Invalid Training by Uncertified Instructors: APD TRAINING DISASTER

With the highly touted Chief Administrator of the Police Department (CAPD) days away from picking up not only where politically placed Allen Banks abandons his post as interim chief but also having to deal with the giant mess created by disgraced former chief Ray Schultz, we wanted to alert Mr. Eden that we are aware of yet another mess he already has his hands in....

You see, in order to be a certified police officer in this state, you must satisfy the requirements put forward by the state's Law Enforcement Training Act, NMSA 29-7-1. In general, the act requires that officer candidates complete a state defined training academy. And what constitutes a "training academy?" Well, none other than the Law Enforcement Academy Board, as put forward by NMSA 29-7-4 (you know the board that includes Kaufman's West owner Nate Korn). And buried within all these laws are requirements that state in order to become a certified peace officer, you have to received specific instruction from certified general instructors and specialized instructors. And who certifies these instructors? Well, certified "master" instructors. And who certifies these certified master instructors? The director of the NM Law Enforcement Academy.

Well, our Eyes have been busy over the last few weeks, and now your loveable Eye has some unfortunate news. You see, there are only a handful of "master" instructors in the state. And of those that have gained such status, even fewer are active and have satisfied the lengthy legal requirements. What does this mean? It means that there are even fewer legitimate certified or specialized instructors.  Think of this certification as a driver's license. It has to be maintained and renewed, and if one doesn't do this, it expires and is invalid. And with that expiration goes away all the authority that it grants.

Authority, like certifying police cadets have completed state required blocks of instruction. Like defensive tactics. Like firearms training.

You see, our Eyes tell us that for the last few years, cadets graduating from APD's police academy have not received valid training because APD has not maintained the certification of those providing the instruction. As the above letter shows an APD officer, representing themselves as a master instructor, asserted to the NM LEA director that they provided some instructor training. However, our Eyes tell us, this letter was not written by that officer, but was in fact written by APD's training director and employee sexual fraternization expert Joe Wolf. We also have learned that when the officer refused to sign this letter they were threatened with discipline.

Threatening an employee with discipline when they refuse to follow an unlawful order? Now we know this information is accurate because only the brain trust running APD things those kind of shenanigans are acceptable. 

( BTW: Our Eyes also tell us that none other than APD's own runaway bride apprehension expert Sgt. Trish Hoffman is a self described defensive tactics instructor.)

With Mr. Edens oversight of the NM LEA, we would like to think he is well aware of this issue. But of course since this is the department of obscurity, pardon us if we simply don't trust anybody associated with Berry/Perry. Or anybody friends with Schultz.

Hmmm, police officers who hold invalid certifications while they are making arrests, using force, and causing injury and harm to citizens. And we're sure there are endless incidents of falsified public records. Talk about an onion in an onion....And we haven't even discussed the allegations of invalid instruction going on at APD's range...

Sounds like something Mr. Eden should put on the top of his list above some of the other things he's been talking about as he tries to preempt DOJ's pre-liminary findings report.

Our Eyes also tell us, all is not well up in Santa Fe, at the NM LEA because of the mess here at APD's academy.  Funny, there's a code of ethics that applies to all officers. Maybe, just maybe, somebody will step up and say, "this conduct is NOT OK, here's the problem, and this is what they did when we brought it to our attention."

We know a lot of lawyers read this blog but most of them don't really "get it" so we'll step it out for you:

Officer A, was once Cadet A who received certification by completing required courses taught by Instructors B & C. But Instructors B & C aren't valid instructors because either their certification lapsed OR they never earned certification because the officer who was allegedly a master instructor who trained them wasn't a master instructor. But don't take our word for it, IPRA/Subpoena all of the training records of the people involved in your case. And be sure to check with the NM LEA because they are supposed to hold the actual records of all certified instructors in the state.

Welcome to your new assignment Mr. Eden.....let's see if you'll do the right thing, or if you'll maintain the status quo.