We got word from some of our Eyes this morning that Chief Ray has told the media that he has ordered his officers to arrest red light runners. We welcome the return of officers to red light traffic enforcement, but Ray and the Almighty Alcalde himself do not have the statutory authority to arrest anyone for a petty misdemeanor traffic violation. The only exception to that rule is if the motorist (not vehicle) refuses to acknowledge receipt of the citation by signing it.
The announcement by Marty's right-hand man may indicate a major crack-up (we may have to start calling the Chief Crazy Ray). It's foolish for a police chief to make threats that he does not have the statutory authority to enforce. Furthermore, it's irresponsible for a public official in charge of public safety to be making what can only be termed as empty threats that have only one purpose - to frighten the public.
Law abiding citizens should never be afraid of their police department or its chief. Today's development is a clear abuse of power; one that should concern everyone regardless of their position on the red light scam-eras.
----- Post Script -----
It is true that you can be arrested for intentionally running a red light. The offense is more commonly known as reckless driving. However, running a red light in and of itself is not an offense that you can or should be arrested for. We'd love to see an officer, ADA, or Chief Schultz himself trying to prove intent in a court of law (not one of Marty's Kangaroo Courts) when the only charged offense is the running of a red light.
Unless the accused admits to wantonly running a red simply to rub Ray and Marty's noses in their scam's failure, it's nearly impossible to prove reckless driving without some other evidence that would support the charge that resulted in the drivers arrest. In any case, the accused is the motorist himself not his vehicle, the accuser is a sworn police officer not an electronic device operated by a corporation that profits from your vehicle's guilt, and all of the above are seen by a real live judge not an administrative lackey hired by the mayor to rake in "excess money."
The threat to arrest a motorist for simply running a red light is just that - a threat. Is this really the type of law enforcement we want here in Albuquerque? Criminals should fear law enforcement not the average citizen and if Albuquerque’s crime stats are any indication – the criminals do not.
30 comments:
This caps my decision to stay out of Albuquerque. I won't be spending my dollars there any longer.
For those of you who have no choice, I suggest you all start running red lights, get arrested, and sue for abuse of authority (color of law).
Well we already knew this, but now it gives total validity to all the officers complainants and acquisitions of admin misconduct and criminal activity. I just wish that the FEDS weren't a bunch of spineless pricks. Do the investigations already and charge these assholes with corruption. STEP UP AND STOP BURYING YOUR HEADS AND ACTING LIKE NOTHING IS GOING ON. UNLESS YOUR BOUGHT AND PAID FOR, RUNNING INTERFERENCE FOR MARTY ! ! !
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the theory was to arrest people who intentionally ran the red (sort of celebrating the demise of the cameras). In THAT case the arrest would be for "reckless" driving - which is arrestable.
Another example of behavior by our elected public officials who believe that they are above the law and therefore can do as they please. And, they have been unchecked by those who are supposed to keep them in check. This type of behavior goes all the way to the top. It wasn't that long ago that Richardson was justifying why his driver could drive as fast as they wanted to, the Guv had a time table. Accountability starts at the TOP!!!!
Is there anyone in our Government willing to hold these officials accountable???
"Today's development is a clear abuse of power"
This administration has always had a clear abuse of power! Every fricking department!!
It's just going to get more corupt and imbedded if Marty gets term limits thrown out.
Lets just get rid of all the laws and rules. Start wearing red sashes and claim Marshall Law. After all this is the "Wild West". Just how many violent crimes did we have this past weekend?? I heard of at least 3 that the media picked up on, and I don't listen to the news that much.
But lets worry more about a guy speeding through a yellow because he's late for work. How much time is spent on arresting this guy?? I thought MDC was over flowing??? Is that with real criminals or the regular Joe running a red light so his boss doesn't get mad at him? Except of course Jason!
"We got word from some of our Eyes this morning that Chief Ray has told the media that he has ordered his officers to arrest red light runners"
Isn't that kind of redundant? Your sources corroborated Ray's meeting with the media? Where's the media's story? Where are today's arrest?
I'm cynical and I rarely take the party line but this smells stupid.
By the way I figured out why APD has a recruiting problem...they're not on COPS any more!!! Bring back the COPS crew and vola' your staffing challenge is no more!!!
News today. How much are we paying these Public Information Officers? $5 Mill? Are you kidding. Deborah James makes $95,000 a year? Get the F_ _K outa here.
Jesus H Christ! get these people out of Albuquerque.
This is embarassing ............
I couldn't agree more. This rag, I mean "The Eye" puts this crap on the blog and 9 posts later, it's the truth !!!! And to the 1st poster, if you are really that stupid we want you to stay out of Albuquerque.
Let's make a recent minimal reflection:
-Feb 9/10th 2008, gang related stabbing at Cornado Center. My young children were within 5 minutes of being victims and/or witness this crime. Gangs all over the mall any day or time of the week.
-Feb 9/10th 2008 woman stabbed in far NE heights for a small amount of money, car jacked.
-Feb 18 2008 party in SW area of ABQ, words- then gun fire exchanged, one injuried critical.
-Feb 2008- many bank robberies
-Jan 2008, drive-by at Indian School and Chelwood
-Jan 2008, West Central victim shot 6 times.
-2007 teen girl shot and killed in front of Starbucks on Louisiana and Indian School
-2007 gang shooting where innocent 12 year old child was killed.
-ETC, ETC for the past 2 years only the few the media reports.
Reflect prior public safety incidents, when Marty was Mayor:
-5 Hyde Murders, 2 rehired cops, 3 other random victims. (sidenote, maybe one reason APD shouldn't have rehires. Nothing against King and Smith they were great people but from a different era in ABQ and had let their guard down. The city of ABQ is different than 20 years ago.)
-3 killed at Poulin Builders,
known jealous lover, could have been prevented.
-Evidence scandal and on and on and on...
There's much more. The general public only knowns about what's reported. Statistics are skewed. The Mayor is the person ultimately responsible for Albuqueruqe's public safety. He hires his at-will employees and the one who will do what he says, no questions asked.
The prior are only reports from the media, which can't/don't cover all incidents or are cock-blocked from the spin doctors.
The stats are bad news for the start of the 2008 new year and the Mighty Hugo Chavez & Baby Face Ray Ray want to place officers at intersections to see who's running yellow/red lights?
What have the citizens heard about what's being done for the Coronado crime? Or any of the other violent crimes recently?
Marty just loves having a press conference about the scamera's, tearing down crack houses, or the most recent Unser Blvd expansion.
This is sick! Marty hires the public safety personnel responsible to keep us safe. Finger pointing and bullying are no excuse. He wants to be the Majesty. He is the person responsible.
Verbal Judo concepts require an officer to show authority but also allow the suspect or distressed person some kind of way to back out of bad intent and calm down. Mr. Thompson made a big impression on me the times I took his class.
I wish Mr. Thompson would sit the Mayor and Chief down and talk to them, maybe spank their butts for having no ethics and stealing from the candy store they are supposed to be watching.
Or Gordan Graham - get him to tear them a new one, mayye he can make an orifice in them that leaks accountability instead of dreck.
Debra James makes $95,000 a year? I'd love to make that much for being a bully and humiliating people.
She should start by getting her hair fixed then go buy some professional clothes.
OK, how does one prove "intent" when arresting a red light runner? Like someone's gonna say "yeah, I intended to do that". And where are we going to house all these new inmates? jails overcrowded already..set up a red-light tent city??
Unless your Jason the Geek, then you can run all the red lights that your ill-gotten family's money can pay for, not to mention a few cops and admin. people here and there..
Well Marty has alot of his side kicks that do alot of illegal activities in the city and geeting away with it. I found out at city hall an employee was fired due to him beening approved for FLMA leave He had more than 10 years in the City. He tried to go get is paper work done on the 7th floor and secuirty threw him out and wasn't allowed in the building.
There has been alot of employees that have been sick and taken FMLA leave and have been fired or suspended. So what now! Is marty going to have ray arrested employees that been sick.
""Start wearing red sashes and claim Marshall Law.""
Actually it's Martial Law -- Marshall law is what they have at the Airport P.D.
"Let's make a recent minimal reflection:"
So what's your point? You lost me at, 'hello.'
If
If police just shoot the owners of the vehicles that run red lights on sight (regardless of who is driving), doesn't it clean up a lot of loose ends? Arrests and incarceration costs us taxpayers too much money. The city can bill the estates for the costs of the bullets. It's all about safety!
Oh, and if you just don't run red lights, you have nothing to worry about.
(yes, this is sarcasm)- thanks eye.
Marty, take a lesson from Fidel Castro. STEP DOWN, and take Andy Taylor and Barnie Fife with you.
DID YOU SEE CHIEF RAY SCHULTZ ON THE NEWS TALKING ABOUT THE RISING CRIME PROBLEMS AND HOW HE IS MOVING OFFICERS AROUND TO ADDRESS THE CRIME ISSUES.
WELL, THAT'S A BIG FARSE/B.S. STATEMENT. THE CHIEF HAS NOT MOVED ANYONE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS RELATED TO CRIME. I CAN'T BELIEVE HE GOT THE MEDIA TO BUY THAT ONE.
FIRST, WE DON'T HAVE 100 OR SO OFFICERS TO MOVE ANYWHERE. THE CHIEF IS CURRENTLY GOING TO TAKE THE 4-10'S FROM US AS THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH OFFICERS TO STAFF ALL THE AREA COMMANDS. HE IS TRYING TO OPEN A 6TH AREA COMMAND AND DOES NOT HAVE THE OFFICERS TO DO IT. THE CHIEF IS GOING TO PIRATE OFFICERS FROM ALL THE OTHER AREA COMMANDS TO CREATE THE 6TH AREA COMMAND. SO, THAT MEANS THE OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY WILL LOSE EVEN MORE OFFICER THAT WON'T BE THERE TO RESPOND TO CALLS.
YEAH, THE CHIEF IS GOING TO MOVE OFFICERS, BUT NOT TO ADDRESS CRIME, BUT OPEN A NEW AREA COMMAND THAT HE HAS NO OFFICERS FOR. AGAIN, IF THE SE AREA COMMAND HAS 98 OFFICERS, HE PLANS TO TAKE ABOUT 10 OFFICERS FROM EACH AREA, SO EVERY AREA COMMAND WILL LOSE 10 OFFICERS. THE CHIEF HAS ALREADY DISBANDED SPECIAL UNITS THAT ADDRESSED PROBLEM AREAS IN THE AREA COMMANDS, ESPECIALLY THE ONE IN THE SE.
SO, HOW'S HE GOING TO ADDRESS THE RISING CRIME PROBLEMS, HE'S NOT! AGAIN, THE CHIEF IS LYING TO THE MEDIA. I KNOW, AS I SEE IT EVERYDAY AT WORK. HE IS PLAYING A SHELL GAME AND HOPES NO ONE CATCHES ON............. INVESTIGATE FOR YOURSELF. SEE HOW MANY OFFICERS BID INTO AREA COMMAND AS COMPARED TO 2005, 06 AND 07. YOU WILL SEE HOW FEW OFFICERS ARE LEFT FOR THE STREETS.
Ok. For the last time. DO NOT RELY ON THE MEDIA TO GET THE TRUTH OUT.
Accept the fact that they will do as they are told from the 'Marty Gang' and their news Directors. Otherwise, they(reporters) will be shut out of the circle of information. They need not to rely so much on getting their daily spoonfeeding from the City's $5 million dollar PIOs, and start doing some real investigative work.
Scenario: Had the news media done their job in the investigation of Marylin Monroe's death, at the very least, Robert Kennedy and Peter Lawford would still be in jail for murder.
So the dilemma continues. We did have real investigative reporting in the not too distant past, but even those guys have been supressed(T J. W. / L.B.)
The media and the nightly news spumes nothing but garbage on every channel and does a serious dis service to the citizens of Albuquerque. This media vehicle('Eye') is the closest thing to "Radio Free Europe" of days long gone.
Marshall Law @ airport LOL!!!!
Which Crimes get attention is determined by the Chief of Police. Ray is too occupied with these red light cameras to really do any good. It used to be that I could email the chief and get a response, not anymore. The crimes in this city are not being addressed at all. In all the years that I have lived here crimes is getting worse even in the areas that so called "good areas to live" I live in Taylor Ranch where it used to be semi safe. Now I am afraid to leave my home, or open my door. A few weeks ago in my neighborhood there was a home invasion where someone came into a home while the owners were sleeping and shot the dogs!!! I don’t sleep at night anymore and every little noise wakes me..now does that sound like a citizen whom feels safe? NOT! So instead to bickering about the little red light cameras RAY focus on helping us sleep at night and catch the real crooks! Sad to say they still have not caught the man who broke into that home and till RAY decides that’s priority I guess there will be many sleepless nights for me. Although I am pleased to see that they did take the time to catch the kids that vandalized the Westside, however something tells me that was just dumb luck.
More leave every year under his learderlessship!!
I might be a bit naive, but just what does Jesus "H" Christ stand for? I'm not a christian zealot, I've just always wondered what that means.
For the person that doesn't understand what the poster "minimal reflection" means. I think they were being sarcastic!!. All the violent crimes everyday in abq and Marty is having a press conference about the Unser expansion. That post speaks for it's self.
KEEP FEEDING THE PUBLIC ALL THAT PRESS CONFERENCE BULLSHIT. THEY'LL BELIEVE IT.
"I might be a bit naive, but just what does Jesus "H" Christ stand for? "
His middle name was Herman.
Be careful who you disrespect. Using Christs name in vain is not forgiveable. And yes, I am a Christian officer.
Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall inherit the Kingdom of God.
So, just what does the "H" stand for? Really!
Does apd have a gang unit??? We will have a busy summer because the last 2 yrs, crooks have been running wild, no police contact. All the sid units are sitting in their office, playing grab ass with each other, working day shift when all the crooks are out at night. Oh yeah, lets not forget when they are working ot and never leave the building
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