 |
| (Allium Cepa Albuquerquim) |
Why is the Department of Justice investigating APD? How many
layers of the onion's skin will they peel? Let's take a look at some
layers that we've seen over the last week....
PATRONAGE
Here is one layer as reported by KRQE (Katie Kim and Jeff
Proctor).
I urge everyone to read this article. It has a lot more
information regarding Hammon, Padilla and Fisher and how Schultz worked to side
step the law, even allowing Fisher to run her private company out of APD
headquarters (apparently rent free). There is a genuine question as to whether
or not Fisher is still working at APD in another loophole capacity. While the "legality" of this is unclear, we all know this doesn't pass any smell test.
KRQE reported that Ex Chief Ray Schultz spent the last few
months of his career at APD trying to find a loophole in the states double
dipping repeal law that would allow him to reward three female employees.
Schultz knew that the spirit of this law was to end double dipping by
government employees. Yet he worked to
find a way around this law so these three government employees could double dip
their salaries.
Is this what we expect from a Chief of Police? You don't like a
law, you understand what it is supposed to prohibit, so you working day trying
to find a loophole all at the expense of tax payer money. Really??
I am sure Schultz misses the good old days when Darren,
Perry and Schultz would call a press conference and lecture the media on how
professional they are and how misguided the media is. Here is why Ray misses
those days, quoted from Rob Perry regarding Hammon, Padilla and Fisher,
"The city wants to look at both the letter - and that's whether the law
was complied with - and we think that it was in all of these cases - and
the spirit of the law: what was intended to be avoided".
Let me translate Rob Perry's double cycle spin. He is saying
that Schultz worked to find a loophole around the law. That Schultz knew
bringing these three people back was wrong. That bus coming down Central Ave
appears to be driven by Rob Perry and Ray Schultz is being tossed under it.
This blatant attempt to find loopholes and side step the
spirit of the law should be of high concern for Albuquerque residents.
First, a
chief of police is supposed to support the legal system, not find ways around
laws you don't like. This is part of the problem at APD. Schultz apparently
felt that some laws just didn't pertain to him or his favored ones, so he would
work to find loopholes around them. This is not the leadership Albuquerque
wants but from Schultz it came to be the leadership we expected.
Another question is why did Schultz feel so indebted to
these three women that he would work so diligently to find a way for them to
double dip? Seriously, while the patronage to these three? APD is supposed to be a police department. We'd expect to see cops who have spent and risked their lives getting special gigs not three civilians.
These three women also bear responsibility also as they were
public servants. They know right from wrong and all they had to do was tell
Schultz, "thanks but no thanks." It didn't happen.
Is this the current state of the Albuquerque
Police Department? From the chief on down it is not about following the law and
setting an example, but about how to game the system and get away with it.
BRIBES
The Albuquerque Journal is reporting that RedFlex, the company
who managed red light cameras in Albuquerque, is being investigated by the FBI
for the "bestowed gifts and bribes" in cities in New Mexico and other
states. City Councilor Dan Lewis is calling for the City Inspector General and
other auditors to investigate.
Hmmmmmmmmmm who brought Red Flex to Albuquerque to begin
with? Look below for your answer:
Albuquerque Journal, Colleen Heild, December 18, 2007.
The
red light program operated by the Scottsdale-based company (Red Flex) was the
brainchild of Mayor Martin Chávez and Police Chief Ray Schultz......
Is this another
layer of the onion being peeled? We won't know until an investigation into Red
Flex and Albuquerque is approved and completed. Lewis is on the right track but
he should remove the investigation from the City Inspector General and instead
ask that the Department of Justice look into this also. Heck the DoJ are
already here and the feds are already investigating Red Flex. Take this out of
the city and put it into the hands of the Department of Justice.
Funny how we
aren't even speaking about the onion layers that the DOJ stated they were going
to look into. These two onion layers are all about corruption and losing faith
in our appointed and elected leaders.
Congratulations
for KRQE and the Journal in doing these reports. A free an unbiased media is
the cornerstone of democracy. It seems you’re finding your way back.
MILKING
Banks Retires and what does
that peel expose?
Acting Chief Banks has
announced he is retiring at the end of February 2014. While much is being
made of this by the asleep at the wheel city council and the APOA president,
his retirement really doesn't matter. People come and go; it is what we
expect. APD is not about one man (did you hear that Ray???). But there are three glaring issues citizens of Albuquerque should be
concerned with:
1. The inability
for R J Berry to make ANY hard decision. Berry knew since March 2013,
when Schultz announced his retirement, that he needed to bring in a new
chief. With the the DoJ investigation, leadership of the department is
very important to getting APD back on track. Yet it is now almost one
year later and still no chief for APD. Berry can't make a hard decision,
no amount of his spin will change his failure.
2. The city council and
APOA are crying about Banks leaving. Why? Banks is just one
person. Why don't they show the same concern for the citizens coughing up
$300,000 for the "human waste disposal killing". Where is the
outrage over $8,000,000 settlement for the Ellis killing? What about Banks's involvement with the Mary Han death scene? The concern
should be for the community and the department, not for one individual.
This is where our city and union leadership fail us. They are more loyal
to an individual than to their police department and community.
3. Banks will leave
with a cashout of over $160,000! Schultz had a huge cashout in 2004 and
then again in 2013. Many APD command staff and City Directors leave with
huge amounts of unused sick and vacation. I must say these leaders at APD
and City Hall are extraordinarily healthy. Their families are very
healthy too. Because normally when a family member is ill people take
off. This never seems to happen in the City of Albuquerque. Here is
the dirty little secret that the media and city leaders ignore or miss. How many times have people come to work sick, only to be present for an hour, and then to disappear?
The possibility that there is fraud and abuse going on within the cash out
program is all too confirmed by facts. The time has come for a complete audit of Schultz and Banks and
anyone else who cashes out over $50,000 from the city upon retirement. If it
shows they used ZERO or little sick time during their career a red flag should
go up. Maybe the command staff at APD and the Directors at City Hall need
to have someone making sure they do show up for work everyday. Just
because you are "on call" or "on my cell" doesn't mean you
are working your shift. It appears Schultz and Banks were never
sick. Their families were never sick. Really? An audit needs
to be done. This is another layer of the onion that needs exposure.
So good luck to Banks, and
God help Albuquerque as we are being lead by a mayor who cannot make a decision
and a city council that has been asleep for years. The onion layers have
exposed elected officials who are not doing their jobs.
By the way there
is one final pressing question for Albuquerque citizens, Where is Richard Berry?
-----Anonymous APD sergeant
33 comments:
Obvious is mispelled in the title
Wasn't Schultz in Scottsdale after 2004? Schultz was at the home of Redflex. TJ is doing video endorsements of vendors. Dont even get me started on Ray Atencio taking a job for Tiburon not even a year after they won their contract and before he did his PERA paperwork.
And how have so many command staff been on the clock at weddings and graduations out of town?
Does anyone Commander and up even live in Albuquerque anymore?
Cashouts for Command staff and other high ups within the city of Albuquerque is a corrupt joke. These people say that since they are on call or on their cell phone they don't have to put in Sick or Vacation when they are not at work. No one makes them because they are all in on it.
This works for their benefit in 2 ways. First they get to stay home when sick and not be charged any time. And no one bothers them because they are sick. Second they get to pad their huge cashouts paid for by the Albuquerque citizen.
The council should audit everyone who retired in 2013 and so far in 2014 to see how many sick days they used. Officers and sergeants and civilians use a lot. Lt's, commanders and Chiefs use none. This is corrupt and all the top dogs are in on it.
TO: January 30, 2014 at 11:47:00 AM
Thank you!
Eye
Simple solution for the sick leave cash out for those claiming to be on call. Eliminate the accumulation of the sick time. If you have some in the bank when you are selected for the position you automatically lose it. These are at-will positions so the change be made with the stroke of a pen.
This is turning out to be one hell of an onion and one hell of a 2014.
2:34 is right.
I would do it a little differently. Once you reach the rank of commander (not covered by contract) and other other civilian job that is equal, you no longer are allowed to accrue sick time. The trade off is you are considered on call 24 / 7 so if you are sick just stay home and watch your phone.
You can keep any sick time accumulated to that point but not beyond. These 6 figure payouts when we all know they are not at work is making this citizen ill. Maybe I should take some sick time.
Hey Lange and Walze, we, the uniformed cop you just heaped endless bullshit praise on last week are the ones who REJECTED that insulting contract by your favorite boys Berry and Perry. It was not the evil APOA as you like to dress it up. It was us, the individual men and women police officers who serve this city. Maybe you should ask why so many of us votde the same way instead of just saying, which you obviously can't grasp, that it's about money. It isn't. It's about doing what's right and this lying criminal administration never does what's right.
Why are we limited to 1250 hours of leave accumulation but he has over 2000? If you retire it has to be paid to you. The law does not require it be paid at your current salary. I think if you claimed to never be sick then pay the hours at 2 for 1 at the ranked they earned it at. 500 hours as P1C, then 250 hours paid at the P1C pay. 500 hours as Sgt, then another 250 paid.
Thats what I get when I sell my excess leave.
How many employees with cancer and other terminal illnesses had leave donated to them, while the City counted it as 2 for 1, while these jerks get paid 1 for 1?
@ January 30, 2014 at 1:08:00 PM MST
Yes Schultz was indeed in Scottsdale. Was there money considerations (aka a bribe) that brought redflex here? Absolutely... A clear violation of city rules and regs, dept policy, and oh ya I nearly forgot, ILLEGAL!!!!
It will be very interesting to watch everything unravel....
HEY RJ, HOW DOES THE EVIDENCE ROOM SCANDAL, YOUR MISMANAGEMENT OF THE CITY, AND THE MASSIVE REDUCTION IN RANKS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE DO ON THE STREET? OH RIGHT, NOTHING!
LIAR! BTW WASSUP WITH THE PANTIES!!!!????
I listen to him speak, point fingers, continue to make excuses, pass the buck and spew more talking points as usual on the softball platform that the spineless, poor excuse for a radio host, Bob Clark and his station provide. The Mayor has been absent but pops up on the morning show. No real questions on decisions or policy, just more of the same from the do nothing mayor that the citizens cherish and blindly defend. The man had a tough economy and budget to deal with but the sky didn't fall, yet they continue to beat that same economic downturn drum that he claimed to overcome and ran his campaign on. So which way do you want it Berry? You can't have it both ways! Breaking contracts, poor leadership, reduced pay has departments in panic trying to figure out how to attract and retain workers but admin acts confused and surprised at how we got here. Bob Clark disgusts me and Berry makes me want to puke.
Just more of the same from the local MSM....
I have no idea why they still have their FCC Broadcast Licenses. No way are they doing the community any service..... Nothing but Berry enablers...
The Journal Editorial condemns the rank and file for turning down the contract and reports lies that the city was broke. Berry gives Perry a $33,000 pay raise and all department heads raises of 10-20% and the Journal says nothing while taxpayers get screwed with outrageous settlements approved by Rob Perry. APD has been fully funded for 1,100 cops for the past for years and is down 200 cops. So where has all that budgeted millions for the 200 cops gone? And the Council does and says nothing. The Journal does not even pay gross receipts tax on the sales of its rag yet is so self righteous and seems to resent how city employees are paid. Lets hope the Journal continues to go under.
Waltz is still thanking Schultz for burying the MIP his kid got a few years ago. Not to mention cops refusing to file reports in his DV issues. One of you 34s needs to bust Perry for DWI after he downs his usual seven or eight scotches at Vintage. Then you'll see how things get covered up in the most transparent administration EVER. LOL!!!!
True That!
Under Berry the city has had extreme income inequality. Perry does a piss poor job and receives a $30,000 pay raise. City of Albuquerque employees get offered 1%.
APD is a wreck. The new chief isn't even here, hasn't even proven that he/she can do a good job and Berry raises the chief salary $35,000!. APD officers are offered a raise of $25 every two weeks.
Berry is making sure the rich get rich at the City of Albuquerque. APD officers are voting with their feet. 300 have fled since Berry became mayor.
What will Berry do when APD has less than 800 officers (That will happen this time next year)? When will Berry and others like him realize you can't keep giving a handful of people huge raises. You must support the middle class.
Govenor Martinez sources say wants to give our long lost buddy Darren White a high paying job, (have we forgotten the State Police?) How, get Mayor Berry to hire Marcantel as Chief of Police (an outsider to APD) which will open his slot at Corrections and allow you guessed it Darren to slide right in. Sources say Marcantel has already been interviewed even though the opening ahs yet to close. Why is all of the going on your Mayor has higher political goals. Higher, you can't get lower than APD.
Hey but Berry likes the idea of a big Zia windmill over the big I. Lmao...
Darren has to leave the casino before the scandal explodes, just like his ole Lady blowing the PSD job and his Judicial appt. Darren needs a few more years in Pera to retire. I'm sure he'll get a very generous raise as Corrections Secretary for his last 3 years. Just like Gregg, what a coincidence. Amazing the amount of money all of these League of Shadow's players have brought in while the entire state literally blows away. Down right criminal if ya axe me. Maybe if we didnt have a AG that is afraid of his own Shadow.
I'm so happy I'm putting in my papers for retirement..it's the only way many of us will ever see a raise of any kind! I've been with the city a long time and can't ever recall things being in such disarray! Adios to a lame,stupid, dishonest, corrupt bunch of administrators and the single most worst Mayor ever.
Darren White, Rob Perry, RJ Berry, Downs lawyer Pat Rogers and Jay McClusky are all very close friends. Berry paid McClusky's firm for work on his re-election and he also ran Berry's first campaign. Gov. Martinez appointed two of Berry's people to the 3 person committee that looked over the Racino bids and who reviewed the only two bids, one from Laguna Pueblo and one from the Downs. John Garcia, Berry's Economic Development Director at the time, was one of the committee members and voted to recommend giving the Casino contract to the Downs. One has to wonder just how much pressure McClusky, White, Rogers, Berry and Perry put on John Garcia to vote to award the contract to the Downs. You also must wonder if any one, including the FBI, has ever asked for emails, communications or correspondence to John Garcia from White, Perry, Berry. Rogers and Mc Clusky regarding the award of the contract and to investigate what pressure was put on John Garcia.
Wow just watched the piece on the West Mesa murders.. What a joke APD had Nadine Hamby speak on air in an attempt to possibly TUG on the offenders conscience. Guess she fit the HOOKER profile.
It's just a matter of time before White blows up again. He's New Mexicos version of old faithful. He can't help but explode and fuck up his shit again. Tick tock cheetoh, tock tock...
The only audience Berry has right now is the Rush Limbaugh lovers and the far-right extremists. That's why he goes on talk radio rather than doing his usual "photo op" on tv right now. Berry realizes he’s the emperor with no clothes and the only ones buying it are the talk radio listeners that will never realize his nakedness.
Berry has the blind loyalty and support of the Republican Albuquerque business community, the Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Forum, the Construction Industry, the membership of NAIOP and the New Mexico Business Coalition, all whose members raised Berry over $950,000 to get him reelected. All of these groups could care less about the average workingman and citizen let alone city employees such as cops and firefighters. These groups are only interested in their own wealth and turf and what contracts they can get from City Hall. To these Berry groups and supporters, just exactly how is it been working out for you as you continue to loose in this economy? Albuquerque is still loosing jobs, businesses continue to shut down and we are still at the bottom of all economic lists. Berry has done absolutely nothing to help improve the business climate and create new jobs. Even when Berry had a super Republican majority on the Council, HE DID NOTHING AND SHOWED NO LEADERSHIP. But you can brag about what a nice guy Berry is as he continues to destroy city hall, APD, AFD not to mention all the City Hall Unions. No doubt New Mexico will once again be fooled and re-elect Martinez Governor who is just as worthless. But hey, what the hell, we can brag that we have re-elected the first Latina Governor and be proud but miserable because we can't make a decent living.
If the APOA and all other city unions aren't protesting at Noon on Civic Plaza over the money handed out to Perry and to the yet to be determined APD Police Chief, they you people get what you deserve.
Get out on Civic Plaza and make some noise. Make life uncomfortable for Berry and the do nothing city council.
Or sit and do nothing. Or apply for work elsewhere. Either get in the game or get out.
What, protest on Civic Plaza and risk having Willowboy call them names like he did the citizens, no way Jose.
Name calling is the least of the worries. Suddenly finding yourself the target of an IA on some bullshit or another is closer to reality. Just ask yourself why no AFD or APD officer or civilian attends but they have more grievances with the City than anywhere else.
Why did City HR stop tracking the number? Journalists could IPRA it. The Unions still know the count though.
@February 2, 2014 at 5:50:00 PM MST
You are spot on with what's happening. The only thing I can figure out is:
25% of the population works for the government, some blatantly corrupt and where the money is being funneled
50% are getting assistance, don’t pay taxes and therefore don’t care
25% are the worker bees, and the ones who are funding this dysfunctional system by paying their taxes and too busy to know what’s really going on or have time to vote.
No one would vote for Berry or Don Harris if they knew the truth unless they were the beneficiaries.
Don Harris has already had one recall attempt by his own neighbors. It’s time for another recall. Has anybody driven down Central lately? The strip malls are vacant and buildings are boarded up. The Target strip mall at Eubank and Lomas has virtually no tenants. Remember the campaign he ran on to reinvigorate Central. This economy is a disaster except for the “beneficiaries” of the funneled money.
Every one see how Ken Sanchez and Dan Lewis are now sponsoring raises for AFD? What about Police and other City employees? These two clowns are so transparent and just got re-elected, but did not ever take issue or oppose Berry during the election. Both want AFD support and no doubt will be running for Mayor thinking Berry wont be running for reelection. Both have been on the Council for years and really have not much to show for it.
I have a question why would APD rehire an officer who had sued the department for discrimination, multiple IA complaints, doesn't get along with fellow officers, gets kicked off the TO program. gets kicked off party patrol."Katie Smith, who asked that her real name be withheld, began the September evening in a summer dress and sandals, and didn't expect to end it in handcuffs. She was throwing a 30th birthday party for one of her friends and had invited a few bands to play at her house, who were tucked away in the basement. She was enjoying the music along with about 50 or so of her over-21 cohorts when around midnight a few unexpected guests arrived.
The Party Patrol had received a call from a neighbor, who complained about the noise, and came to check it out. But when they reached the front door and asked to enter, Smith said they couldn't and that she'd turn down the music. According to Smith, a couple members of the Party Patrol team, which was formed by five or six officers, entered anyway. Smith says that Officer Yvonne Martinez was particularly aggressive and ordered everyone to leave. When Smith said that she wanted to make sure everyone could drive, Martinez said that the officers would do it. Yet, from what Smith saw, the officers never did check to see if guests were sober enough to drive, and instead just sent them on their way.
Patrolman Lawrence Martinez on Party Patrol duty.
Singeli Agnew
Patrolman Lawrence Martinez on Party Patrol duty.
The situation escalated, and Smith, along with several other people at the party, asked the officers for their names and badge numbers, but was repeatedly refused. They also asked about the complaint and the reason why the officers had entered the house, but were ignored. At this point, Martinez arrested Smith, claiming that she was enticing a riot, and put the 100-pound female in handcuffs. Smith's sister, similarly sized, was also threatened when she asked Martinez why Smith had been arrested, at which point she was answered with a burning can of mace. Smith's boyfriend was also put into handcuffs when he asked what was going on, the reason being cited as "impeding an investigation"—a charge that was later discovered to be "bogus," according to Smith, who is a plaintiff in Knoblauch's case."
Nice to know she is a double dipper with great traits of violating the 4th amendment!
Post a Comment