Named in the wrongful death suit are Chief Ray Schultz, Lt. Shawn O'Connell, Sgt. Ron Olivas, Sgt. James Silver, and six other "John Doe" officers. Of course every lawsuit names just about everyone in the phone book, but in this case if even half of the allegations are true the 5th Floor isn't running a police department it's running a brothel.
The lawsuit alleges that in addition to his police duties, Officer Chavez was protecting and serving (emphasis on the serve part) multiple female APD officers simultaneously. And our Eyes tell us that since Tera Chavez' untimely demise last October, Chavez has married - you guessed it... another APD officer.
Meanwhile up on the 5th Floor, our Eyes have it that the Chief and his brain trust are deeply concerned that this story could grow legs. In truth they're afraid of the kind of media scrutiny that former Bolingbrook police Sgt. Drew Peterson received in the disappearance of his wife Stacy Peterson and they still haven't found a body (read about it here).
In the Chavez case, we have a death ruled a homicide by the medical investigator, where the weapon was an APD issued and owned handgun, marijuana found at the crime scene, and a number of APD officers running around in a crime scene outside of their jurisdiction. This story looks juicy even before you throw in the wrongful death lawsuit. We can see it now, live trucks everywhere and a gaggle of reporters waiting to ambush APD brass every time they stick their noses out of the Main.
What they're really afraid of is the possibility that the Feds could step in and start nosing around with warrants and their ability to charge you for lying to a federal agent. It's never comfortable to have a federal agency digging around in your files, particularly when you're trying to keep something hidden. Our Eyes tell us that there are a number of somethings that higher-ups would rather keep from seeing the light of day.
Even more interesting has been the lack of action taken by The 5th Floor. Nearly a year later Officer Chavez is still on paid administrative leave. Our Eyes tell us that Chavez - a lateral transfer from Aviation - was a probationary officer at the time. They could have terminated him for just about anything, but have chosen not to.
According to the lawsuit, Chavez had a $14,400 judgment against him stemming from his early departure from the Rio Rancho Police Department. Apparently, just 4 months after graduating from their academy Chavez left RRPD for a job over at the Aviation Department thereby breaking his agreement with the agency.
APD has a policy about financial difficulties - of course they choose not to enforce that policy in "special" situations like when a rehire happens to be a jogging buddy of the Chief's (read it here). What has our Eyes and a lot of officers scratching their head is - what is so "special" about Levi Chavez? What makes him bullet proof?
You would think that finding marijuana at the home of an officer would be enough. Yet, here it is some 10 months later and Chavez is on a taxpayer funded holiday that doesn't look like it's going to come to an end anytime soon.
What's more concerning is that our Eyes tell us that The 5th Floor has been talking to Chavez' attorney in an effort to derail this lawsuit. The Eyes have it that they even had a hand in Wednesday's Journal story (Subscription) - which by the way was startlingly devoid of details about the lawsuit considering the number and type of allegations contained therein.
The 5th Floor sure looks like they're trying to protect Chavez at all costs. Perhaps they just got him mixed up with another Chavez they're fond of protecting - we don't know. But one thing is sure, there's plenty of suspicious behavior in this case and we're not just talking about Levi Chavez.
----- Update -----
We received a comment earlier today from someone claiming to be Joshua Cordova. The post contained language that was certainly inflammatory and expressed a desire for vengeance that bordered on threats. We posted the comment only because it also contained numerous assertions that the poster would do nothing to harm Officer Chavez despite the obvious animus.
This afternoon we received the following email from Brad Hall who represents the Tera Chavez estate:
I represent the Estate of Tera Chavez. It was brought to my attention that a post on your blogsite was attributed to Joshua Cordova, twin brother to Tera Chavez. I spoke with him today by phone and he did not know anything about any blogsite. He denies sending any posts to any blog sites, including yours. He is in the Navy and quite busy, and has not even read the posting attributed to him. The comments attributed to him were submitted by someone pretending to be Joshua Cordova. He and other family members request you remove that posting, as it is not representative of their views, ethics or manner of speech. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.The post in question has been removed.
120 comments:
somebody should do something
Aaaah... The plot thickens.
Why isn't this and other such cases ever aired on Gretta Van Sustern, O'Rielly and the like.
Is it because we live in a region of the country where these things are considered off limits to real investigations, by real reporters vs. the journal staff (prostitutes)?
We might as well be part of Mexico in the eyes of the AP.
Why doesn't the Federal agencies come here to take a better look at how things operate here and deal head on with this sub culture of criminal behavior by this third world political machine?
You know, there is always the chance that the people who have seen all the evidence [i.e. the 5th floor] know the kid is innocent.
That is far more likely than knowingly covering up a murder!
There were and are two opinions on that death and the people who believe its a suicide are in the majority
I read all of the complaint/suit/whatever, but what I don't understand is that if he was at work, and then at the girlfriends house, how did his gun get to his wife's house/hand? Didn't he have his gun at work? On duty? WTF? Or is there two guns involved? Both issued by APD? None of that makes any sense. He's saying he was not there, but his gun was? Splain to me Lucy...........
This is so sad. First covering for one another cheating, now covering for one another for murder? When is this ever going to stop. I can't even believe the lawsuit. This is so so sad.
"Regarding the fraternization subculture at APD, upon information and belief, supervisors ‘look the other way’ when officers have affairs with other officers or the spouses of other officers, and do not maintain sufficient supervisory effort to control fraternization and related conduct unbecoming of
officers. While it is true that private conduct and private time exists in any profession or trade, here the fraternization was having deleterious effects on police work, and the integrity of reports and documents are suspect, including, for example, CADS, radio logs, officers’ covering for each other during shifts, or using police cars or government locations for trysts. In addition, a culture exists that allows “customs, patterns and practices” associated with such
32 conduct. Specific “radio codes” even exist to refer to time needed for trysts with boyfriends or girlfriends. Other custom and usage language exists
regarding trysts among officers, or between officers and members of the public. The more it becomes customary for officers to pursue affairs with each other and their spouses or ‘significant others’, the more it crosses over into onduty conduct, and the more likely a homicide or suicide eventually occurs within ‘the APD family’. The fact that department supervisors do not firmly
address such conduct as a matter of policy, and even facilitate such conduct on occasion, amounts to negligent supervision and training. For example, upon information, some supervisors allow squad members to sometimes
‘leave early’ while communication logs show them still ‘on duty’."
Is this sorry chief or mayor EVER going to do anything about this. This is horrible.
My question is why have they not opened an IA investigation on the supervisor who cut up to bedding and the officers/supervisors that destroyed the evidence right after the murder at the Chavez home. They started one on Officer Sam Costales for the Al Unser incident. This is murder folks, no cop in his right mind should have even gone into that scene, suicide or not! Boy, what total idiots, especially out of their jurisdiction, who do these guys think they are! What bone heads These guys need to go back to the academy. However , this chief will probably promote them.
Well chief, are you going to open an IA investigstion on these guy or not? Oh, I forgot, you don't punish white supervisors for improper conduct, do you, you just give them jobs and promote them!
Well the public will be watching this one! Let's see how much of the taxpayer's money goes out to pay for this major F*&K up by your APD supervisors! Tampering with evidence is a crime chief, even for cops!
It is a shame that Ray Shultz cannot be compelled to address the issues raised by poster 9:53
Someone just needs to send the national media this tip. They will do a story on this. Just send it to the big networks and they will come.
Sex, drugs, corrupt police and murder. They will come. Then they will find all the other stuff that happened here, evidence room scandel, sex, drugs and affairs by ranking brass.
For the guy asking about the gun, its all explained in the text of the lawsuit if you read it. Chavez got permission to begin using a weapon he had bought for himself on duty and kept his service revolver at home.
There's a lot of other really shocking accusations in the lawsuit such as one that Levi came to the house in a marked cruiser (driven by someone else) and drove off in his pickup, which he then reported as being stolen from the house.
I have yet to hear a single person give any reasonable explanation as to why 9 APD officers showed up in Los Lunas and interfered with a crime scene out of their jurisdiction.
Suicide. Right dude. TV remote in her right hand and gun barrel shoved 4 inches deep in her mouth.
And ME says homicide.
Me thinks the 5th floor is praying to God it's a suicide.
But alas, it's Valencia County. Your ability to cover up effectively is greatly compromised.
I think your gonna have to bite the bullet on this one.
Sounds like his wife knew too much so she got killed. Knowing about the "code" that dispatchers and cops all use to cover for one another. He can't keep her around that would ruin it for all the other cheaters. And yea, what idiot female 34 would marry him? obviously one of the many idiot female 34s, she should probably be investigated too
The big question to me is why did APD cops go to this crime scene? Did they really go into the crime scene? If APD cops were there for what reason?
As bad as all of this is; the cover up is going to be worse.
And they will probably get away with it, because nobody is really going to do anything about the cover up, except bitch about the cover up.
Steve Hindi's wife Heather divorced him and married that scum Chavez. We work with Steve and it's too bad what happened to him from one of our own. Someone needs to stop all this cheating going around APD. A few years ago it was our Chief and all his deputy Chief's all having affairs. They really set the example and standards high! These guys were an embarrassment to APD!
Heather from CID married Levy, can you believe that! She left her husband for him. I would not go to sleep with Levy in the room if I were her. She works violent crimes, dosen't she?
""But alas, it's Valencia County. Your ability to cover up effectively is greatly compromised.
I think your gonna have to bite the bullet on this one."'
exactly -- it is VCSO where no real cops work!! Thats why it got ruled a homicide because theres only 2 guys in that whole county that have any clue!!!!!! duh
Why is Ray Schultz still Chief of Police. No other chief has caused so many problems for APD. The chief should just resign! Look at everything that has happened on his watch. this guy really sucks eggs!
For the life of me I can't under stand why the mayor keeps this guy around other than the fact that Ray is a Marty puppet. Ray must have pictures of Marty with young girls or something?????????
This chief has caused nothing but serious morale problems for APD, get rid of him!
Can anyone say.... SHIT
How about... FAN
Better yet.......RESIGNATIONS !!!
Hurry, hurry, hurry. Time is running out
Wow, a lawyer filing a law suit against APD says they covered up a murder!!! It must be true, no lawyer would ever make wild accusations in the hope of making a quick buck.
COME ON PEOPLE!!! Officer Chavez' chain of command and friends on the force went to support him after his wife had supposedly killed herself. Think about how ludicrous this is:
"Hey LT, I just killed my wife, do you think you and the chief could help me cover it up."
"Sure new guy P2C that I barely know, that sounds like a great idea."
Give me a break. You can make up any ol story and sue anyone for it. It’s sad that reasonable people would actually buy this crap.
Officer Chavez might have killed his wife, but no one in his chain of command covered it up. No one in his chain of command liked him that much, and they certainly would not gain anything from doing so. Now, having said that, they might have gotten involved with the investigation. Or, the detectives in Valencia County are just blaming APD because Valencia County screwed up the investigation. My advise, stop drinking the conspiracy Kool-aid.
nothings gonna happen, no ones gonna do anything. move on,,,
Thanks for the answer about the gun, I musta missed it.
Steve Hindi is single again? He won't be alone long, he's a nice guy, and he's well rid of her it looks like.
So this clown is being paid while he is suspeneded. This sounds like NMSP where we pay our officers for years while we investigate them or APD hires them. What a waste of money. Your dept needs to grow a set and fire this guy. They are keeping him for the numbers!
APD has been nothing but problems with your new chief. One of our ex-officers just won a lawsuit against APD and it was not as involved as this Chavez lawsuit nor, as much evidence for trial. APD is going to pay through the nose on this one. I can't believe your chief let those officers go to Los Lunas and into that scene. If it was my scene I would have thrown them out or booked them for interferring.
I would have never allowed them to tamper with evidence. APD command staff is opening an IA investigation on those officers I hope. That shit is soooo wrong what they did!!!!!!
Levi was servicing several female officrs at the same time, not just Heather. We can't believe she was stupid enough to marry him. However, we heard he is very controlling and tells her what and when she can do things. What to wear and where to go and how long to stay there and who she can talk too. It's like that movie, Married to the Enemy. This guy does some really scary stuff. We fear for her safety.
After reading that lawsuit file by Tera Chavez' family it is so apparent that APD Officer screwed up by destroying evidence. It also appears Levy set this whole game in play and planned his wife's death. It screams planned death. I hope they look into this one. The Chavez family will win the civil on this case. This is a preplanned murder based on what I read.
APD should be ashamed of its self!
Feds could step in and start nosing around with warrants and their ability to charge you for lying to a federal agent?
Probable cause? Warrants? I think APD needs a dose of their own medicine! If any one in the department is not at fault, then they should be treated in the like manner Albuquerque citizens are treated. Guilty before proven innocent.
His chain of command had no business going to a crime scene out of jurisdiction. They should have thought about it before they went. There was nothing they could do at another agency's crime scene, except spark the fire of cover up. Further I don't think he had 9 people in his chain of command. Those officers who went to the scene may not have meant to but they really messed up. It just looks bad. I will bet it is settled.
Just think back to Gallegos and start counting the number of controversies that have happened under the Chiefs mayor Chavez has hired. This would be a great investigative report. List them out, the evidence room, the old woman ran over and killed, Camacho, Levi, etc etc. I hope someone in the media puts it together, we deserve a better police department.
A few posts up;
"Nothing's going to happen, nobody is going to do anything,; move on.."
In the words of Ed McMahon,(TONIGHT SHOW FAME)
" YOU ARE CORRECT SIR"
To the guy claiming that there's no way APD was covering up for Levi, what possible explanation can you give for nine APD officers showing up 30 miles out of their jurisdiction and contaminating the scene of a murder?
Wife of officer dies at her own hand, officer's boss and several people from the union go there to support him, happens all the time and it's expected.
Kool aid drinkers aside, everytime there is a tort claim filed against police there are always some claims , either overtly or impled, of some massive cover up and "blue code of silence" bull***t.
No nine people like this guy enough to cover up a parking ticket let alone a murder. If you are an officer you know how skilled homicide investigators are and how the evidence will bear up, and you also damn well know that you are more likely to get slammed by a local jury then some "joe blow" in the same situation.
Honestly, you can't get 3 cops to agree on where to eat lunch, how in the hell people believe that you can get 9, including supervisors, to cover up anything is amazing.
IF these guys did all that is being claimed they did it knowing full well they would end up getting stabbed in the P/C yard at the state pen in a few years.
I can't imagine any of them deciding to do that for their own mom, let alone some troubled rookie who among other things got caught cheating with the wife of a veteran well respected officer.
Arriving at a scene and comforting an officer who's spouse just died is simply the right thing to do.
Jumping to all these conclusions just because some family is buying a ticket in the ghetto lottery by filing a tort is just too much too soon. Wait and see what the evidence shows for gawdsake!!
"A few posts up;
"Nothing's going to happen, nobody is going to do anything,; move on.."
In the words of Ed McMahon,(TONIGHT SHOW FAME)
" YOU ARE CORRECT SIR"
It is a sorry state of affairs that police officers and citizens would not shout it from the mountain top that this has to change. We accept corruption so we get corruption. Our forefathers would be ashamed.
"Jumping to all these conclusions because some family is buying a ticket in the ghetto lottery." Sooo.Damn.Funny!!!!
Heather Hindi is worthless. I cant believe the Chief just sits there and lets this behavior happen. He files every other officer for "conduct unbecoming"... GEEE looks like this fits !!!!!
I feel for Steve.. if I were him, I would take Heather to court and demand full custody of their daughter, let Heather stay with that scum.
EYE.. can you please do a story on Tiberon? The fact that the program was purcfhased because worthless Monica North works for them now? It is such a hugeeeee officer safety issue.. WE can all give examples. The chief knows it is a problem. I wish we could file a lawsuit against him for purposely putting us in danger.. isnt he responsible for making sure we are given a safe workplace?
"Just think back to Gallegos and start counting the number of controversies that have happened under the Chiefs mayor Chavez has hired. This would be a great investigative report. List them out, the evidence room, the old woman ran over and killed, Camacho, Levi, etc etc. I hope someone in the media puts it together, we deserve a better police department."
I don't think its fair to mention Camacho. That guy got screwed by APD. That is the one case where the 5th floor should have stepped up instead of throwing him to the wolves.
There are only three kinds of ethical reform in government.
If we can agree to eliminate "accidental" reform as a viable
option;
we are left with two.
Ethical reform "by permission" is an oxymoron.
Those who benefit from public corruption and incompetence,
will never give their permission to end it.
Which leaves us with only; ethical reform "by demand."
And if ethical reform cannot be had by demand,
it cannot be had at all.
And if no one is willing to stand up and demand ethical reform in government
it cannot be had at all.
Wow. How many scandals can APD afford? This one sounds like a a huge amount of $$$ in the making. Let's not forget the cop who took Daskalos out of the Bat Mobile. BTW - Did Daskaos do the decent thing and put that former cop on his payroll for the favor?
Heather Hindi Chavez, Lets see how long she stays married to Levy. It won't last but a year or two and she will come crawling back to her ex-husband, just watch and see. Especially if Levi goes to jail. Hopefully the ex husband will be smart enough to tell her to get lost.
Hope she doesn't have any kids that could be placed in danger from this guy who seems crazy, very calculating and super controlling. Good luck with that Heather.
Just for clarification, if I read the lawsuit correctly, it states one lt, two sergeants, and unknown POs (4-6). I would take that to mean 3 officers and 3 POs for a total of six, no.
Detective Aaron Jones from VCSO is investigating this "homicide" Has anyone looked at his track record? He has been fired, sued three different departments. Anyone ever think he wants in on the money too?
I heard if you're not a good ol boy in APD you aint shit. That system needs to go down the city needs to hire a Cheif that will shake things up APD.
Barbarossa, if a civilian's wife is murdered is it OK with you for a bunch of his buddies to show up to "comfort" the civilian and "help" with the investigation? You know APD has no jurisdiction in Los Lunas, right?
Yes I know that we dont have jurisdiction in Valencia co. I also know that it was being considered a suicide and not a murder. I also doubt that nine APD officers walked around a crime scen willy nilly destroying evidence whil VCSO officers did nothing except turn a blind eye. Do not be so silly, if one is so far down the conspiracy path as to believe the dreck in the lawsuit then one also has to believe the VCSO people on ecene are complicit in aiding and abetting this massive cover up. All the while adding a few more people to the list of folks who are willing to go to prison for one retarded P2/c with a bad attitude and worse track record. ALso I dont see a single name on that list that even come close to being considerd his "buddy"
Steve Hindi is no prize, but Heather left him for a guy who probably murdered his wife. What is that poor stupid girl thinking. What part did she play, beside the cheating wife? They say love is blind. This is clearly that type of case! Levi married Heather in a hurry so she could not testify against him on the murder. This guy tries to covers all his bases.
On a side note, to the fellow who keeps talking about the Tiburon "system" it works great--on my desk that is!!!
Heather does have kids, so does Levi.. totally pathetic. AT what point does the chief stop and do somethign about the infidelity runing rampant? lets start with the academy staff...
I don't feel good. I really don't. Too much coffee ice cream. No bueno. I keep thinking about the "ghetto lottery", and I laugh, and laugh. But my tummy still hurts. :(
You guys are just going to keep stroking each other on this blog
and there isn't even one of you willing to stand up and lead the revolt.
How do you really expect this scandal will end?
Clue; rhymes with
"a lot more bitching".
just like every scandal it follows.
When it comes time to put up or shut up, most people do neither.
Stand up or shut up! you're boring me.
"TIBERON" NOW THERE'S A STORY THAT CERTAINLY HAS LEGS. ESPECIALLY THE CORRUPTION BEGHIND THE PURCHASING OF THAT PIECE OF SHIT. THAT IS CERTAINLY WORTH INVESTIGATING.
PEOPLE IN HIGH PLACES ARE SKIMMING A LOT OF $ AND GETTING DAMN RICH IN THE PROCESS.
One thing is for sure,
Lt Shawn O'Connell won't be promoted to Commander by this Mayor. The Chief may be dumb, but the Mayor is way to smart to promote a major screw up like him into such an important position. What LT in his right mind would go to another city, bull his way in and destroy evidence like he did. To think, he is an APD Lt. Doesn't say much for the APD testing process and its supervisors. I hope there are not too many more like him around!.
Geezz, what dumb ass shit will he do next. Lt O'Connell is going to cost the City of Albuquerque hundreds of thousands of dollars of tax payer's money for his evidence tampering at the Chavez Crime scene! This guy could go free for lack of evidence thanks to Lt Shawn O'Connell. They probably won't even disipline the guy for his actions!
He needs to be trained in crime scene investigations and general police work.
From what i've seen, its the APD way to be unfaithful to your spouse, and "service" as many as possible. From females like Leah Kelly, to males like Jose Carrasco and Jake Jacobson (and I won't even start on the homicide unit...) These people will always have a rewarding career as they continue to run their personal lives in a manner that is a way of life for APD
CAN YOU BLAME HEATHER FOR LEAVING THAT LAZY ASS HINDI? I SURE CANT, SHE CAN CRAWL BACK TO MY PLACE ANYTIME. AS FOR HINDI, I HEARD HE IS SLEEPING WITH JOSH OTZENBERGER WHEN HE IS NOT TRAINING HIM TO BE A "BOXER" DING, DING, LETS GET READY TO RUMBLE!!! IN THE SHEETS THAT IS!
VETO TIBURON!!! ITS WORTHLESS!!!!!
Heather is a good person. You people should look in the mirror before you judge others. You don't know the circumstances of her situation! Mind your own damn business!!!
I hate to say this about our own, but what dip shit would go and contaminate a crime scene in another jurisdiction? I really hope we did not have officers dumb enough to do that, muchless supervisors! If so, these guys need to be punished and sent back to the acaademy for training they missed when they first joined the force. That's the first thing we learned. STAY OUT OF THE CRIME SCENE TO PRESERVE THE EVIDENCE!!!!
How embarrassing.
It amazes me that APD would stick their necks out for a rookie who was only on the job 5 months !?
Maybe Heather was one of the Chief's lovers and she's called in a "favor" ???
leave otzenberger alone, he took a bullet for the dept. who cares who hes under the sheets with off duty.
Last bid we had one of those supervisor's that was at the Chavez home in Los Lunas out here on the W.S. He overreacted on just about every call and wanted to make it a tatical situation, even the most basic of calls, say a shoplifing. The guy is paranoid. Needless to say we were all glad when he left our area. I knew it was just a matter of time before he would cost the city alot on money for his poor decision making and overreactions. So glad the VA has to deal with him now. We here he is doing the same crazy stuff down there. I even heard El Jeffe was glad the guy left.
Barbarrossa, You seem to be in the know. I am not a cop so I don't really know the police culture. Why did APD hire such a retard like Levy Chavez with his really bad track record in the first place. Sounds like this guy should have never been a cop and should have been weeded out from the very start of the process? Did APD really lower their standards to hire this guy? It appears that way to the general public. If this guy got in, how many others did as well and what will happen to that dept in the long run with all those bad apples?
Filing a civil lawsuit may be the only chance for justice for Tera and her children. Because of the unprofessional, unethical behavior of all of the law enforcement on that scene the chance of bringing forth a conviction in a criminal court is almost nil. This homicide is riddled with mulit-layers of players across several law enforcement agencys. Those living in central New Mexico know Levi's family has a long history of law enforcement and government coruption and prior murders, some disguised as suicides, and erieely similar to Teras. They are a politically well connected family who have friends in high places (and who probably benefit from the family's criminal endeavors.) By the way, investigators say the Valencia county reports/statements document the actions of the accused APD officers.
Someone should ask Lt Tate if Levy Chavez was one of "candidates" he refused to hire, for the "obvious" reasons in his background. And if so, this would be "one" that ended up being allowed to get hired..........to meet those NUMBERS of course, after the Lt. retired. Way to go APD recruiting/Castro !!!!!!!!!!!!! Now there's a winner.....Mike Castro
You know, something good comes out of every bad situation.
In this case there are two items that are long overdue to be addressed within APD:
1. The culture of lying and cheating on spouses
2. The ability of petty local politics to get a guy with room temperature IQ through the cracks and into the department, or for that matter, into a Captaincy or higher appointed rank.
AS to #1, personally I saw situations like this everyday, and in more than one case I pulled a guy aside and warned him off, especially if he was married. I always felt that they were risking their integrity in all aspects of their lives if they were willing to lie to their own wife and kids.
Example, lets call these two guys Fred & Bob. A well-respected cop [Fred] is cheating with another guy’s [Bob] fiancée. Fred’s wife gets tipped of by the cuckolded second guy, Bob. Fred, the married one, has the audacity to publicly yell about Bob ruining his relationship with his wife by telling her he was in a hotel in Northern NM with Bob’s fiancée. In this guy’s mind Bob was wrong for getting so mad that his soon to be wife was sleeping with another guy that he actually did something about it. Amazingly, of the 20 or so people who heard Fred’s rant, I was the only one who had the reaction that maybe he should have kept it in his pants and old Bob was damn right to do what he did.
As to #2, little majordomo style local politicians and their tentacles of petty corruption need to be limited to changing grades for high-schoolers and not tampering with who gets hired and fired within a professional police agency. And while I’m on the topic, every single rank within the department needs to be given after a fair and impartial testing process. In serves this community no good to have a hundred educated hard working police Sgts & Lieutenants that absolutely know that they will NEVER be a Captain or a Deputy Chief because they are not related to or playing golf with the right person. Sadly, a lot of those people begin to backstab one another when an opening comes along because the only way they level the playing field is to [they think] “take out” people who they perceived to be connected. Often times they are wrong and so innocents get tainted by people who, within a decent system, would not have lowered themselves to that sort of behavior. Frankly if you look at all the peripheral people who got their names attached to the evidence room scandal a few years ago you find the secondary and tertiary group to be folks who never had any connection to that division but who were “Promotable” and thus simply drug into it by the mere fact that a competitor threw their name into the fire.
It saddens me that the place is running the way that it is.
If you can't keep an oath to your spouse how can I expect you to honor the oath you took which put that badge on you?
Very interesting reading. The lawsuit document gives a Lawyers point of view, wooopiiidooo. What's more sad is people are falling for this crap. And the "Police culture" bull.. Give me a break.90% of officers are good Cop's and good Husbands and Wives. Grow Up moron's..
Exactly, Mr Wolf
The real problem falls into the lap of the majority of officers who are faithful, who do not stand together and demand the chief enact an SOP that prohibits unethical conduct such as adultery.
The minority of cheaters blemish the entire department no matter what their rank or position. If Ray were a true leader he would understand this and start to put and end to it. Ray does not understand leadership so it is up to the faithful officers to stand up and vocally let the cheats know they will not be tolerated anymore.
How can you trust another officer to back you up, when that officer won't keep their word to the mother/father of their children?
Think about it
Aug 24 4"56 PM --
closer to 80% are , 20 years ago it was 99%, we are sick of the downturn in morals and in intellect/
Greez, I really feel for the female Officer that just married this guy Levy. He sounds like a real turd and she can't see it because she is so in love. I hope this Levy guy does not hurt her or more importantly, her children. You people in blue need to look out for her and her kids no matter what she has done. It;s not the childrens fault that they were put in that situation!
special radio codes? WHAT!?? I'm sorry I've been with APD 8 years and have NEVER heard of special radio codes?! Thats funny! The things people make up! And boy, my life must be BO-O-RING, because I've never had an affair and man o man my life and work is not this juicy. This is what happends when we lateral every po-dunk department out there. Los Lunas? Aviation? Hobbs? I mean PLEASE! What's next? AKAL?? APS?? Might as well... Those itty bitty nothing agency laterals need to attend a full blown real academy. They are ruining this department. They cant make it through our academy so they get certified in shit-hole new mexico then lateral over. NICE... And we wonder why these guys dont have integrity. Hmmm. 95% of all cops I know are honest great people. It's a shame that the 5% that fall through the cracks get all the media attention. And by the way, Levi, THANKS for all the new SOP revisions I see in the future with your name on it. What an idiot!
I think the lawsuit is a crock too. Just another way for someone to make a quick dollar. The whole lawsuit is just hear say! What is that going to prove?
why isnt vcso in that lawsuit? they let people in their crime scene before photos were taken? WHAT!?!?! again, po-dunk vcso cops IDIOTS! they should have never let those APD cops in the house....
Who's leah screwing now? gees!
This is sad. Aren't there any cops that don't cheat? And if every cop is cheating, why don't you all list names. Why is everyone afraid to list names of who they cheat with, but you will list names of the cheaters? Put it in black and white since everyone who blogs here knows everything.
Instead of encouraging others to list names of cheaters (or more likely just throwing out names of fellow officers they don't like), how about we encourage others to stop posting this kind of garbage in the first place? If there is infidelity within a marriage- civilian or officer- it's between the husband and wife and it's no one elses business. There is no need to air anyones dirty laundry in a public forum and there is no reason to hurt someones career, reputation or worse yet, their marriage over rumors and total disregard for the feelings of others. Just stop, please.
this string of comments has passed the point of libel and threat now - probably time for the adminstrator to edit or close down comments
well if people have enough balls to be cheaters then they should have enough balls to stand up and face the music, they are the ones in the first place to make the mistake of cheating and are brave enough to do so. ALL APD knows who cheats because they allow it and it's obviously a problem so what's the big problem with "airing dirty laundry" when they are willing to stoop to the level of being an adulter?
To Joshua Cordova, thank you for your service to our country, and please don't do anything that you'll regret later in regards to Levi, he is not worth it, and when he goes to jail, or has to live looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life, you'll have your revenge. The best revenge is living well, make a life for yourself, and just wait, it will all come back on him.
The problem with "airing dirty laundry" is that it is none of our business. If you feel compelled to tell someone their spouse is cheating on them, do it one on one, not on a pubic forum. There is no need to humiliate anyone - especially the "cheaters" spouse and/or family. Show some respect and compassion.
I hope that her brother Josh has realized that this letter that he wrote can affect the outcome of the lawsuit. He made some pretty strong threats. And to be quit honest, making those threats don't make him anymore a man than Levi.
After reading the suit, I don't really feel so bad for tera. She stayed with him all those years and then she cheated too. Maybe he rubbed off on her, but even still, she could have made a better decision. She put someone else through everything that Levi had put her through.
How embarrassing this blog must be for those who sucked & blew their way up the latter. Everyone knows who you are. Aren't you humiliated? Have you know shame? Even after Judas betrayed Jesus and was emabarrassed about it, he did the right thing. He hung himself.
Just a thought assholes.
to the above poster, it may be hussband and wifes business, but DONT bring it to work and have us deal with it. ... listening to the phone calls, seeing the meetings with each other, covering up for you when your spouse comes by
agreed 2:36 post
Joshua Cordova, I am an APD Officer. First, we are sorry for your loss. Second, I am sad to say that our guys were very stupid when they went and screwed up that scene, it's embarrassing for all the APD Officer's that would never do such a stupid thing, ever! I hope they do an IA investigation on them, in fact, your family could file a citizen's complaint against them for tampering with evidence. Sounds like they really messed up that scene. Just get a hold of the city IRO and file it. You can also get the paper work at any substation. APD will be forced to investigate it if you file a complaint, but insist that the IRO do the investigation as Ray Schultz may try to cover up for his buddy Lt O'connel.
Also, they should have never hired Levy, except Schultz is trying to increase his number at all costs. It's going to hurt APD for years to come but, Schultz thinks it's a joke because he will be gone and won't have to deal with it. Also, don't waste your time on that slimball Levy, as he will get what is coming to him, karma. Hopefully, they will still be able to build a case with all that has happened and he will go to jail and your family will get the children.
For now, stay safe and don't mess up your life for that piece of trash, he is not worth it!
We thank you for your service to our Country.
Mr. chavez you are endangering your whole lawsuit. Im sorry for your loss. crossing the line here eyeboss.
Joey Greco for Chief!
http://behindthebluewall.blogspot.com/2007/11/nm-not-in-any-news-search-results.html
Check out this website. I bet Joshua didn't do this one either. Someone got busted.
The number to the Independant Review Officer is 505-924-3770. Here you can file citizen complaints against the APD Officer's misconduct. The IRO's Office will investigate it, not the APD.
You want a list of Cheaters? Hmmm, off the top of my head:
Bill Clinton
John Edwards
Madonna
A-Rod
Jim Bakker
JFK
George Harrison
Steve Hindi, you hang in there and take care of your children. Make sure that Heather does not place them in any danger. Remember,you will be better off without a women like that in the long run. Sounds as if this girl may cheat on Levy before he gets a chance to cheat on her. They seem to be two of a kind.
think about the detective with valencia arron jones alllowed apd to go into the house and then when he learned this to be a suspicious death he decided to blame apd for destroying the scene. also det. jones has a colorfull past he has jumped around from police departments to police departments sueing those departments when he was told to resign or get fired. det. jones has a documented domestic abuse whereupon his former wife was held against her will for several hours by det. jones at gun point. this is all public record, how is it that he is still a certified cop and why is this questionable cop in charge of this investigation which he either is covering up or he botched and is wanting to blame another agency in order to clear him and his intentions. this should also be liiked into by tara's atty.
To the comment above I worked with Arron Jones and I used to get stressed when he would steal items from prople he arrested. Thats why i dont work with him any more and for your info he has links with APD detectives and adminstration. Be careful he is sneeky.
"You want a list of Cheaters? Hmmm, off the top of my head:
Bill Clinton
John Edwards
Madonna
A-Rod
Jim Bakker
JFK
George Harrison"
August 26, 2008 12:38:00 AM MDT
Wow, when did they all join the ranks of APD?
You must be one of the cheaters that doesn't want their name listed.
Hey FED; are you reading this.
100 + comments. Must be something to it. Dah. maybe you ought to investigate the cover up & corruption here, ya think???
To the editor:
How can you let these people throw out officers names like that. I'm talking about the cheating. I know cheating is wrong and they are probably going through rough waters with their spouses but for you to allow those names to come out is wrong. Not only are you putting their marriage on the line but their safety as well ie. responding to DV's and such. I know a lot of police officers blog on here and a lot of them are spineless cowards who hide behind the keyboard and don't post their name, but for you to allow the names to be posted is wrong. The person who put those names on the blog is a coward with no life. The officers probably arrested him/her or a family member and its their way of getting back at them. I always though a police department was a brother hood, some place where officers backed each other up no matter what, but not APD. You have a bunch of back stabbing, spineless cowards who will shake your hand, but once you walk away, they stab you in the back and talk trash about you, You Mr. editor, who says is a pro-cop person, are one of the ones that are dividing APD and creating tension, not only between the officers but the brass as well. Thanks for taking your time to read this, and please help protect officers, God only knows they don't even do that for themselves.
Na ! they need to wait till after the election to give those a chance to hook they're wagon up to their political friends and their next free lunch.
I know from a personal experience, the Chief does not care about everyone sleeping with each other and dispatchers. I agree, if you can't be faithfull to your wife how do you stay faithfull to the badge, easy, they don't. But that's ok with the Chief. I find it hard to believe that all that happened but for all that don't know, Brad Hall is a very good civil attorney. I thought in reading the lawsuit it was very factual but I hope not for APDs sake. Everyone continues to sleep around with each other and the above post is totally right about the 5th floor and all the Chiefs were taking care of their business on the side.
As a retired Police Officer (from another state) I know the grumbling that can go on behind the scene.
But to wash your dirty laundry on a public forum? Some of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
You bring new meaning to the phrase "High School With Guns".
In a civil suit, remember that anything can be alleged. Lawyers intending to try and settle a frivolous suit with APD frame things in terms of what sounds best for their interests. That being said, there are usually two sides to a tale. Our country is built on the premise that people are innocent until proven guilty. Many of you have already decided this matter without the facts. What we can read is simply civil suit allegations, and the claims of an agency that is alleging APD ruined their crime scene. HMMM... what agency would allow another to destroy evidence? Who would risk their careers and families for someone they don't know? How would 9 officers/supervisors come together to "conspire" to cover up such a thing? What about the initial ruling by the Office of the Medical Investigator that the case was a suicide? Civil suits are oftentimes filed by people in a great deal of pain. Many of the comments on this blog show how readily people are to demean others and to decide guilt without allowing full discourse and a full investigation. The guy hasn't even been charged - that may mean something. Regardless of infidelity or not, on either or both sides, sex outside of marriage does not immediately equate to a murder. These people all apparently have children. What makes any of us able to sully the names of anyone based on a civil suit. In a criminal case, ya gotta listen to the facts - presented by both sides. Allow the system to work. Perhaps, down this line, in a few years, on the back page, in a small corner of a paper somewhere you'll see an article or a notice that both the civil and the yet to be (?) charged criminal case are no longer being pursued. I for one am withholding judgment, as hopefully any civil or criminal jury will do. While it may be fun to bad mouth everyone, its really unproductive.
The chief will try to cover the actions of those white supervisors that went to Los Lunas and tampered with the evidence.
First, he does not want the Mayor on his back, so he will lie to the mayor like he always does, telling the mayor it's not that bad.
Second, if he finds against those supervisors/officers, it will really help out with the suit agaist the city. Now, the chief can't have that. APD be wrong, no way!
Third, the Lt is the chief's golden boy and friend. The chief won't punish his friends/bad supervisors. He just hires them back and gives them good jobs when no one else will, ie, Johnson, Sauer. They both wanted to work at Sandia, but Sandia will have nothing to do with them.
Fourth, this chief has a history of covering up. Example, the evidence room and his past deputy chief's that were all cheating on their wives and breaking laws and violating policies. They were all rewarded with new jobs.
Do you really think this chief will do anything against those supervisors? If so, you're on crack! Schultz does not know what the words honesty and integrity mean!
well lets not forget about crystal sleeping with half the swat team. i think she has moved on to mike t. now. she has not learned, some thought she had after her son shot her other son with her weapon. what happened to her though????? nothing !!!!!
The person who wrote the letter to the editor was absolutely right. As the web master, you decide which comments get posted and which ones don't, and I'm disgusted with the comments you are allowing. I used to enjoy this website, but now it's nothing more then a forum for spinless people to post nasty comments about officers that are very hurtful to their spouses. It's totally unnecessary to allow such comnments. I'm sure someone will have a smartass comment about what I wrote, but since I will never be on this site again it really doesn't matter. You should be ashamed of yourself for allowing this to go on.
PLEASE CALL CHIEFS OFFICE 768-2200...DEMAND LEVI CHAVEZ TERMINATION. HE IS A PROBATIONAFRY OFFICER. APD DOES NOT NEED TURDS LIKE HIM COME ON CHIEF
two words.....FIRST AMENDMENT....if people dont want their laundry aired, maybe they shouldnt be so public with their infidelities.....is it ok for them to bring it to workplace
Ok. Someone pick a day,time, and location where all the officers who want to stand up can meet and invite the news stations and air all this out. We need to s#&t or get off the pot. The administration has been bullying us too long and we are taking crap from all different directions. Their tactics of making us fight against eachother are working to their advantage and weve become disgruntled and moral is at an all time low. We were brave to choose the profession, lets be brave to stand up.
If you had a set, maybe you could tell the parties that offend you with their objectionable behavior to not conduct themselves in such a way at work.
But no, the First Amendment allows you to air your departments dirty laundry in a.......wait for it.....Public Forum.
Please grow up.
ok, the supervisor has been notified, the officers have been notified,,, an d they are using OUR workplace for their rendevous....there is so much dirty laundry, but no one will stand up for it..look at all teh brass..
Let's vote on getting the old kdt system it was perfect the letters are easy to read and it doesn't crash as much. It sucks when u log on and u get 100 of strd messages. .
I agree levi should be fired.. Its crap that he's getting paid to be on vacation for a year while all of us are shagging calls and tired as hell cuz of these 5/8'4. ,, he should of been gone along time ago no reason to keep him on .. Its one less guy not a who squad
"Joey Greco for Chief"
I just got it, the guy from the show "Cheaters" - ok now that was funny and thanks
Joey Greco is the only person who can put APD's moral vacum back on track. God knows Ray Schultz and Gil Gallegos drove us off the cliff.
Chief Joey Greco sounds pretty good.
Chief Schultz is just the Chief to cover up all the illegal stuff his friends do! He has gotten pretty good at covering up over the years.
Ray will never admit he has done anything wrong
ISN'T LEVI IN THE NATIONAL GUARD? WHY HAVEN'T THEY DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED HIM YET? THE INSURANCE FRAUD SHOULD BE ENOUGH FOR THE GUARD TO CAN HIM TOO.
"You want a list of Cheaters? Hmmm, off the top of my head:
Bill Clinton
John Edwards
Madonna
A-Rod
Jim Bakker
JFK
George Harrison"
August 26, 2008 12:38:00 AM MDT
__________________________
Don't leave out Mr John McCain cheating and eventually leaving his first wife after being wounded in a car accident.
""Don't leave out Mr John McCain cheating and eventually leaving his first wife after being wounded in a car accident."
Nice liberal poison to throw, go apply some more patchouli scent and rub a crystal and meditate, fricken plant-eater
I just saw Joey Greco at the Sunport getting off a plane!
Send Levi and his new wife packing, They are both worthless to us. No one will want to work around him anyhow!
name the real cheaters no one knows who anyone is anyway. Let's make this interesting
Looks like all the FUD was false and nothing illegal happened.
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