State law enforcement agencies forward the cases of officers who have been found guilty of a crime or found responsible in a civil proceeding to the NMLEA board for review. The board can then suspend an officer's certification or revoke it. When the state suspends or revokes an officer's state certification, they can no longer work in law enforcement at any police or sheriff's department in the State of New Mexico for as long as they remain uncertified.
The Albuquerque Police Department regularly forwards the cases of officers who have been found responsible for civil rights and other violations to the NMLEA board for review. However, there is one notable exception - Raymond D. Schultz.
Almost a month ago (November 25th), a jury found state certified officer Ray Schultz responsible for violating former Officer Sam Costales' Constitutional right to free speech (ABQ Journal - Subscription). Despite costing the City of Albuquerque almost $1 MILLION, APD has not sent the case to the NMLEA board.
Our Eyes tell us that APD officers who have been found responsible for violating someone's civil rights have not only been forwarded to the NMLEA board for action but have had their certifications pulled for costing the city far less than the approximately $862,000 awarded to Costales.
It's not really all that surprising that the chief's case wouldn't be forwarded to the state for review - after all, the chief's the one making the decision. But the Eyes have it that folks up in Santa Fe are somewhat surprised that no one else has filed a complaint. At the very least one might think that Sam Costales and/or his attorney would make an issue of the finding.
[Sidebar]Our understanding is that anyone can make a complaint that an officer was found to have violated someone's civil/Constitutional rights. The complaint initiates an investigation that may or may not result in action by the board.
Interestingly, Chief Schultz sits on the NMLEA board. We would assume that the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy would have in place policies to prevent the accused from participating in making decisions in their own cases. But it does bring to mind the question of whether or not Schultz participated in determining punishment for officers that APD had forwarded for review.
[End Sidebar]
Should the board determine - as the jury did - that Schultz violated someone's civil rights, the board could recommend revocation of his certification. Revocation would make Schultz ineligible to work in any law enforcement capacity.
It's pretty obvious why the chief wouldn't forward his own case to Santa Fe despite having done so with other officers in very similar if not identical situations. A jury of his peers has already found him responsible for violating Sam Costales' 1st Amendment rights costing us over $800,000. A similar finding by the NMLEA board could cost him his job and his Chief's pension.
So, the chief will remain undisciplined and the rank and file will see yet another example of disciplinary inequity.
39 comments:
Would that be a surprise? Come on White your the TOP COP!!! Oh if I remember correctly you settled out of court. How much did the County pay out? Great choice Berry.
Good point eye. Don't forget Bosque Farms Chief Joe Stidam. He is accused of forging checks, but because he is testifying against another crook, the DA is giving him immunity. The DA should have made it part of his plea deal to never be a police officer again. Yet here he is, still chief of Bosque Farms.
It isn't too late for someone at the DA's office, or at APD (since they did the case) to forward this to the Law Enforcement Board. This guy is a crook with a badge.
How about APD Commander Conrad Candelaria? He is caught red handed shredding Marty Chavez's parking tickets. This is a fourth degree felony, but because he is a commander at APD nothing happens. Now we read where he was given a very poor discharge from the Army a couple years back. He apparently hid this from APD, as this might have caused APD to get rid of him. Why doesn't Schultz send Candelaria's certification to the Law Enforcement Board for review of these two incidents?
That is a great avenue to next pursue Ray Schultz and his lack of concern about wrongdoing amongest his Police Officers. Somebody file a complaint with the Police Board in Santa Fe to review the Chief's actions! I bet a private citizen could file a complaint, as a concerned tax payer who is responsible for covering the close to 1 million in court awarded dollars that the taxpayer will have to pay!
How about:
Dear Review Board,
I read in the paper that Chief Schultz was found by a Court in Santa Fe to be guilty of civil rights violations with an Officer. Please review Chief Schultz.
Now that you mention it what about commander steve warfield. Just found guilty of excessive force. Cost the city $39,000.00. What about darren white he settled to avoid being found guilty like schultz. Oh and isent darren in federal court right now for violating a sheriff deputy constitutional rights? So mayor schultz,warfield, conrad and darren can violate the law but let an officer miss court,run a red light or get an anonymos complaint and they will get hammered by our upstanding leadership. HERE IS A CLUE FOR YOU MAYOR THE RANK AND FILE OF A.P.D. HAS NO RESPECT FOR ITS LEADERSHIP. This city was bad under chavez,but you sir have made it worse. I did not think anyone could do that.
Why didn't BCS Darren White send BCSD Evangeline Martinez to the NMLEA board? Even though the DA allowed her to escape prosecution for DV, harassment, and property damage; there was no doubt she committed the crimes. If the White in shining armor had done his job more than likely Gary Hoodless would still be alive today and those children would not have been exposed to illegal drugs in their school.
Thanks to DW, the DA, and APS, she is still carrying a gun and a badge in Corrales. Talk about a perp walk, DW is all go and no show when it comes to his people.
The reality here is that the NMLEA board never really takes any action above and beyond what the reporting jurisdiction does. So for example, if an agency has disciplined their officer by giving them 2 weeks off for misconduct, once the information is finally reported to the NMLEA board, they usually suspend the officer's certification retroactively to coincide with the suspension they received from their agency.....so in other words, they do nothing. Ther eis also inconsistencny from jurisdiction to jurisdiction within the state on what they should report. Serious misconduct needs to be reported, but some jurisdictions do not. And, some jurisdictions report every infraction no matter how minor such as missed court, tardiness etc. On a scarier note, there have been numerous cases of serious officer misconduct (not minor stuff) sent to the NMLEA board where they do not revoke certification and as a result, the officer moves from department to department even after being termination for good reason. This is a problem in New Mexico for sure. As for violating someone's civil rights, allegations are one thing, but a finding in a court that this occurred should be reported to the NMLEA board. As for Schultz, he is a poor example of a leader to begin with and cannot be expected to change his ways at this point. Expect more of the "do as I say" and not "as I do" examples from the White / Schultz dog and pony show. Their combined track record shows nothing different. Why doesn't the Independent Review Officer or the Police Oversight Commission look into the misconduct of Schultz? I'm sure they would if it where any other officer or if Schultz asked them to.
It is going to catch up to Schultz, all your bullshit ways. Not giving the officers of APD their due process. Playing favorites to some officers and screwing other officers for the same sop violation. It's a same this mayor has kept you.
RJ Berry, who the hell are you taking advice from ?
IT'S ABOUT TIME THIS WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT. Cheif needs to damn well go now not three months from now. As mayor, you have the responsibilty to quite looking the other way. Your the boss; act like one. Tell Darren to terminate Schutz.
So far this Administration is riddled with huge mistakes. Top oppointments being just a few.
This is what happens when you let the fox guard the hen house. In this case, the hen house includes all of Albuquerque. Why would anyone believe that Ray Schultz or his underlings will follow the law? Their attitude is "they are the Law so how can they break the law?"
I think this is funny. Berry this does not look good! Wake up!
APD is being run by the MOB.Darren white is the MOB BOSS make no mistake about that. Soon he will pat you on the back and offer you 4 tens. You all are a bunch of fools if you fall for it because the knife will be in your back ! Why did you really leave the State Police darren ? Am I getting close to your secret ? Did the State Police do a no confidence vote in you? Try to run for political office darren, see how that will work out for you. Oh that right you were just elected mayor. Berry hides under his desk and takes orders from you and campbell.
Comment above nailed it dead on !!
Berry you did a piss poor job in vetting these a-holes. They will bite you in the ass, but you deserve it. The Republican Party dosen't adore you anymore. Darren has mouthed too many people now and it will so cost you.
YOU DIDN'T VETT CAMPBELL, WHITE OR SCHULTZ,so we will. You will not like what you find out. Your a one time Mayor. Republicans will back Marty or ANYONE who runs against you. MANY will assure your four years will suck. Your Election was a mistake, unless like the commentor above said come out from under the desk. We didn't elect Campbell or Darren. Grow a set.
How about APD's Sean Higdon? Are the new kings of the round table going to send him to the board?
Or do the taxpayers get to keep him on the payroll after he cost them $200,000 plus at least that in attorney fees?
Does this surprise you? Come on now, we all know Chief Schultz is not an honest man and has no Integrity at all. I really sickens me the APD leadership has no Integrity at all.
Ray is the only chief in NM that offers up the IA folders of officers without being asked. Funny, he is on the board too, the officers never get a fair shake. If he doesnt like you, you will be disciplined. Where is Ray's discipline? When is the union going to do a vote of no confidence?
Ray Schultz was found guilty of violating someone's Civil Rights and Darren White is currently involved in a Federal case in Albuquerque's Federal Court where he is being accused of the same thing. Why has the media not followed this??? Both of these A**holes need to be FIRED.
So, if all you cops and citizens can't stand these two (Darren White & Ray Schultz) why don't you do something about it. Surely the union can initiate a "No Confidence Vote". All I see on here is a bunch of complainers. Sam Costales stood up to them! Why can't you? You mention how they are breaking the law, but nothing happens to them. Please do something with the knowledge you have. Not all of us citizens have knowledge or proof of their wrongdoing.
All of you blogers need to get a life all you do is vent here and really nobody cares how you feel. Most of you hate the people you slander on this post. You can bet they feel the same way about you and they really don't care how you feel. I doubt if they even read this and if they do they probably laugh at what is said they just don't care. You all need to grow a set and tell them face to face. But you won't, so oh well keep veting who really cares. Only you do LMAO.
Once again people like Obama, the media won't tell you the truth. They conveniently won't cover anything that will discredit him, therefore they are lyers. Same with this media. The journal is in lock down mode with the appointment of TJ Wilhelm (Journal)
and Chris Rameirez (Chaneel 7 news)
Which makes them lyers for not telling the truth as well.
$75,000 a piece is a good investment to keep Berry (Mayor by title only) from knowing anything that's going on. He doesn't know what went on in the last four years and he won't know a damn thing in the next four years either. Darren sure fooled this mayor. He and Ray are laughing every day. What a dufus. So until someone gets evidence on these two the next four years will be worse than the last. Get used to it.
AMEN to the poster who pointed out that Berry's appointees were not properly vetted. I mean, really, did none of this information come out during that process? What gives, Berry, this is just SSDD all over again. And the media in Albuquerque is so weak-there's not capital letters big enough to indicate how lame, stupid, boring and BALL-LESS they are--nothing more than vapid talking heads with bad wigs and overly whitened teeth. Who out there will ask the tough questions of Berry and NOT to his insipid spokesperson, Chris Ramirez. God, this is Marty crap all over again. We wanted change so badly in city government that I was suckered in like everyone else who had visions of better city government and a bottom-line mayor. What an idiot I was to believe the empty promises of a career politician.
If you really want to look into something. Look into when Mr Bruce Perlman drafted that letter for Ed Adams. You might find that it was recently done after Marty Chavez lost the election so Mr. Adams could keep his job and salary! If there had been a letter drafted beforehand, it would have been recorded. These guys always take care of stuff.
Plus, they did not expect Marty to loose the election, so they would not have drafted it before hand, especially since Mr Perlman was booted out by Mayor Marty and replaced by Mr Adams. Mr Perlman left here very upset with this administration and was in no mood at the time to draft a letter for his replacement after he was fired by Mayor Marty!
Remember, Mr Perlman is known for doing stuff that is just over the line when it come to shady politics.
Put him on a lie detector and you will see! That letter was recently written!
Now, that's something to look into. If that letter was not recored properly, it should not be valid. Don't trust Mr. White, he is on Marty and Ed's side. He is loyal to the end!
ok here is the deal. next union meeting we are going to make a no confidence vote on calloway, schultz, and white. will anyone be there to vote yes with me?
Republicans in charge now and it's worse??? Go figure
the same 5 or 6 will show to the union meeting, dont hold your breath! haha
If you don't want things like Ed Adams to happen, in act a law making it illegal for a mayor or offical to do it. Where is the leader ship of the city council. They can introduce a bill at the next council meeting. But they wont it's all talk. HA HA HA and the taxpayers loose.
What Schultz did is nothing compared to a Lt Dunsworth who use to work for APD. I heard he now teaches at CNN. I feel for the poor student. If anyone should of had there certification taken, it was Dunsworth. He cost the city big money all the time. I dont believe he know the meaning of civil rights or knew how to do an investigation. These lawsuits should be deducted out of their retirement when they leave the department. Then maybe they would respect the public.
I say a vote of NO CONFIDENCE on Schultz will make Berry's head spin around like the Exorcist. We all need to do it!!!! That's the only way to send Berry the message..He obviously doesn't give a rat's ass about what he reads (or what his SPOKESPERSON tells him about)on this blog. Berry is being led around on a leash by Darren and Ray Ray.
That's a good point. The cost of the lawsuit should directly impact their retirement! That would ensure an objective due process instead of the attitude "sue me and I'll be on a beach when the city pays out." I have heard every Deputy Chief and Ray Boy say this (including the new morons.) The attorneys fees should also be deducted!!!!!
They need to be fired - plain and simple. When is the next city council meeting? If you are a cop you need to do a "No Confidence Vote" and the citizens of Albuquerque need to be at those meetings demanding answers. Ray Boy is in the hot seat if someones goes to Santa Fe to file something with the NMLEA board against him. Hopefully, that will fix his wagon.
Seems like law enforcement in the city of Albuquerque has become little more than a trade and not a profession.
You have a chief that just get hammered in a lawsuit filed by a former officer. Over actions by a chief, I might add, that are a disgusting embarrassment to the taxpayers of this city.
You have more cops than ever before but the same amount on the street.
SID's fiasco still looms in the courts; won't spring be a great time for APD yet again.
And you have all these good ol'boy deals for some of the most worthless unqualified individuals known to public employment--ALL IN THE MIDST OF A 10% UNEMPLOYMENT!!! (And let's not forget the fact that more officer's took or attempted to take their own lives this year in all of APD's history)
You have a new Mayor, one that by all accounts is reasonable yet a newbie. What's it going to take to spark you up? Somebody getting hurt? TEST HIM! If not for yourself then for the taxpayers you serve!
I still believe that RICHARD ROMERO would have been the best, most honorable, most decent MAYOR
Schultz is UNTOUCHABLE! get over it
no one ever goes to council meetings or union meetings, officers are just sheep being led along.
The bigger they are the harder they fall
I actually like the sidewalk thing. It's better than paying for cops too afraid to challenge corruption on any level. You all deserve what you get
Bend over!
Sorry - the sidewalk thing belongs on the Undisciplined blog, but it's appropriate in either place. Speak up cops - or - forever hold your peace.
Sorry again - it's the MOU blog. These blogs are hard to keep up with. So much talk and so little action. Get it together and stick up to these a**holes.
Why is Joe Stidam still Chief of Bosque Farms? Brandenburgs office has indicted his former business partner with 79 counts of fraud, embezzlement, etc. The reported in the news that Stidam wrote thousands in bad checks, but it ocurred in another county so Bernalillo County DA would not prosecute. So why hasn't the DA given that case to the county invovled and why has the DA gone to the NMLEA Board with her investigation and had Stidam's certification removed. In fact why hasn't Schultz done it? It was APD that did the case and interviewed Stidam.
Come on people we need to get rid of crooks who wear the uniform.
Schultz is the guy that stood up in front of a podium vowing to fight corruption after being hand selected by Meter High Marty, only to be seen a few hours later buying beer at an Albertson's IN UNIFORM. This guys is a piece of crap. In 2005 and then again in 2006 he was pressured into opening IA investigations into several officers on APD that had actively worked national political campaigns for candidates from the other side of the fence from that of Meter High Marty and Bill "Many Chins" Richardson. Schultz' Secret Police (read: IA) found such profound things in these cases as "unfounded" and "taking an excessive amount of time for lunch breaks" and "giving rides to citizens without the ride along form completed". When this information was given-by hand- to a news channel, it was never followed up on. That would be an answer to all the "why don't you guys so after him?" comments. There is ZERO political will. A better option would be to just retire and do things like heavily fund candidates who, say, unseat political cronies. Who would have thought that the same piece of crap Chief would be invited to stay on? Something's not right. There has be pressure from above the mayor's head.
In 2004 Richardson told certain police chiefs and sheriffs that if they endorsed a certain candidate at the national level, or spoke to the Law Enforcement Committee of that candidate, they (the police administrators) would be hard pressed to get matching state funds for budgets, etc. I think if Richardson is willing and capable of putting citizen's safety at risk in order to gain political compliance, and I think it goes without saying that that Schultz man is nothing but a political apologist.
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