Below is an "open letter" that was sent to us from an APD officer that we have not heard from before at the Eye. Keep in mind; this is from a person who is behind the badge. The letter contains some thoughts that we feel should be shared.
I am writing you this letter because the front page of the Sunday's Journal (08/28/11) is sitting like a brick at the pit of my stomach. I would love to write this in the editorial section, but I live under a boss who rules through fear and intimidation, and I am not allowed to voice my opinions. Morale at the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has never been as low as it is now. Reading the article in the paper today, literally made my stomach turn. Chief Schultz is not the "problem fixer," he IS the problem. I am not a disgruntled employee nor am I biased because of any discipline I have received at the hands of Chief Schultz. In fact, I have never been disciplined and have been a police officer for over a decade with APD. Mayor Berry was given the police endorsement, mostly because of the empty promises he made to the officers of this department. He PROMISED he was going to "clean house" and hire a new Chief; a flat out blatant lie. Chief Gallegos was not solely responsible for the Evidence Lab fiasco. In fact, at the time of Gallegos' reign, Chief Schultz was the Deputy Chief in CHARGE of the Crime Lab! The public wonders why there are officers that are committing unethical, sometimes illegal acts. Look at our Chief, we are only doing what we are taught.
A couple of years ago, there was a Sgt. that was found to be intimately involved with one of his subordinates. The subordinate, a detective under his immediate command, killed herself, leaving a husband (another APD officer) and two small children. This Sgt. was transferred to another area command and shortly, thereafter, was promoted to Lieutenant. There was NO discipline whatsoever. In fact, immediately after his departure from the NE Impact Team, a letter was placed in the blotter written by then Captain Henz. It stated that this was not a disciplinary action, but a transfer that the Sgt. had wanted for quite some time. The Chief did nothing to protect the officers, or the family of the deceased officer.
There is a Lt. that while in charge of records, received at least three separate EEOC complaints against him. the complaints were filed by women that had no connection to each other, nor had they concocted their stories, as the complaints were filed at different times. The complaints were similar and all accused the Lt. of discrimination based on sex. One of those cases has since been settled, FOR the officer and AGAINST the Lt. This same Lt. caught two officers (one of whom was married and was ordered not to be at the academy) having sex in the parking lot of the Police Academy. He chose not to discipline, nor did he document the conduct unbecoming that he observed. The Chief did not punish this Lt., instead he was recently promoted to Commander.
Chief Schultz allowed former Public Safety Director, Darren White, to lie to city council AND to the citizens of Albuquerque. Several months ago, TJ Wilham was terminated from city employment and escorted out of City Hall. Then, 24 hours later, TJ was "relocated" to the communications center and given a job that was created solely for him. Darren White denied there was a termination, however, there was. CAO Campbell was the one that signed the termination letter and made sure Mr. Wilham was escorted from the building. Covering up for someone is just as bad as the deception itself.
Chief Schultz constantly prides himself in making sure the city knows that its officers are held to a higher standard. However, he praises and commends those that act in behavior that is anything but professional. He chose to promote and assign a PIO that has made it a habit of involving herself with married men, sometimes ON DUTY. He has allowed this Sgt. to remain a Sgt. despite the fact, that she is not supervising ANYONE! This was behavior that was discovered by Attorney Brad Hall (attorney for Terra Chavez- slain wife of an APD Officer). Mr. Hall filed a request and was granted the investigation details of ongoing infidelities that was occurring within the department. The Chief quickly settled the lawsuit, and thus never having to provide any details of this unprofessionalism.
Chief Schultz chose to place a PROBATIONARY employee in Animal Control, while the death of the officer's wife was investigated. There were issues with this officer NOT related to the death of his wife, and he chose not to terminate this employee. This probationary employee was employed for over 3 years and even got off of probation while on administrative leave.
Chief Schultz indicated in the Journal article today that he was released from the infamous Costales lawsuit. Chief Schultz was found GUILTY of intimidating Officer Costales and disciplining Officer Costales based on retaliation. That part of the suit was settled and thus his name was removed.
Several years ago, during a Union Meeting, an Officer made a Motion to conduct a vote of no confidence in Chief Schultz. Immediately after that Motion, the Chief began to intimidate and harass the officer. For example, the Chief began showing up on ALL of this officer's calls, making him feel extremely intimidated. This officer eventually withdrew his Motion because of the fear of retaliation.
During a City Council meeting a year ago, a well known and long serving APD Sergeant voiced his concerns about the department as well as Chief Schultz. This Sergeant walked to his car after the meeting and received a phone call that an Internal Affairs investigation had been opened on the Sergeant. This was a clear showing of fear and intimidation. To this date, the Sergeant was never given the outcome of that investigation.
A former Deputy Chief was investigated by the FBI in reference to a case. During that interview, the Deputy Chief stated that the Officer being investigated was a victim of Chief Schultz's intimidation and retaliation way of supervising. The officer had testified in Federal Court that ultimately led to charges against another officer being acquitted of all charges that the State had brought up against him. Chief Schultz was so angry and humiliated that he "punished" that officer by holding the transfer that he so passionately wanted and earned.
Chief Schultz loves to sugar coat every wrongdoing that is discovered under his regime. He does not take responsibility for his actions, yet disciplines those officers who fail to do so or go against him. Morale is at an ALL time low because of Chief Schultz. He has given officers lie after lie and has used his position to intimidate officers who challenge him. Chief Schultz refuses to allow officers to work a 4-10 shift because he states there is no "officer coverage" available for calls for service. There are LESS officers working in the field than there have been in years. There are some squads that have only 5 officers for the entire shift for the entire area command.
More training was an issue of concern that was brought up to the Chief in an effort to better the department. Chief Schultz agrees on paper, yet does the opposite. Chief Schultz has on more than one occasion transfered BRAND new Sergeants to investigative positions that require significant training. There are BRAND new sergeants transferring to specialty units (DWI, K9, I.A.) before experiencing any field time after promotion whatsoever.
The citizens of Albuquerque deserve to be told the truth and educated about this administration. Chief Schultz is experiencing more problems with the department than ever. The time has come for him to resign or be terminated. Do not let him fool you, he IS the reason the department is in complete shambles.
33 comments:
This letter just reminded me why I am so glad I just recently retired from APD. The examples here sadly are just a tip of the ice burg.
I attempted to file a complaint with I.A. where I have on tape a LT,SGT, and an officer conspiring to withhold discovery in a case I was a pro-se defendant in simply because I wasn't an attorney. That is denial of due process. I eventually won the case due to lack of prosecution when the officer and an assistant city attorney failed to show up in court with my court ordered discovery. The City Attorney, Mayor, Chief, Director of Public Safety, and the I.A. where and are all involved in a cover up.
Thanks for your letter. I would like to add that Schultz does not leave you alone once you quit/retire. A former APD officer was with another department for 11 months when Schultz decided to send a bogus complaint to the LEA board (which he is a member of). The board sided with Schultz and the officer received a 7 day certification suspension. The agency he worked for (without incident) for the past 11 months decided they would fire him since he had 1 month left on probation, due to the bogus LEA charge. New Mexico is a small state. You can try and salvage your LE life, but Schultz holds a grudge that lasts forever. Be safe out there. CYA. And you're damn right this is an anonymous post.
So Chief Schultz, I have a question for you. You are a huge proponent of the polygraph. Would you take a polygraph and deny ANY of the above mentioned statements?
Joey Sigala, this is for you. You told everyone at a recent union meeting that you would kindly step down should the officers NOT want you. Well, we DONT want you. You are a lying backstabber and need to resign immediately. Why havent you come out publicly and stood up for the officers? The last time we heard anything was when the officers were involved in the Torres shooting. You have kept your mouth shut since then. What job has the Chief promised you? Your lies are catching up to you. There will be a petition passed around demanding your resignation. What say you?
Kind of funny APD has zero qualms about shooting the mentally ill with little to no provocation , but yet none of you have the guts to take out the real criminal that runs your force , after all it is not like a APD officer has ever been truly held accountable for murder whats stopping you?
I agree this is just the tip of the iceburg. There are alot of officers retiring if they start talking it will get real ugly. Maybe just maybe that will force Schultz out and will begin to clean up the department. Sgt. Paul Heh has spoken out for years. I heard he is retiring soon. God help the administration if he decides to set things in motion. As for Joey, TRATOR !!!!!
Nice letter. I agree with evrything. I am one of those officers who stood u to Shultz and was retaliated against every day. I would not receive the same priviliges that other officers that were in my same position did. It goes on and on. I don't think DOJ is going to "come to our rescue." Joey you need to step up and start enforceing everything in the contract. Yes, that means that some officers will be transferred out of those cush jobs but we have to stick together. I did vote for this contract but it passed and I have to support it. It all should be enforced. Sorry but that means narcs needs to be rotated or transferred out, some have been there over five years. We have to fight back we are laying here like victims and the chief is kicking us in the head.
Let us not forget the 3 innocent men that APD Homicide Detectives let sit in jail for over a year, even though they knew the DNA testing cleared them. Schultz did nothing to those detectives. He has not changed anything. So far we have paid $2,000,000 to two of these guys, I am sure the final guy will cost us another million. Shultz is the problem, not the solution. Albuquerque needs a new police chief.
This intimidation and retaliation reaches far beyond the rank and file. It goes out to civilians as well. Phone calls of intimidation and such.
Darren maybe gone from the administration , but he and Ray have poisoned the well and it will take years before their toxins dissipate.
Well that about nails it.
Trish, well we all had a good time, but it's time to say good bye. New cadets beware of the black widow.
Schultz has been Chief or a DC for the better part of a decade. APD is mired in all kinds of problems. Therefore the only place to put the blame is with his lack of leadership,,, period.
If an area commander ran an area command for 6 years, and non stop problems came from that area command, everybody would blame it on leadership.
Its a fact of life. When an organization has deep problems, and has been under the same leader for this long,,,that leader cannot avoid the blame.
In closing, if things were going well, think he'd be taking credit? You know he would. It has to be a two way steet guy.
i would love to post about the three lies and or false statements per paragraph in this post but it would simply be deleted by the site host. you want to talk about censorship and this site takes the cake!!!!
The standard by which anybody says they've done a good job is to leave the place better than they found it. The fact is, APD is much worse than how Schultz found it.
Let's not forget:
-Schultz was found guilty of violating an officer's civil rights resulting in punitive damages in excess of $500,000. The jury found Schultz lied under oath.
-Schultz oversaw and white-washed the entire David Young reserve officer debacle which is still being litigated upon.
-Several of the police shooting are dubious at best and will continue to haunt the department until they too are played out in civil proceedings. How many "bad shoots" can a chief endure?
-The Evidence Room scandal never really was addressed. In fact, the current CAO, Rob Perry was a lawyer for, and successfully defended, one of the parties Schultz tried to smear as being at fault for the problem.
-Arbitrary and disparate promotion practices run rampant as merit is the last thing Schultz considers when promoting people to Commander level positions.
-While two officers have been killed on duty, more than twice as many have, or made efforts to, commit suicide.
-Calls for dispatch remain at an all time high and response times remain the same despite there being the manipulation "en route" and "arrived" statuses by dispatchers.
-There exists a culture that by the chief's own words is defined by him. "Sue me, because in three years I won't be here." Honest criticism is met simply by vindictive actions and overt retaliation.
-Officer's due process rights are routinely violated in efforts by the Schultz to regain lost credibility. How much will the department pay because of his harm upon Tim Chavez, Orlando Comacho, John Doyle, Rob Wollever, Sam Costales.
-Despite being forwarned about the history of conduct by Levi Chavez, efforts to discipline were blocked at every level until it became too late.
-The grotesque conduct by the highest ranking members as they willfully interfered and fumbled the crime scene of Mary Han.
-Then there's the Darren White debacle as Schultz openly professed his ignorance about the basis for DWI investigations.
In any definition of effort, Ray Schultz has failed as chief of police. He has failed to take ownership of any significant controversy. He has failed to lead his department. He has failed the community he took an oath to serve. Yet now we are asked to let him have the privilege of continuing on? I think not.
It is time for him to go.
Bring it on! I see no false statements and I think you are blowing smoke.
Hey Joey, city council has an open topic section of its meetings doesnt it? why dont you or felipe get up there and tell the public what a great job you think the police are doing and you support them 100%? You go to all the meetings and hide while the public bashes the police instead of doing what you were elected for! Oh wait maybe its because the chief muzzles you? At least we know where your loyalty stands even tho you told everyone while campaining you would stand up to him. Just take the sergeant test, get promoted, and leave the union business to someone who wants it for what its supposed to be for,
Every city department retaliates. Mostly it's for going to the union with an issue against the dept. APD is no different. Tons of regular city workers are passed over, retaliated against, targeted by several city departments. It's condoned by the mayor.
Its not just his sworn employees that are promoted in a gratuitous manner, his non sworn employees are promoted similarly. Evil begets evil. Weeds grow faster and with less effort than flowers. Captains, lieutenants, salaried employees etc. in that place are fast spreading disease getting rid of the good employees like my friend who retired because they couldn't bear being a part of such a shameful/disgraceful department. God be with this city on its way to being the next Saddam and Gomorrah. OK, that was a little extreme but S&G had to start somewhere too.
POS Schultz is the only officer able to bargain his way out of a lawsuit. However, since he was found guilty and he and only he had the ability to get that ugly ass lawyer of the city to arrange a deal not to appeal and hand over the dough so he could be released he should have still been decertified. Does any other cop get that free ride. Then to boot, he is on the same committee who should have had him decertified. Worse, Mayor Berry retains him one day before he was found guilty.
Does the journal, which I will be canceling, only interview his buddies, so the spin is he is so intelligent, I think not - deviant maybe. Why not take a balanced approach and let officers and citizens give their version of what he's made of and the results of his reign. All the things stated in this letter and no one investigates.
Next, you have that LOSER and I repeat LOSER union president who does not support the troops. What a fool. He shit on you officers!!! I would have a no confidence vote on him and Ray. Based on the other blogs on this site sounds like he trained under Ray - affairs, misuse of funds and other inappropriate behavior. Didn't the union also settle with Sam Costales? Sounds like the union really defends its members.
Then we have the new Gov - what a piece of work. I'm pretty sure she's read about every dirty deed Darren has been involved in, but she chose to give political favors to POS White in spite of. What a hypocrite.
Somehow I think Schultz and White will continue in the rule of terror on good hardworking officers, until you all go head to head with these tyrants. Have fun in the cesspool.
Ridiculous one-sided story in the journal. Totally disgusting. As a citizen, I have lost confidence in the media (tv,paper, etc.) Why not interview some of the people who can shed some light on the truth about that POS.
This is one of the best written and 'comprehensive' articles I have seen on this blog, along with the subsequent comments. If things like this keep coming, there is no doubt that something will have to change, sooner or later. Thanks eye.
I am really dissapointed in you "eye." I have asked for days what happened with Shawn Bryan being at Paul Hehs retirement. I have not seen my post. What gives "eye."
It sounds like my APD friends need to vote Joey out of office and have a vote of no confidence against Shultz.
FMB
The letter written is the truth. Mayor Berry if you can't smell the trouble and fix it, you're just as ignorant a man as the last few mayors. Lack of effort, is still effort. Don't be a DUMBASS! Shultz has baggage from his D/C days upto now. CALEA also needs to take a look here along with the DOJ. Hiring practices from laterals, cadets, and hiring records need to be researched. These records or files should be made readily available at any request. Missing documents is a flag. DOJ and CALEA also need to take a long, good, hard look at the Shoot records and less lethal munitions records for the past decade (being nice here, because this will prove enough)! An officer who can shoot an 80% everytime out is not skilled, just given the score to get back in the assembly line known as BULLSHIT! Try changing ALL those records! You think Evidence was bad back then, that's like comparing the S.O.S. Minnow to the Titanic!
Do the still skin bear, shoot coyotes, and domestic dogs with department ammunition at the APD shooting range? Check all the Records logs DOJ!
http://joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com/
Read the August 30, 2011 report by Monahan. At least there are still some people in the media who understand what a train wreck Schultz is and how everyone is dancing around asking him the hard questions. Maybe the rest of the media will take Monahan's cue and step up and start putting Schultz on the hot seat.
If Shawn Bryan was at Paul Heh's retirement party, so what? What they hell does that have to do with anything? Is there something that says that Shawn Bryan is not allowed to be around Paul Heh? The eye is not commenting I'm sure because they could give a shit less who was at Paul Heh's retirement party. It's not news!
So is that poster surprised hey/Bryan have been friends for a long time, there are many people in the dept who are still very close to them.
When Ryan Buckner played his little game and ultimateley set brad up one thing that became very clear was that the Bryans were nothing more than pawns in his game. Darren white made this clear on many levels, except in court. Maybe you are concerned since sgt hey is retiring is he going to expose more of the corruption used to screw brad over???? Wonder how long sgt hey has been putting the pieces together.....or has he?? SID ? Ron? Ryan?
If you sat through the trial as I did you would know that bryans relationship ran deep, Buckner was running an unauthorized investigation against top brass at apd, RO had info about this and protested that officers kids were in harms way and did the right thing,,BA told Bryan because he thought for sure it would be safe(bad move)since apd brass would help,,when this backfired Buckner snuck out the back door to avoid being caught doing his own investigation against his own chain of command,,bottom line,,BA was made the scapegoat with RO also,,Buckner walked clean and was awarded a spot to keep quiet ,,watch out people there's a fox among the chickens,,So it Shdnt be a surprise that Bryan or BA aeration very right with 34s,,if you read the trial transcripts it's all there,,,so this not a big deal,,let it go,,the fact a guy is possibly going to prison is,,
Oh the pieces will come together, in fact one puzzle was just finished. Let the 'shit storm' begin. get 'em Paul.
We keep talking about Brad's trial and sentencing as we should. The problem is we have a man loose on our streets who lied, committed perjury and will potentially cause an innocent man to do time, has basically killed another via a heart attack and he's ok with that?
SHAME ON YOU DARREN WHITE. YOU'RE JUST WRONG FOR ALBUQUERQUE, WRONG FOR NEW MEXICO, JUST PLAIN WRONG.
Go a head 'Rs' keep pandering to this a-hole, but deep down, when you do, you know that you are sleeping with the devil.
How do you sleep?
The pendulum always swings back,and its about to swing toward you now.
Pack the next City Council meeting on Sept.9.
Someone's speech is gonna light it up.
The saddest part is that it's not just LE, and it's not just our Metro area. This stuff is happening state-wide, at all levels: Investigations with pre-determined outcomes, with the 'neutral' investigator telling different stories to those being interviewed, while placing themself in the position of judgeing the employees actions.
How is a 'rank and file' member of public safety supposed to do their primary job of serving the public, knowing that the 'higher-ups' might be on a personal vendetta for simply upholding the oath of office?
another Anonymous, Hell Yeah
Everyone needs to attend the next council meeting. Let's all put Ray on the hot seat!
Post a Comment