would go.
Now the city could, for new hires decide it wants to fall under a different retirement plan, there are 5 to pick from for law enforcement. If they did that it woudl kill them in recruiting.
APD could hire a lot of good officers if they just stopped with the BS high standards crap that excludes some really good people for not good reason. They should just strictly follow state certification guidelines and stop with the sillyness of Chiefs Selection Board, Marty's 5 years dui rule etc. None of that has worked and the proof is in the pudding, just look at the trouble a number of the new officers have been in. Chief's selection would not bring back a highly decorated 20 year APD veteran. The current process is just silly. APD should just follow state certification requirements and fill the academy with good people from this area and stop giving the Chief paid vacations to other parts of the country.
Hey Random Guy, you need to update your facts, they are all wrong. APD Officers no longer pay 17% into PERA. Last year under the Chavez Administration that was reduced to just 4% contribution by the employee. This resulted in a net gain to the Officers pocket of nearly 13%.....Check your #'s... Cops and the American people are living much longer today. You need to update your material...
The 20 year retirement is the only thing the department has going for it, and the ONLY reason anyone would want to work here.
Take that away, and you'll never get anyone to apply.
Boost morale, and people would actually stay past the 20.
Regarding:
"...are there not people within the mainstream media or city councilors that either your bloggers or the rank and file could contact to apply more public pressure for your causes? If there are people you can go to, then why hasn't this occured? A regular reader,such as myself, would conclude that your group is either inept, lazy, your whiners or that these situations don't really exist. Which is it?"
I have tried whistleblowing on entrenched good old boys in Albuquerque who are also criminals. You tend to get your ass kicked, get fired, and get blackballed. We may not be in fear of getting an RPG up our butts like in Iraq or Afghanistan, but we sure worry about keeping our jobs and getting jumped for speaking out.
I have a blog, it is not much but I have documented how I blew the whistle on a guy stealing about a million bucks a year from the school district. The school police IGNORED it when I took it to them. Anyways, even when the state cops finally took a report a year later in 2005, still no prosecution on the case.
This is just one example of what happens when you go to the media, the police and the politicians here in Albuquerque. They cover things up.
QUOTE "This resulted in a net gain to the Officers pocket of nearly 13%" - Well the Chavez administration is getting the credit for this huh? So the city's negotiators just brought that to the table and gave it all wrapped in a bow? Or did they kick and scream about it thru the negotiation process? I dont know Im asking.
But the Chavez administration is the same one that brought a 15% raise to the table once before -- after no raises for years and to a dept. that had over 80% of its officers in "step" raises of 4% per annum that had been frozen for several years. Net result; the majority got the 12% most were already owed and got the actual 3% raise over 3 years. Check YOUR numbers
That's 100 percent correct. The politicians and high ranking police in this city do cover up bad stuff about the dept and city govt.
There is no better example then APD's Evidence Unit Scandal.
You had a chief(s) sleeping with the girls in evidence and letting them steal money and drugs.
Guess what, your dept covered it all up, dispite the fact that their were internal whistle blowers with loads of evidence.
So, until you clear up the corrupt politicians and bad cops, nothing will ever change!!!!
You just can't fire one and leave the rest. All these people should have been fired and prosecuted....
The Mayor knew all about it and did nothing, ask his ex-wife, she will tell you.
He was just too interested in keeping down the damage to the city and did not care about the damage to the dept or morale!
MAYOR CHAVEZ, ARE YOU GOING TO FIX THE MORALE PROBLEMS WITHIN YOUR POLICE DEPT!
APD HAS A VERY SERIOUS IMAGE, INTERGRITY AND HONESTY PROBLEM
Mayor Chavez, give your police dept a house cleaning from the top down.
You have the perfect excuse to do it, as the staff their did not meet your established goal of 1100 officers.
The city does not need dead wood managers like that around. Especially, since they have such a morale problem, at least that's what this blog indicates.
Do something to clear this mess up!
With officers numbers so low you think the mayor would use some of that red light money to give APD Officer's a big raise.
So much for the mayor using the speed van in school zones, School is out and the mayor and Schultz targeted the I-25 freeway to bring in some holiday cash.
Yes, the speed van has been working the freeways!
Actually random guys thoughts are right with the exception of the CURRENT rate of pay in to PERA. Lets not pat ourselves too hard on the back as to which adinistration gave that up since we/APD were the last big department to go to the lower "pay in"... and I believe other city departments were getting it before the police(perhaps AFD).
The reasons given for everyone leaving is true, thats when we all reached 20 to 23 years, just over the last 3 to 5 years. Also there is no reason to stay beyond that date, monetarily speaking its silly to stay when one can go find another job and earn that plus retirement.
As to the mortality rate among officers, well just do a google search, there is lots of source material. Officers have higher exposure to disease, higher rates of heart disease, stress, ulcers, suicide, divorce and just about everything else that's bad. Seems kind of mean spirited to say they are retiring too young when they leave to draw a pension that they
A) helped to fund and
B) were promised in writing from the very day they were recruited over two decades earlier.
source materials to check re. early mortality among police:
1)http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/datawh/nchsdefs/lifeexpectancy.htm
2)
National Institute of Mental Health; Grant Number: MH47091-02
3)
http://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi196.html
Wanna be a cop, fireman or Deputy Director of Cultural Services when you grow up?
Just have your big daddy contribute to Marty's campaign. It doesn't matter what your tainted past reveals. Very good & qualified people are passed up everyday for city jobs, because of the patron system.
Now firemen aren't going to be able to have tattoos but a known drag queen, with a criminal past, can go from making $25,000 a year to a $60,000 as a leader in Cultural Services. Check out the last name.
Give to Marty's campaign, retire & come back as the fire dept supply director. Get a big salary, new truck, & don't show up for work. Boy, is that the fox watching the hen house. Doesn't matter if you'd been caught steeling baseball cards. Oh, that reminds me, Marty's little daughter caught for steeling. What ever happened to that?
Give to Marty's campaign and all you need is a GED to be a director of any department. Maybe not even that.
Give to Marty's campaign, not because it's about money, but because it's about power. I have money but would never prostitute myself that way. I believe in good work ethic.
Not just cops & firefighters are leaving as soon as they can but all city workers(except the friends & family)are leaving as soon as they hit their retirement date. Marty doesn't mind the attrition, it's a job opening for another patron. Nothing's being done to retain the cops.
Now to think that we may have Marty for another term, uck. Citizen's of Albuquerque need to put pressure on their leaders. If you try as a city worker, the retaliation starts & it's so covert you're always walking on egg shells and for sure you'll never get a good promotion.
A cop friend of mine said it well one day. It's not the job, he loves his work & had a lot of passion for it, but is going to leave the sinking ship as soon as he hits his retirement date.
It's better to be a dog or cat in this town, you can't speak out. Oh, but you wouldn't have any money to give to Marty's campaign.
If all you say is true, is it possible for me to be Transit Director next, when Director Payne leaves and becomes CAO. Perlman is supposed to be leaving, to run some department with the State. All I have is a GED, or do I have to spend a year driving or riding the bus. I don't have any experience in Trans and not enough money to buy the job, so what do you recommend?
"....APD could hire a lot of good officers if they just stopped with the BS high standards crap that excludes some really good people for not good reason. They should just strictly follow state certification guidelines and stop with the sillyness of Chiefs Selection Board, Marty's 5 years dui rule etc...."
This poster is correct on the retirement percentage figures and this paragraph in particular. APD has some problems with this issue. Also the same stringency is being applied to civilian APD applicants that are extremely qualified, currently work for the city and yet APD denies their application because of a long-ago (10 yrs) dui. Not a good idea. Good people are being overlooked.
I wish I had as much money as Mike Castro, so I could be a deputy Chief!
.....known drag queen, with a criminal past, can go from making $25,000 a year to a $60,000 as a leader in Cultural Services. Check out the last name.....
So what's the last name?
...If you try as a city worker, the retaliation starts & it's so covert you're always walking on egg shells and for sure you'll never get a good promotion. ...
Wow...This is so TRUE...I'm a city worker and I've logged some complaints in my Dept. you wouldn't believe the stuff that goes on in this Dept. Frankly, I don't want a promotion in this Dept. I'd like to go back to civilian @ APD, at least it was fun!!
Lets see how long it takes Schultz to tell the media he is sorry that Sgt Montano wreaked today and that the dept's officers were wrong again...
Yep - no retiring before age 50 - I don\'tcare how many years you have!!!*^%$%##$
what the hey???
Dear GED Person,
Yes you could be the next transit director. Giving to the campaign isn't always about money. Here are some options:
You could become his campaign manager & solicit money for him. Doesn't matter if it's legal or not. You can even put donations under your teenage son's name. You could be part of the ABQ-Pac scandal, have a felony conviction & still get a position created for you. It helps if your cousin is the state AG.
Run for a local office & kiss your way to the top.
Are you Greek? Or if you could pass, start attending the Greek Orthodox church, get chummy. Help with campaigning & who knows! You could have a PHD in law but never pass the bar & still get a great job.
Get a PHD in anything and become the CAO. Get an on online PHD, doesn't cost much money. It would pay off! Some of these director's are making $150,000 plus a year.
One last thing! You don't have to know what you're doing, but you must be a bully. And riding the bus just might help you out.
Regarding the drag queen: I don't want to name names, but it's public record & on the internet. Go to the city website, then cultural services, there's a listing of different leaders. Find the Deputy Directors name. To confirm what I'm saying is right, Google his name on the net, be sure & use " ". That will help narrow it down. As far as the criminal past, that's public record also.
Thanks a bunch! I work @ Cult.Svcs. and despise that Dept. I know stuff, too. But all I want to do is get out of this crummy dept.
gawd bless diversity
http://media.www.dailylobo.com/media/storage/paper344/news/2007/07/02/Culture/Gay-Movements.History.A.Riot.Onstage-2920269.shtml
To the poster re: cultural svcs. dept. "dirt": I followed the clues and what I found out is just WRONG.Thank you for raising my blood pressure (hahaha). I have been told by management(in my particular Dept)that Cult. Svcs. is overly cautious and does considerable background checks because we come in contact with so many chilren. This needs to be brought to the attention of M. Blacher @ KOAT (who is investigation in particular the Library systems and has asked for FOIA reports) re: registered sex offenders (offenses involving children)allowed to use the library freely, although they are not supposed to come within a certain distance of children. I have been told that gay/lesbian applicants were given preference by a higher-up, and that this manager was told by APD that registered sex offenders had civil rights to be in public places even if children were present.
Let's take this to Mr. Blacher @ KOAT. I'll be the first to get in contact with him.
Please rename this site. It is not the "Eye on Albuquerque" it is the "Cry on Albuquerque" There are a whole lot of terrific City employees. There are the best Firefighters, Cops, Planners, Engineers and other professionals anywhere in the state, right here in Albuquerque. There are also a few disgruntled few who don't like the accountability that for once in the past 30 years are being held to. When was the last time a Suntran employee was disciplined or fired prior to the past 3 years???? IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. When were bad Cops suspended, arrested, fired prior to the past 3 years????? SELDOM. When were city contracts recalled, cancelled and/or Voided for poor performance??? prior to the past 2 years????? ALMOST NEVER. When were new City employees actually tested, references checked, drug screened prior to the past 6 years?????? SELDOM, when were BS lawsuits actually taken to trial and not settled prior to the past 6 years?????? NEVER. Come on stop the bitching and do something constructive. Help make the City better. Give us taxpayers our moneys worth, and stop the crying.
Ok Marty you said your two cents now get back to work
So this guy from cultural services is a sex offender? Are you sure?
joseph lopez - you're right. Whistleblowing will get you fired - or killed. Just ask the Arquette family. Their daughter knew something big about cocaine shipments coming into Pier One and she was killed for it.
The police called her mother and the rest of the family crazy and wrote it off as a drive by. A drive by where not even Kait's fingerprints were in her car... and most of the evidence is missing from the case file.
Not ALL the cops are like that, just a few - enough to make it smell bad. But the ones who are, make me wanna pack my own heat and protect myself.
To the poster above....? Is that you Marty? When was the last time you or any of your top people (Perlman, Torres, etc. etc.) took a drug test? Ooh that's right you guys don't have to abide by the city substance abuse policy....? Stop with the bullshit pal. You are right in one respect you do have some of the best Police,Fire,and other city departments right here in Albuquerque but that has nothing to do with you. Yes there are some bad apples that is to be exptected in a city thats growing and payroll over 6,000 employees. I'm sure you are gonna have a few bad cops,firefighters, transit workers and so on. The public will never know if we have a few bad Top Administrators as long as they don't have to abide by the substance abuse policy as everyone else........???????
Hey, I heard they fired another police cadet for being a racist, as well as some other very serious issues.
How many cadets are left now(29 out of 52)? You think the 5th floor would not try to add officers as fast as they are, allowing just about anyone into the academy. Well, it's starting to show real bad.
The media should do a story on that cadet, I hear it's a very trange case!
As of January 2, 2008 APD has 935 full time sworn officers. It has been over four years since Marty has said APD will grow to 1000 full time sworn officers and then to 1100 full time sworn officers. APD is losing more than it is gaining.
..Help make the City better. Give us taxpayers our moneys worth, and stop the crying..
well, we city employees are ALSO taxpayers, and we deserve the same accountability from our managers, top administrators, chiefs, and CAOs as any other taxpayer! It's especially discouraging when we actually see for ourselves these higher-ups (and higher paid)not being held to the same standards that we are and getting away with it! That other poster was right on point: when was the last time these big-wigs were drug/alcohol/background checked? NEVER is my guess!! Because it's all about politics and not about a fair playing field!
So please don't you whine about being a taxpayer that just wants your money's worth!
So true about the disparity of leaders & workers.
Cops & firefighters (blue colar workers) have a code of conduct to uphold on & off duty. Of course there are always a few screw-ups, but as a whole most of us do respect our job 24/7. (didn't know that about Kati, makes sense).
I asked an attorney friend of mine why the Mayor, & his buddy's aren't held to the same standards. He told me it's because they are "at will" employees. They don't have too.
If a city worker gets in a wreak in a city vehicle, on or off duty, they automatically are sent for a drug test. I know of at least 2 wreaks that Marty has been in that were his fault. What happens? A chief will come & sweep him away. On one of them he didn't even bother to see if the people he hit were OK, he left his vehicle where it was with the flashers on.
Oh, and as far as whinig? I think we have the right too. We all know, if we're the whistle blower, we WILL suffer consequences. This site is theraputic. We can vent without being retaliated against.
As far as the little one being our Mayor again, uck. The person that wrote that left out one letter "F"
Above poster, right on target, especially about the whistle-blowing! Read the "Whistleblowers Rights" poster hanging in our break room and it's a joke-you have to bring your complaint to the department director first! Yeah, right.....
Clarification please re: Marty, et al.not being held to the same standard. How can he be an "at will employee" when he was elected? .
Marty, Perlman, Torrez and Schultz need to berun out of town. I would not trust these guy to hold my bra, for the guys it would be jock strap.
These people need to go, and go far from Albquqerque govt!
Way to go Marty & Dr Perlman. When the employees start complaining about being fired for dirty drug tests you are headed down the correct road, keep it up. You are doing a great job!
Hey Chief Schultz, when will you apologize for Anothony Montano crashing into that parked unlite semi on a dark street.
I'll bet you're already apologizing to the trucking company for scratching one of their illegally parked trucks that almost killed an officer!
Smarty Chavez, Perlman and Lawerence (traitor) Torrez. Are you guy still driving around in city vehicles with the blue sticker that states How's my driving.
We see your tahoe's parked under ground at civic plaza with the bumper stickers that you make everyone else place on city cars.
Why don't you people have them on your city cars???????
Yeah, right! I'd expect Schultz to do something idiotic like that! Also, why does the city block internet usage for officers at the subs? If they don't want people surfing the net on city time, fine, but officers need to be able to do their job without having to go to the public library to use the the internet to find suspects on My Space(which they've recently had to do!) The internet is a necessary tool for these officers to do their jobs! Could this be yet another lame decision by our lame Mayor?
Montano f'ed up & fell asleep at the wheeel and ran in to a parked semi! How do u not see a semi???
Parked illegally or not he just plain and simply f'ed up.
The chief should apologize to that trucking company and Montano needs to drive the speed limit on the frontage roads in the future and try to stay awake for a full shift.
Oh Brother, the PD has an internet unit and the city has a computer department fully capable of locating criminals online. The officers know this and regularly use their services. The officers have not been blocked from sites that are required for police work. The city got tired of it's employees surfing porn sites while on the job. Yes, cops surfing porn sites on the job! Go home & do that shit and quit ur bitchin...
The ones that were surfing porn sites were the last deputy Chiefs APD had. They found porn all over their computers!
It was top brass surfing the porn sites. We all know what D.C. was the king of porn, among other things!
Schultz hired him back!
We all know the the last deputy chiefs were the ones surfing the porn site, it was found all over their computers.
It was top brass surfing porn.
In fact, Schultz not only hired that Deputy chief back, but also promoted a capt that had porn all over his lap top.
IA did the case!
The entire field knows this. Talk about bringing down morale.
Way to go Schultz!
Maybe not a sex offender but close!!
Oh no, there should have been sexual charges filed against the deputy chief!
However, you know city govt! It all went away!
Montano would not put himself of Hunter in harms way!! That truck was just out there and U know that!!
every knows it wasn't Montano's fault.
If it was, they would have already burned him at the stake.
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