APD is now on the hunt for a group of cyber-idiots who decided it was a good idea to break into the Albuquerque Zoo and play Dr. Doolittle with the animals there. Of course, they couldn't resist the urge to document their misadventure and post photos of themselves on Facebook.
Albuquerque police say they are investigating a group of young adults who posted pictures on Facebook showing themselves scaling and crawling under fences to get into the Rio Grande Zoo after hours, entering the enclosures of the giraffes, sea lions and possibly the rhinos, and feeding and touching some of the animals.
BioPark director Rick Janser said an anonymous tipster sent police the Facebook pictures, which had been removed from the page of the person who was posting them Wednesday afternoon.
"We have their images; we have their names," Janser said Wednesday at a news conference about the break-in.Since no one found a body in the Rhino cage, we assume that all of the Facebook Fools found their way out of the Zoo alive. Well, at least one of them did anyway.
What immediately crossed our mind was how could a bunch of twenty-somethings - presumably at least a little inebriated - manage to break through a perimeter fence, hop into various animal habitats to party with the animals? They had to be making a bit of a ruckus, laughing, giggling, and disturbing the zoo's inhabitants - not to mention the flashes from their cameras. Why didn't city security detect the Dastardly Dummies?
Janser said zoo security consists of a fence around the entire zoo and guards who patrol at night. He wouldn't say how many guards there are, but said their work that night would be examined to see how they could have missed the people who broke in, wandered around the zoo and took pictures of themselves.
He said there is no video surveillance of the fences that surround the zoo, although there are cameras inside.While Janser wouldn't tell the Journal how many guards prowl the zoo at night, our Eyes tell us that there's exactly two - one that must stay in the guard house and one on patrol. Two guards might be enough to cover the zoo if they were assisted by security cameras - which they are not. As it stands the guard in the shack is useless for detecting grounds violations unless the break into a building and the zoo grounds are too big to cover for a single patrol officer. Our Eyes tell us that the BioPark is even more vulnerable.
The city has spent millions of taxpayer dollars on the zoo and the neighboring Albuquerque BioPark. Doesn't it make sense to provide adequate security to protect the taxpayer's investment?
Currently, city security has 82 guards and 14 supervisors. Yes... 14 supervisors. That's one supervisor for every 5.8 officers. It might not be a bad idea for a few supervisors to bolster the ranks out in the field. It's also probably a good idea to look into hiring a few more guards.
[Sidebar]
This is another example of how political legacy building damages the future. In a time of plenty, government can often scrape together enough money to build a huge facility but there's not enough long-term money to maintain and protect it.
The same applies to programs that fall outside the core function of government. They're created during a time of tax largess and impossible to get rid of when government receipts will no longer support them.
[End Sidebar]
We understand that money's tight right now and that hiring new employees is probably an impossibility. However, the city has a responsibility to protect its facilities as well as the cyber-idiots who might endanger themselves.
One other thing to consider... If you take the time to view the Facebook photos (Subscription), you'll note that there was apparently a large group of idiots on parade through the zoo. It seems unlikely that this was the first time the zoo had been compromised. It's more likely that one or two of the participants acted as guides and were familiar with how to enter the grounds and what the security (or lack thereof) was like.
This time, no one and no animal appears to have been harmed. But what about next time and what kind of liability is attached should someone be killed?
14 comments:
All this falls directly on the city security "chief", (that's what he calls himself) Mark Shepherd, who instead of putting cameras in places where they are needed, puts cameras in places like, oh, the offices of his employees, who are not responsible for handling money, or sensitive documents, or anything that would necessitate a camera IN the offices, other than the fact that the union executive board members work there. These are posts that already had cameras in the lobby so you could see who was going in and out of the offices, and actually part of the offices could already be seen, but that wasn't enough, no, there must be cameras looking directly at the officers, and (possibly listening to them) as well. But cameras where they need them? Who would think of that? And guess who is going to take the blame for the lack of equipment to do the job at the zoo, bio park and other posts? Not Mr. Shepherd, that's for sure, watch as he throws his employees (who have been begging for equipment for YEARS!) under the bus....
Someone should also look in to how many guards are actually being paid for, compared to how many guards are actually working...someone, (Mark Shepherd we're looking at you) has been skimming off the top, and pissing money away on nothing more than equipment for his supervisors, vehicles, office equipment, computers, etc, while the guards have to work with no possibility of vacation, or overtime other than a few hours here or there, no actual shift overtime, (we don't have the money to allow the officers to work extra shifts), yet his supervisors can take as much time off whenever they want, and work all the overtime they want as well. And someone needs to look into the hiring of the baby Sgt, who is in a relationship with the top Lt. Amazing they can take time off together whenever they like isn't it?
The officers are being told they can't have vacation because someone "might" call in...that's how short the officers are. And it's only going to get worse as the top ten or so retire in the next few years. Hiring? What's that? We don't need to hire anyone, and we have our Lts and Sgts out running around like crazy (but actually doing nothing)trying to justify their positions. They sure look pretty though in their APD wanna be uniforms, while the officers don't have any of the tools they need to do their jobs, yet will be blamed for Mr. Shepherd's mismanagement.
Ok Berry what is going on ? APD bought new guns for all their officers, guns that no-one wanted. APD bought new badges for all thier officers, badges that no-one wanted and look cheap. City security bought new badges for their officers. WHY? Badges do not wear out. Who got the contract for these badges ? What about AFD did they get new badges? Why does Sheapard keep his job even thou he is not qualified and lied about being a retired APD Sergeant ( read about it here on the eye ) Why does Shepaed allow LT. Carriaga to supervise Sgt Graham who live together as domestic partners and went to Chicago to get married. And what about Sgt Graham taking the City SECURITY TRUCK TO RIO RANCHO, A DIRECT VIOLATION OF CITY POLICY. Once in Rio Rancho all the windows got shot out. Why are you covering this up Mr Shepard ? At a time you claim not to have money to pay employees MR Berry you seem to have no problem wasting it. Just step up to the plate, you know be a man. Just tell us all who is geting the kick backs ? We will find out ! We City Employees voted for you because we believed you were honest change, and because ,such in my case Paul Heh asked me to,because he believed in you. At least Paul was man enough to stand in front of the APOA and apologize for believing in you.
Why has Berry left so many of Marty Chavez hooligans in places of leadership at City Hall and the Police and Fire Department?
By leaving these folks, it is a receipe for failure.
Mr. Berry the above post is so true. It's a darn shame that we the officers can not use our vacation time. We have to decide six months in advance so we can put the time in at the bid or most likely you will not get time off. Then Shepherd lends our officers to the crime lab and leaves us short. You could be first on the vacation calendar and still not get it off. The officers have had to get FMLA to ensure time off. It is hard to try to look six months out to determin when you might need one day off because something comes up. Yet Shepherd is sitting in on negotiations, has he told you how most of the top officers have alot of time on the books. WE CAN NOT TAKE TIME OFF! Cameras were supposed to be put in at the Bio Park about three years ago after the tanks were tagged. We still don't have them. Most of the time we have one officer on a post and can not do our jobs. We sit in the office and hope nothing happens.
oh yeah i forgot about those damn badges! more money down the drain!
Has anyone found out at what time the break in happened? The information would help to alert the single guard out walking the 3 mile fence line.
Mayor Berry, so far (six months) you get an 'F'. Don't ask the city workers, they already have determined that; ask around town.
Your a joke, a 'jester' in Darren's court.
What a fool you are believing in that fraud.
The city needs to check into this department. The Lt. and Sgt. somehow manage alot of time off. The Sgt. has not been with the city long enought to have that much time on the books. But I guess since the Chief owes the Lt. he lets this stuff happen.
Are these the same guards who let people get in to the zoo at night. You are on vacation!
What about the criminal-acting "young adults" who broke the law? They should be made an example of. People are so quick to point fingers at the legal system; yes they failed. However, the "idiots" that decide to ignore rules and behave like criminals should be accountable for their actions. They should be prosecuted before they break into the next location (public or residential). If they don't pay the consequences for this action, they will continue to push the limits and the damage worses. Parents of these children: you ALSO failed!
On Guard on PATROL! Lots of area to cover?
Why are they spending money on real badges. Get them plastic ones that way the food stains can be washed off with water.
It seems like most of the people writing on this blog work for the security department, and thier main
concern is time off. All I can say is if you need that much time off get rid of the job and take it. I'm sure
the city can find someone to fill the job.
Post a Comment