Scam Van Gets a Citation
They say that revenge is a dish best served coooold and just over a year after a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Deputy got busted with a scam-era protector protecting his, uh ... unit, the deputies got even. (OK... so revenge probably didn't have anything to do with it. But it made a more interesting first sentence.) Our Eyes tell us that one of Marty's Mobile Money Maker scam vans was out taking traffic taxes on the West Side when an off duty sheriff's deputy was approached by a citizen with a complaint.
Apparently, a Sergeant Walton from APD had parked his Civil Citation Mobile on the sidewalk and was issuing traffic demand notices on behalf of the City of Albuquerque. The citizen complaint was that since the scam-van was parked on the sidewalk so citizens and children were having to walk in the street to get around the Redflex Roadster.
When confronted by his fellow law enforcement officer and asked to move the non-emergency vehicle from the sidewalk of all places, Sergeant Walton... refused. In order to resolve the conflict between a public complaint and an APD sergeant's refusal, the off-duty deputy called in SO's on-duty sergeant for the area, Sergeant Paul Jacobs.
Sergeant Jacobs repeated the request for Sergeant Walton to remove his non-emergency vehicle from the sidewalk and was promptly refused. Thankfully the result was as predictable as it would have been if any of us had decided that the sidewalk looked like a parking space - a citation.
Marty's Redflex Roadsters are not emergency vehicles - they do not enforce the law, or perform any police function. They simply hand out invitations to pay the City of Albuquerque (and now the State of New Mexico) protection money or face the jokes of jurisprudence in one of Marty's Kangaroo Courts. Therefore, the keepers of these scam-vans should be cited whenever and where ever they break the law.
Kudos to the deputies over at SO for meting out a form of poetic justice even if it was to a fellow officer. Besides, Sergeant Walton at least gets to go to a real court rather than a trumped up tribunal.
58 comments:
Kudos to S.O.????? Are you kidding? wow!
hahahaahhaaaaa. BCSO is a joke.
This is dumb... I heard Nakamura dumped it.
F Marty, APD and the rest the fools at the City! At least Darrin White and his deputies have honor and integrity!
Why are the APD officers not fighting this retarded object that takes their job and makes a joke of it? Why have the officers not made a mockery of a camera that replaces them. Next time someone robs a store, APD should just show up, take their picture, and send them a ticket... Maybe the firefighters can take a picture of your grandma as she has a heart attack and sent that to the hospital. That may help with the overcrowding. If APD did more than eat donuts, we wouldn't need scam vans. Good for you BCSO for having the balls to do what was in the kids best interest, and screw you APD for being so yellow bellied that you allow these vans and cameras to take your jobs.
bobby rohlfs is the most honorable of all u deputies!
Of course Nakamura dumped it, she's bought n paid for by Marty's clan! No shock there!
Boy eye do you have your head inserted on this one. Let's get some facts straight: Whether you like the vans or not is irrelevant, they are authorized emergency vehicles. Statute 66-7-6 gives the authority of emergency vehicle designation to the Chief. He designated the fully marked vehicle as such. Being such, the vehicles may stop or stand on sidewalks contrary to laws. And no family or children had to walk around the van. The van encroached the paved asphalt by less than a foot, leaving more than 9 feet of walkway.
APD Sgt. Walton was not the van operator. Another sworn APD police officer was in the van. The deputy instigated the confrontation first as a plain clothed citizen, then by going home, putting on his uniform and coming back to harass another officer. The deputy called his sergeant and that's when APD's Walton also was requested.
Sgt. Walton is the one who should receive kudos here as he exercised great restraint during the incident as he knew the deputy was clearly wrong and the situation would have easily escalated should Walton not have exercised such restraint.
What you have here is an inferiority complexed deputy with a lack of knowledge of the law.
The bigger picture here is this: Why would an officer from another agency issue a bogus citation to another working officer in his police vehicle?
Since when does BCSO handle calls for service inside the city limits? Heck, you can't even get them to handle calls in the county, let alone the city.
No kudos to the deputy on this one. He,Leonard Armijo, made a poor decision by issuing an unlawful citation and it was motivated by the 'pissed-off police officer syndrome.'
Wasn't Nakamura on the red light task force picked by the lil general. That situation got out of hand the van shoulda just moved off the sidewalk. Typical, APD threatening the deputy with a higher up, who the lil general. BCSO isn't afraid of APD or the lil general on the 11th floor
You don't see it anywhere else but here in frickin New Mexico. Cops doin Cops for stupid shit. It used to be that we all looked out for one another and we had each others back. Now we not only have to be concerned with the public watching our every move along with the criminals but our own Law Enforcement officals. Professional courtesy has not existed here since the early 80's. What does doing one of your own accomplish ?
Don't get me wrong if we have cops that break the law by all means press on and do what you have to do.. I know all of you in law enforcement would agree that their is a lot of resentment from one department to the next (APD is better then BCSO, NMSP is better then BCSO, BCSO is better then APD & NMSP etc..) And none of you can say anything about INTEGRITY because none of your departments have it.. If your state all you need to do is disagree with someone in command and the next thing you know you have two weeks to report to your new assignment in FN' Questa NM !!! This is my point, we need put the pride aside and get back to just respecting each other and actuality start backing each other up. Wow there's a new concept. Oh and the speed vans, they need to be shoved up the mayors ass with the red light camera's... Be safe out there....
Not only is the van in question not performing an "emergency" function, it is not even providing private investigator services. The scamera company said so itself in a court case. So why have a cop inside the van if the cop doesn't do anything?
"The 'Redflex Photo Speed System' is fully automated requiring no intervention by the driver after the system is operational and the drivers of the vans are not a part of the process of detecting and videotaping speeders," Buckels explained in a deposition. link
"At least Darrin White and his deputies have honor and integrity!"
His deputies may have honor and integrity, Darren White does not.
Witness his refusal to respond to legitimate questions about his public service.
He wouldn't be hiding something, if there were nothing to hide.
This too shall pass...
Along with the cameras in the next administration.
A house cleaning is a comin', and so will all the directors jobs. Enjoy it while you can. Time to start getting those resumes updated.
Coming from an APD Officer, good job BCSO.
To the dum ass who quoted 66 7 6 look at the section fool. If your too stupied to find it, here it is!
C. The exemptions granted to an authorized emergency vehicle apply only when the driver of the vehicle, while in motion, sounds an audible signal by bell, siren or exhaust whistle as reasonably necessary and when the vehicle is equipped with at least one lighted lamp displaying a red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of five hundred feet to the front of the vehicle, except that an authorized emergency vehicle operated as a police vehicle need not be equipped with or display a red light visible from in front of the vehicle.
Did you see the provision of being in movement? No I guess you didn't! Even a cop cant break the law of parking on a sidewalk just to issue civil tickets! What an asshole, probably belives that Marty is a good Mayor!
TRISH
Coming from an APD Officer, good job BCSO.
Yeah whatever poser
hahahahhaahaa. You guys got hook, line and sinker on this one. BCSO should not of started a war. BCSO has 200 deputies. APD has 1000 officers. I would hate to be a BCSO officer caught off duty by APD. Remember, the Dog wags the tail. You all should take care of eachother not hunt oneanother down. How sad
"This too shall pass...
Along with the cameras in the next administration.
A house cleaning is a comin', and so will all the directors jobs. Enjoy it while you can. Time to start getting those resumes updated." Right along with the "here come the subpoenas" and "Marty cannot run for a 3rd term" and "They know who we are". "They" are amused by all of this banter only occasionally irritated. "They" will remain when Marty sweeps the next election so get used to working for them unless somebody wants to really post the stuff that is always threatened. The chap who posts "you'll get over it" is right unless somebody wants to call his bluff...but I doubt it.
Anonymous said:
“To the dum ass who quoted 66 7 6 look at the section fool. If your too stupied to find it, here it is!”
Anonymous person continues on to write section “C”… How did you get to section “C” without reading section “A” and “B”? The second sentence of section “A” reads: The chief of the New Mexico state police or the appropriate local agency may designate emergency vehicles and revoke the designation. When vehicles are so designated, they are authorized emergency vehicles.. “B”: The driver an authorized emergency vehicle may: (1) park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Code
LIKE IT OR NOT, the speed vans ARE authorized emergency vehicles! Why? Because the Chief says they are,,, period…
So, before you go writing stuff like you think you know what you are talking about, read the whole thing!
Oh yes, and “your” should have been “you are” and “stupied” is spelled “stupid” Its called “spell check”,,, look into it, “dum ass” (I let that one slide)
And to the “second APD” officer writing “good job BCSO” you might want to refer to the above as well. And FYI the vans are marked.
Some of the people posting on this blog are definitely entertaining. I truly question if the ones that write and indicate they are an officer, even are! Some of the dumb remarks written are barely worthy of a second grader. I’m all for posting, but it certainly seems that the purpose is to bitch and complain. No one seems to really want to read the truth and know the facts, apparently it much more fun to write the crap.
You'll get over it.....
I have seen the dash cam of the event. After the first contact the APD officer told the BCSO guy to go fuck off and he was not going to move it (not literally). BCSO guy goes home and 45 minutes later is getting gas by his home, which happens to be close the the van, and one of the operator 34's comes up to him (also in civ cloths) and demands the deputies name to file a complaint. The deputy tells him he will write his name out for him, on the citation.
Over and over and over on the tape the deputy says if the van is simply moved there will be no citation. And over and over the APD 34's refuse.
So you have multiple cops and none could swallow their pride to resolve this or leave well alone.
How come it's APD that's always in conflict with other police agencies? I seem to remember some major conflict with NMSP as well. APD was wrong on this and should admit it. You can't break the law or endanger the lives of citizens, even if you are in APD! When APD is right you flaunt it, when your wrong, you make threats. I will never understand you guys.
Uhhhhhh
I think you have to be responding to or be at an emergency call to be exempt from traffic regulations, no?
Radar enforcement, in my humble opinion, would not apply.
You might want to reread and reinterpert the entire section.
To: "You'll get over it..."
Are those the only words you have in your vocabulary? I expect you'll post the same stupid statement after reading this.
You're probably one of Marty's dumbass at-will employees! I was under the impression that director heads had to have at least a bachelors degree (according to the city charter). The eye needs to look into that. We all know that Perlman does, he throws that one around all the time (doctor of f*#8ing what?). Someone needs to look into the fire chief. Ever seen how he speaks on TV? He probably doesn't even have a high school dipolma.
Wow, there are some really good comments about this issue and some really ignorant comments. First of all, for those of you with little peepees, and even dare to suggest this was an issue pitting one agency against another, you are oh so wrong. Listen to the tape! For those of you who feel that Sgt. Walton is in the right and Deputy Armijo is wrong, listen to the tape. If Sgt. Walton did nothing wrong, why did he lie to a bunch of officers regarding the issue and when they listened to the tape, they knew the Deputy did all he possibly could to avoid issuing the ticket. Why did Walton lie? Because his big mouth and abuse of what little authority he has, caught up with him. Listen to the tape folks!
Having viewed the footage. There was no foul language used. There was no simply asking the APD officer over and over to move the van either. No citizens or children were in danger at any time. There was room to pass without walking in the street as was shown on the footage. This is the problem....Citing the van operator was not the answer. An officer has an issue with another officer who is on duty executing his duties...wheather he it is believed to be in the wrong or not...is acting outside his scope of duties by taking this course of action. Case in point...officer is doing speed enforcement with a laser...steps out into a traffic lane to flag over a violator...other vehicles are forced to stop also....by law the officer is obstructing traffic...is this the place of another officer to cite him?...NOT. If there is a bonafide public safety concern that could cause injuries to citizens or officers then it should be addressed. If not it should be addressed through the officers chain of command. So in comparison here...immediate bonafide public safety concerns with the speed van parked where it was? NO...could it have been taken care of through the chain? yes...was the offers made on scene to take that route? yes Was this issue solved by citing the van operator? NO because the issue rests where it is right now with the chain of commands of both agencies and a lot of finger pointing as to who is right and who is wrong. As for the citation...we all know where that will go. THIS ISSUE IS A DEAD HORSE...STOP BEATING IT AND LET IT DECOMPOSE...THE SMELL WILL GO AWAY TOO.
Please don't drag us regular APD boots on the ground into the mix with a politcial pissing match....99% of us don't have any issues with other agencies and welcome their assistance when we need it. There is no war...and any disputes, hurt feelings, or disagreements are between individual people...not the collective group. We are all part of the Blue...regardless what color the uniforms are!
Bottom line, this is a safety issue for the children of ABQ. You all should quit fighting about which agency is better and unify to kick the dumbass driving the stupid vans ass. I too heard that the guy had been cussing in front of the kids to the BCSO officer, who wasn't there to give the APD guy a hard time, but to help the children of the community. This incident, to me, proves that the scam van is intended to make money rather than help our community.
Also, Great job to the idiot that is more worried about people using spell check than the actual issue on the table. Your narrow mind is exactly why we have retarded problems like speed cameras and vans. maybe you are just pissed cause you drive the emergency ice cream car.
White integrity??...please..........
The speed vans do not meet the State Statute defination of emergency vehicle.
To answer the above post. I think most agencies have a problem when it comes to APD because they tried to get hired by APD and did not make the cut. Plain and simple. I tested two times before I got hired and would not have had it any other way. Most of BCSO and NMSP did not get hired by APD so it will always be personal. END of story
I remember when cops were regular people ......... in 2008, they think they are gods
To the above post who said BCSO and NMSP were APD wannabes. In all the cases I have been aware of, where there is conflict with APD, APD appears to have initiatated the conflict and not vice versa. The scam van is just the latest example of this. The poster exemplifies the arrogant attude that many APD officers have. Your arrogance is so great, that when you are really getting screwed over, for example, by the mayor, you don't even know it until it is too late.
Now, I expect some APD officer to respond back with some vulgarity or threat. Can you imagine being stopped by one of these guys? People that behave in this manner should not even be wearing a badge. Sometimes humility is not a bad thing. Think about it.
Oh and by the way, what is wrong with this individual, if it takes him three times to get hired with APD, when APD has been desperate for warm bodies. I suspect the real reason people chose BCSO and NMSP over APD was the money and not the silly reason he/she stated. That will change now with the new pay plan for rookie police officers. You may even be working with former NMSP or BCSO officers in the future because of this pay plan.
You're right,,, and yes you will just have to get over it....
I know how we can resolve this situation....Just start a petition to put somebody with integrity on the ballot for Mayor and the first person who promises to do away with this damn Redflex bullshit will get my vote. Lets all just get Marty and his Suckasses out of office in 2009, not just sit around whining about it. What do you think? Like that dude says "Muck Farty"...I agree wholeheartedly...just a trouble-maker...
From all the officers at APD, Great Job BCSO deputy! We all can't stand our chief and his F@*ked up staff to include our worthless mayor. Those vans are just out there to make money. This chief and Mayor could give a shit about public safety!
We are all behind you BCSO! In fact, if we catch our chief, his staff or the mayor we will cite/book them the first chance we get.
Also, just wait until they are all gone, then the gloves are really off. Free for all!
First of all, I have to start by saying that the members of State Police, A.P.D. and The B.C.S.O. should not be putting each other down. It is bad enough that we have to fight against corrupt politicians and the general public, we do not need to be fighting each other.
Second of all, the speed van deserves it! APD's own S.O.P., states that all Department vehicles (except Special Investigations Division vehicles)
must have a "G" government plate. The speed van does not and seeing how it belongs to redflex makes it less likely to get a government plate anytime soon.
The point being is that Mayor Marty can not change the rules as complaints come in. The rules are there for everyone to play by.
And can you please vote for Darren White in Congress so we can get rid of him and start re-building what he has screwed up for the last 6 years!
Why have so many people chose BCSO over APD? Because APD & AFD have their lists. Be a family member, friend or big contibutor and you'll get a city job.
BCSO at least has some integerty in choosing who they hire. It's not who you you know but what you know.
I'm just an ordinary citizen and it's obvious to me.
You have got to be kidding me. APD has one of the hardest academys in the SW. I spoke to a guy the other day who said he was going to BCSO because he knew the acadmey was easier. That is the truth.
I also agree with one of the bloggers that we all need to get along. We fight crooks all day and night and need to 82 eachother, Be safe out there all.
Ray, the reson your personnel hate you so very much is that you have absolutely NO integerty or loyalty to your officers! You sell them down the river every chance you get!. You don't follow the sign contract unless it's in your favor! You lie and cheat! You promote all your male friends. The discipline you hand out is no way near fair unless it's for one of your buddies, and the list goes on and on.
Don't you have any pride in being a good leader or cop for that matter?
Your people have no respect for you, nor do the majority of the citizens of Albuq. Even other chief's of police around the state think your an idiot even though they won't tell you to your face. Don't agree, ask Sheriff White to give you a real honest opinion.
What a way to be remembered!
Cops should not break the law just to try and enforce the law over a speeding ticket! As an ABQ citizens I feel that these cops should be held to the same standard. It's not like this was an emergency call or something where help was needed quickly!
These vans are just about making money.
Same on the judge who threw this ticket out! Would she have thrown it out for a regular citizen?????? I think not! We need to vote judges like this out!
"And can you please vote for Darren White in Congress so we can get rid of him and start re-building what he has screwed up for the last 6 years!"
You have got to be F'ing kidding!
Do you have any idea how bad he can screw things up after a few years as a congressman?
Darren White lacks the character and the courage to be honest.
He isn't qualified to be a dog catcher.
No offense to dog catchers.
Did Marcantel get his big mug on the camera for this story or did Darren elbow him out of the way? BCSO has more dirt than the Eye can print!
BCSO dirt must be tough to find. Apparently posting of BCSO dirt is punishable by death because I never hear about it like all the APD dirty laundry posted on here.
Seems like they got their shit together on that department because they all protect eachother and their secrets never get out. Unlike the rat infested APD!
LOL, I agree, if the eye only knew what was going on inside the Sheriff's Dept. it is almost like a soap opera. And for the record, yes I want Darren White in congress, remember he has to run every 2 years. After the public realizes just how bad he screws things up in congress, we may just finally get some pity, so you know what we have gone through. We need him to leave so we can at least stop sliding backwards. I wouldn't hand Darren toilet paper if he needed it. But judge for yourself, ask any Deputy if they are happy with White, if they tell you yes, they are one of his lap dogs, Someone even proposed a vote of no confidence at a Union meeting but they shot it down because they did not want to hurt "OUR" chances of getting rid of him. And for the record I have many friends in Blue and Black and know that if it wern't for them I would have no faith in any dept. including mine.
I'll bet if you check, the deputy recieved one on the speed citations in the mail. Wow!!!! Cops speed!!!!!
I was really trying to be nice but after seeing the sensless postings slamming BCSO, I decided to stoop to your level and remind you of why you feel you need to bash us.
It is not because we tried out out for APD and did not make it, It is not because our academy is easy (learning to tie our shoes was the hardest part) it is not because you will soon be making more money than us.
you feel the need to bash us because you have less power than we do. Yes, that is right. Look in your wallet. Notice how you have 2 commission cards. One for the city and one for the county. Why? Because you need permission to work in our county. We do not need permission to work in the city. Not to mention we are not afraid to work without streetlights and we don't call SWAT everytime someone walks back into the house and locks the door.
So next time you feel you need to bash another dept. look at yourself and your departments short commings before doing so. We all have problems and all have our idiots, it's your choice if you want to be one of those idiots.
I’m curious about another hidden issue within the Dept. (APD)recently. How did a FSB Sgt’s home get ventilated by gunfire during an altercation with his spouse, then the whole issue is written off as a suicide attempt. And then no one goes to jail or to mental health for an eval??
As an APD 34 I can only say that there is no war! I will still 82 my brothers at BCSO and NMSP. The Chief and the Mayor have caused this mess, don't let them pull the rest of us down. Stay safe and call when you need 82, no exceptions!
2nd commission card...please come take it. The only reason it's there is because of negotiations with the county commissioners and the city. Please come take it. You can also take my special deputy USMS creds because I don't use those anymore. Do you really think there wasn't any politics behind this incident? Grow up and wake up.
Yes why do we even have commision cards? they are useless.
. Yes, that is right. Look in your wallet. Notice how you have 2 commission cards. One for the city and one for the county. Why? Because you need permission to work in our county. We do not need permission to work in the city.
ahahaaa funniest posting yet! working in the city? ahaaaahhaah Calling an APD officer to handle a call you drive by doesn't count as "working" in the city. Funny stuff bro. aaahhahahahaaa
BCSO gave me a ticket once and I hate them for that.
LOL agree, but I know for a fact one of these posts' is from a PD buddy of mine.. They can laugh all they want cause we don't really mean it and we jest each other in person about these issues..... But the admin also needs to understand one thing.....
You can have rank, but rank is nothing without respect!
Ladies/Gentlemen,
I have a one-word cure for much of what I have read in this blog... loyalty.
Loyalty to one-self, family, bretheren, administration, etc. But the flip-side of the hour glass is the public in general.
Yes sir/m'am - a good dose of loyalty is what the doctor recommends....
Best regards to all of you.
this deputy armijo is clueless
he has being issuing speed tickets for people going on 50 in a road of 45 mph cos he thought the speed limit was 35..so there was a person that works with the metro court saying how this is being screwed up...
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