TURDS HAVE FEET AND THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO LAND ON THEM REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN. ONLY IN NM!

Once again, in true New Mexico Patrone government fashion, we here at the Eye have been told about a scheme in the works, to land a former Albuquerque Police Department employee another employment position, by way of handing it to him.

Over a year ago, we read about how mayor Berry attempted to lock in the civilian in charge of the real time crime center with a permanent, untouchable position before he left. Well... that didn’t work.

The former employee we are talking about was Ray Schultz’s head of the APD Real Time Crime Center.
That employee, Todd Wilham, was let go by the Keller administration.

Anyone who knows this guy’s history with APD, knows his hands have been in every controversy, where employees have been railroaded over the last 15 years, among many other things. He was Schultz’s “in“ in the media, and he was in the inner circle of scum who lied, and spinned facts, like it was their hobby. He was tight with the likes of former assistant city attorney Kathryn Levy, DCOP Paul Feist, DCOP Allen Banks, and the rest of the filth who were responsible for ruining this place, and he did their dirt for them.

He caused problems in high profile cases, like the Mary Han crime scene, where he trampled the scene, among other things... to the Dear case, where he was heard talking about how officers have to be scapegoated. You can read all about him here, by just searching.

What is really disturbing, is that TJ Wilham is in the running for a position as the Director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government. Folks, that is like putting OJ Simpson in charge of a women’s domestic violence support group.

The problem here is that TJ Wilham used to work for the Albuquerque Journal, and the managing editor of the Journal, Karen Moses is the president of the board of the NM Foundation of Open Government.

We all know the Journal, or as we call it... the Urinal has been the propaganda arm of the corrupt within this city for years, and has carried their water religiously and devotedly.

We all know how these vile vultures of a feather flock together, and take care of each other. We know how more qualified candidates, who actually represent justice, fairness, and transparency get passed over, walked on, or sabotaged here, in order to reward the malfeasant who are politically connected, so let’s keep an eye on this, and see how it goes. We know the Journal’s twisted connection to the command staff of the previous administration, and the lies they told for them.

We here at the Eye believe we already know where this is going, but we advise all candidates for this position to keep their eyes peeled for any and all chicanery.

Some parasites just keep on parasiting.

Not on our watch!

Who Stands to Gain the Most if Berry is Re-elected? HINT: Not the Citizens

The Albuquerque Journal endorsed Rj Berry in this past Sunday's paper but they left out a few facts which we will bring to light below:

Give Berry the BOOT now not in 4 years to make city even better 

     When Richard Berry took the reins of Albuquerque almost four years ago, the city was not in a good place. It faced:

It was time for Marty Chavez to leave but the City under the Chavez administration was clean, prospering and crime was down every single year he was in office!  Things did not go to hell until Berry took over. 

   A $90 million budget shortfall.

The truth is; this budgets “shortfall” has been over Berry’s entire term which averages to approximately $20 million dollars a year and is mostly Berry’s fault.

   Unemployment that topped 8 percent.

As reported on KOB Channel 4 (read it HERE), the real unemployment rate is around 14.1% when you take into consideration those who have “given up” looking and those who are working part-time low paying jobs. 

   A capital budget that had been raided for 8 mills — tens of millions of dollars a year — to cover operations, salaries and raises.

The Journal wants to talk about raids; Berry has raided the entire City budget to the tune of MILLIONS OF DOLLARS that he and his Republican Councilmen have diverted for the Berry Boutique Projects.  Remember, this is after the voters told Berry NO!  

   A lack of transparency regarding city spending, staffing, contracts and pay.

Let’s talk about transparency. Berry announced that RAY SCHULTZ was retiring and was placed on a consulting contract for another month. The truth: RAY SCHULTZ is STILL a City employee on vacation. Berry lied during the debate and stated, “Ray Schultz was no longer a city employee.”  This is a LIE! 

   Bureaucratic red tape, inequitable impact fees based on location and an over-the-top energy code that bogged down construction projects.

All of those problems still exist and Berry’s “claim to fame” is he was a “construction guy.” At that Berry has killed Albuquerque’s economy; no one is looking to build here… 

   A major traffic interchange well over its design capacity affecting 56 million commutes each year.

Not to worry, Berry is endorsed by the ABQ Journal; anyone wonder why, when he is a dismal failure? Here is the answer: Berry’s big push for the Paseo project with “special access” for the ABQ Journal Center will cause the Journal’s property to DOUBLE OR TRIPLE IN VALUE! This is commonly referred to as “motive and opportunity.” 

   An at-risk homeless population running up huge public safety costs.

Berry forgot; this “homeless population” are PEOPLE!  Real People, with real problems and issues. Berry’s view of the “homeless population” is they are “running up huge public safety costs.” Money spent on our homeless people is money WELL spent.  These people need our help. How heartless and mindless of Berry. 

   And a commitment to education that amounted to little more than before- and after-school care.

Berry has done nothing to improve our educational process. Although, Berry commonly calls upon APS’s Superintendent, Winston Brook, to back his play. Brook makes over $264,000 a year for our students to have one of the worst dropout rates…Thanks Berry for nothing. 

   Berry came to the job with experience as a state legislator in the minority party who had little choice but to build consensus to get things done. It’s a skill that has served the city well as he has tackled each of these challenges in turn.

Served the City well? The Journal means it has served Berry and his SOB’s (Supporters of Berry) well. Berry has several pawns on the City council like: Meyers, Winters, Trudy Jones, Janice Arnold-Jones and Dan Lewis who back his immoral acts and his fleecing of the City of Albuquerque. 

 

  The city addressed more than $160 million in shortfalls during his term, turning in balanced budgets each year. It avoided layoffs in its city workforce, and a recovering local economy added 7,200 jobs from June 2012 to June 2013.

Wow, if Berry added 7,200 jobs what were those 7,000 plus people doing standing in line at Target to apply for 200 minimum wage jobs?  What about the 5,000 plus people who applied at the Downs Racecino for 400 minimum wage jobs? With all the “jobs” Berry claims he created our true unemployment rate shouldn’t be at 14.1%. Or is this all another Berry good Lie? 

   It returned an annual $3 million to the capital budget from operations, with more promised. It won awards for its ABQ View portal that put the city’s business — contracts, salaries, benefits, construction projects, internal audits, political contributions, travel expenses and more — online for its real bosses, the taxpayers.

This hogwash all sounds good but the truth is the 3 million dollars is the money that Berry and the Republican Council have diverted for the Berry Boutique project which the voters voted down. 

 

   It equalized impact fees, instituted a business center to bring information together for new and expanding companies, implemented E-Plan Review and FastTrax to streamline plan review and approval, and set up a “green path” to expedite cutting-edge building projects.

Once again, this all sound really good but the facts do NOT support this rubbish. Has Berry offered the companies who used this baloney and created the “7,000 jobs” Berry claims were created? 

   It built metaphoric bridges with the state and federal governments, leading the way with $50 million for the $93 million rebuild of the literal bridges of the Paseo del Norte/Interstate 25 interchange.

Remember this is your tax dollars paying to double or triple the property values for the Albuquerque Journal Center. This will not create long-term sustainable jobs.  This is nothing more than Government welfare.

   It housed more than 200 of the city’s most vulnerable, chronically homeless, recording an impressive 89 percent retention rate after a year and saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars on calls for police and emergency medical services.

Didn’t Hitler also send what he thought was a menace to the public to be “housed” in certain places?  We all know how that worked out. Let us know when they open one of these housing projects in FOURHILLS where Berry lives. 

   It joined with Sandia High School to offer an International Baccalaureate program, the University of New Mexico on a planning/architecture facility Downtown, private industry to give high school students Running Start for Careers training, Southwest Learning Center on an aeronautics/math/science academy, and Innovate + Educate on a system to get potential employees skilled up to enter the workforce.

This was set up to benefit all of the SOB’s (Supporters of Berry) friends and family.  Honestly, how many regular people really have been given these type of opportunities? Very few if any! 

   Has it been a term without controversy and mistakes? No. Critics especially would say he didn’t move quickly and decisively enough to address problems at APD, which seems sapped by low morale and is the target of a Justice Department probe into use of force. The number of officers is down, but so are crime rates. And Berry supported innovative reforms such as lapel cameras for officers.

Berry allowed APD to be wrecked by Ray Schultz whom is still the Chief of Police according to the City’s Record Custodian. APD was one of the best police departments in the Nation and now APD is facing a TAKE OVER by the Department of Justice. This is all a result of a lack of leadership.

 

 Here is another huge lie Berry keeps telling. Crime is up by over 3,600; of those additional 3,600, 2,000 of those additional crimes this past year were all PROPERTY CRIMES.  Did APD make an additional 3,600 arrests?  The answer is no but we did have an additional 3,600 victims. According to Berry the crime rate is down. But, crime itself is actually up.  All the records prove this including the Journal which showed that crime has steadily increased the past three years Berry has been in office. 

 

   Berry has run the city more like a business than a political machine. His first CAO was a prominent Democrat.

Here is a funny!  Berry does not talk about the newly created position that he created for Trujillo as the Deputy COA.  We are out of money but Berry gives another SOB (Supporter of Berry) a $90,000 a year job to do nothing. Way to go Mr. Trujillo. 

   Overall, his pragmatic fiscal stewardship, his drive to propose game-changing projects and his commitment to be accountable to voters have put the city in a much better place than it was when he took office. He says he loves Albuquerque, has “a passion for the job” and wants a second term to “really improve (the city’s) value.”

Berry is not “pragmatic,” he is problematic. Berry’s boutique projects are not game-changing, they are an attempt to ruin the City’s beautiful Bosque.  Berry has no accountability to the voters; otherwise he would stop lying.  Berry does not love Albuquerque; Berry loves all of his SOB’s (Supporters of Berry) who he has done favors for like Mr. Trujillo’s $90,000 a year job to do nothing and others. Berry does not love Albuquerque half as much as he loves himself.  Berry only wants to stay another four years to make more money for him and all of his SOB’s (Supporters of Berry).

   The Journal recommends voters re-elect Mayor Richard Berry so he can do just that.

The Journal will make a huge profit off of the Paseo deal plus the average $500,000 that the City of Albuquerque pays the Journal.

Berry is a bad choice and has been a dismal failure! It is time for new blood with new and fresh ideas.

 

 

Is it Jeff Proctor or Alfred E. Neuman or are they one in the same?

As we commented earlier this year, the state's largest paper the Albuquerque Journal, frequently deviates from it's duty to provide fair, balanced, and unbiased news reporting. It fails in this regard because frequently it buries important stories in the back pages, heavily edits AP wire stories, or simply refuses to publish "newsworthy" reports.
 

It's no wonder that it's circulation has steadily fallen over the last years. Just like the City of Albuquerque and its dwindling job market, declining economy, disgraceful child wellness standing, soaring crime rate, soaring misconduct cases, the Journal refuses to confront the reality that it is little more than a propaganda device for the Berry and Martinez administrations.
 

Now, our Eyes tell us that the paper's primary crime/police reporter Jeff Proctor, is once again either omitting newsworthy stories or that he has no backbone to stand up against his boss Ken Walz.

You see, over the last few months, almost all of mayoral candidate Paul Heh's campaign staff have been the target of very similar criminal offenses. From forced entry residential break-ins, false cable repairmen, computer hacking, arbitrary and discriminatory "spot" inspections by city authorities, prowlers seen fleeing the backside of residences, and vandalism to homes and cars.  This information was conveyed to Mr. Proctor a few weeks ago and Mr. Proctor even interviewed some of the campaign workers.
 

Yet, despite these clear acts of intimidation, the Journal has not published any story concerning these events that have been documented with police reports and calls to federal officials. And these offenses are not limited to workers involved with the Heh campaign, but also Pete Dinelli's campaign staff as well.
 

Maybe Mr. Proctor has not even written a story? Maybe Walz has suppressed the story? Maybe Proctor is not a reporter but still part of the funny section "posing" as a reporter?

In any event, these actions as they've been relayed to us cannot stand. Not surprisingly, the two campaign workers who have not been directly targeted are former police officers. Perhaps the perpetrators of these offenses have a grain of common sense in knowing armed former officers are not to be victimized.... Perhaps the perpetrators of these offenses have something else in store for them.
 

However, if anybody knows Mr. Heh, they know he will not run nor hide unlike the incumbent. He will become more visible, more passionate, and more outspoken. And we know his workers will defend themselves with any necessary force if they and their families are attacked.
 

Folks, while we know Albuquerque has major crime problems, the strike of criminal offenses that cluster around certain individuals during a certain time of year when never such incidents have happened before is not coincidence. It is orchestrated.
 

We at the Eye call upon our friends in the DOJ to investigate this matter immediately before somebody gets hurt. We have been told the Heh campaign has already contacted the FBI regarding these federal criminal offenses designed to suppress free elections and free campaign activities.
 

Shame on Proctor for not pushing this story before the citizens of Albuquerque either on his Twitter page or in his paper! Shame on Walz for suppressing a major newsworthy issues. And shame on Berry and Shultz for endorsing such nefarious activity!

SusanaGate: The Start of the END

While the flames of the forest fires in the Jemez Mountains have been spreading wider and burning hotter, not even they are reaching the heat of controversies involving, yet again, our state's leaders. Over the last few days we've seen Governor Martinez's former campaign manager arrested and charged with internet related crimes and lying to FBI agents. Then federal agents then arrested a contract political fundraiser after they uncovered child pornography on his computers when they were searched in connection with the investigation of the campaign manager.

Then one of the Albuquerque Journal's senior reporters, Mike Gallagher, unbelievably reports that the images seized by federal agents involved six-year old children having sex with an adult. This type of reporting give the impression to the public it's okay. IT IS NOT OKAY! (HEY DUMBASS REPORTER AND EDITOR, SIX-YEAR OLDS DON'T HAVE SEX WITH ADULTS, THEY ARE RAPED BY ADULTS!)

Then of course another contract fundraiser and daughter of a prominent Republican party member came forward and confirmed she was interviewed by FBI agents. She advised that the interview had nothing to do with emails but entirely focused on the Albuquerque Downs and thus finally confirmed there's an active investigation involving the ABQ Downs racino contract that Governor Martinez fast-tracked to her campaign friends, and husband's hunting buddies, from New Orleans.

Republican pet snake political strategist Jay McCleskey came to Martinez's rescue in an effort to redirect any criticism on her. In the unusual move of a sitting governor claiming to be a victim, McCleskey ghostwrote for Martinez and unleashed a personal attack on the lawyers hired to represent the people accused of crimes. As a side bar, like them or not, criminal defense lawyers are a necessary part of the justice system, and since when don't Republicans use them? Last time we checked, Martinez's personal lawyer, Paul Kennedy, was a criminal defense lawyer himself. But of course, McCleskey underestimated his opponents. By attacking them with a smear campaign maligning their professional efforts it was only a matter of time before Democratic State Party chairman Sam Bregman weighed in:

"..perhaps your motive is to change the conversation from the miserable, sorry job that you have done as Governor when it comes to creating jobs in this state and educating our children."

Bregman continued to deride Martinez for essentially prosecutorial misconduct. Of course over at the Downs, Darren White's constant self absorbed tweets have all but come to a standstill after political blogger Joe Monahan punked him out for tweeting while at work. Given that the gap toothed failed sheriff never managed a construction project in his life, it's not surprising to us that contractors who work over at the Downs tell us that Darren's main function is to wander around the job site and ask annoying questions about hammers and nails.

But what does all this mean?

Obviously with the Albuquerque mayoral election in full swing a common denominator is political strategist Jay McCleskey. He advises Martinez and he advises Berry and is buddies with White. But with all this pushback going on upon Martinez (where she personally posts on her Facebook page...um really?) and what clearly is a federal investigation that is unfolding (and we're not even talking about APD) and expanding we can expect Berry to simply hide as McCleskey's time is consumed in dealing with Martinez.

The Eye expects Berry will not be seen in public, will not engage Pete Dinelli or Paul Heh in any capacity, will make few if any press statements, and will be constantly unavailable as he hides behind his pet dog Rob Perry or his pet mule and other common denominator....Paul Kennedy. But from the looks of a case forwarded to us from one of our legal Eyes, it seems Kennedy is going to be busy with his lawyer Mickey Barnett as it seems his deceased partner's family is suing him over his tampering with her estate. Look up In Re Han under Judge Barela-Shephard at www.nmcourts.com

 

So with all this going on, and of course don't think for minute we've forgotten about you Schultz and Levy, it seems Berry is going to have a very hot summer. And all we can say is more is coming, and we have some of our own tasty surprises for these pets snakes, dogs, and mules.

The Journal is a Political Propaganda Machine Intended to Poison Your Mind

In the absence of any competition, a single monopolistic media outlet wields tremendous power. Here in New Mexico’s largest city, the Albuquerque Journal is the state’s largest print based newspaper and is the only one serving the greater Albuquerque area. With a reported circulation of over 96,000 daily copies, the Journal’s influence is without competition in its ability to “inform” readers with its stories and it ability to reinforce lies.

To be sure, the Journal is a for-profit enterprise. Selling papers and ad-space are their primary missions. But given the amount of influence they have on their reader’s knowledge base are they not subject to higher standards and have a duty to be objective in their reporting of all that is newsworthy? Or are they merely a device for government propaganda? William Randolph Hearst, a legend in the newspaper business, once remarked, “News is something somebody doesn't want printed; all else is advertising.” It seems the Journal prints nothing but corporate and government advertising because it rarely reports anything but news consistent with the Schultz/Berry agenda.

We proved a few days ago, the Journal is far from being unbiased and objective in its endless criticism of APD officers and endless praise of Ray Schultz. Likewise, it never finds error in Albuquerque’s mayor, RJ Berry, and always holds individual employees accountable even though Berry has led the city into a “death spiral” as Forbes Magazine reported last month. This is a dangerous position to hold, because while those who are truly informed know, Ray Schultz is THE PROBLEM with APD; not individual officers. But it seems the public readily agrees with the paper. But why is it that something so obvious is overlooked by so many?

In the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut, massacre, pundits once again began talking about the influence the media has over the general population. Theories abound (and support exists for many) where violence sensationalized on TV and in the paper simply invite copy-cat actions. But for the tragedy in Aurora earlier this summer they argue, would Newtown have occurred?

“Reinforcement theory” asserts this very principle. In general, the theory holds that people seek out information/stimuli that support their pre-existing attitudes and beliefs. If they know a given action will result in tremendous media exposure and they desire that exposure, regardless how heinous the act, they will act in a manner they know the media will cover. Their beliefs gratified even if it means they kill themselves and are no longer witness to the coverage. If the killer in Newtown was so bent on self-destruction, why not just end it by yourself without affecting so many families and people with your own personal horror?

We have our own example of reinforcement theory here in Albuquerque. Because little to nothing is reported to the general population about how poorly officers are treated by Schultz, how individual misconduct is sensationalized to the point where it has tainted the entire pool of police officers in New Mexico, how Schultz evades and denies responsibility for ANY department issue, and how deficient management personnel are in APD, the Journal has trained the general population that APD leaders are generally infallible because individual officers are where the problem lies.

Even though the reality is APD supervisors, commanders, deputy chiefs, and even Schultz himself have been held liable for crimes, violations of law, personal misconduct, and acts of atrocity, the general public is resistant to such reports because it is in conflict with what the Journal has reinforced upon them. Even though the knowledge of Schultz and his staff’s misconduct is widely known and taken as fact for APD employees, it is largely unknown to the general population.

For example

• When a patrol officer was found to have sent inappropriate texts to a citizen, the Journal had a front page story and a week ending editorial almost immediately. Yet when deputy-chiefs text images of a deceased civil rights lawyer, there is nothing reported in the paper.

•When SWAT lieutenant, and defendant, Tim Lopez committed battery upon two of his own subordinate officers there was nothing in the media reporting the incident, even though it has been widely known since last summer.

•When Schultz states there’s a promotional system involving total transparency and a third party vendor he omits commanders and deputy chiefs are NOT INCLUDED in that process—yet another lie. 

•When Schultz states he hasn’t received any notice about officers retiring and stating morale is at an all-time low—and the letters are publicly presented here or in the paper, Schultz lies again.

Thanks to the Journal’s suppression of such reports, the public remains largely uninformed. Additionally, even as stories break out there is general resistance because they are challenged by something called “cognitive dissonance.” Cognitive dissonance simply holds that people do not like to have previously-held beliefs challenged and will look elsewhere to find information more in line with their beliefs—regardless of how preposterous they are. Thanks to the Journal the public’s perception is that DOJ is here because of the actions by individual officers when in reality it is because of Schultz and his minion’s mismanagement of APD.

After three years of endless praise by the Albuquerque Journal it is clear now with the DOJ investigating Schultz and his tenure as chief of APD something is wrong with the paper’s editor, Kent Walz. Perhaps his cognitive dissonance is so strong he simply cannot see the truth for matter at hand: he has supported an incompetent person as chief of APD and an incompetent person as mayor of Albuquerque.

Over 2012 we have revealed in brutal detail the lies Schultz's position as APD’s chief is built on. Thanks to our posters, those stories get even more detailed with the cold, hard, and often profane, reality of what it’s like to operate under the Schultz regime. 2013 will no doubt bring more brutal details, and it is up to all of us to let the general public know and break the Journal’s reinforcement of Schultz and Berry’s lies…

 

To our loyal readers and regular commenters (posters)…Thank You! 2013 we will bring you much more. Thanks to our patrons; you will always be rewarded with the truth. Our readership has increased two fold this past year and we intend on continuing with this movement.

Albuquerque Journal Assumes Too Much Based On Their Own Bias

Ever since RJ Berry won election to be Albuquerque's Mayor in October 2009, the local paper (the Albuquerque Journal) continues to unleash a never ending attack on the rank and file of the state's largest police force: the Albuquerque Police Department.

Week after week, month after month, the editors of the state's largest and most influential paper criticize, comment, and defame officers and non-management personnel who frequently are vindicated from the uninformed attacks. A case in point is the paper's most recent editorial where they address the "steroid" problem facing APD. This investigation is barely off the ground, the details hardly known (if they exist at all), and appear to be as bizarre as the case against APD Officer Burge who is accused of kicking in the apartment door of a fellow officer and stealing a flat screen plasma TV from the apartment. But the paper unloads as if its a given that there is widespread steroid use amongst officers in APD.

Yet the paper's uninformed bias continues and reinforces the notion that poor Ray Schultz has his hands full and just trying to clean up his department of a few bad cops. But the reality is, Schultz has been in charge of APD since 2005, and much of whom the department was staffed with since then are....gone. APD is but a shadow of the department it was yet the paper continues to hold Schultz blameless for the mess APD is in now. APD is a mirror of Ray Schultz based on his creation, choices and selections.  A mirrored mess so large, the US Department of Justice is doing the most thorough investigation it possibly can of the wreck APD has become under Schultz. The Journal however is quick to blame and attack rank and file officers, is glaringly obvious in its lack of criticism of the very people who have brought this problem upon the citizens of Albuquerque: Schultz, Berry, and Perry.

While red states, blue states, red cities, and blue cities surround us show positive economic and employment growth since Berry's election, Albuquerque remains stagnant; a literal black hole in the desert. Few new jobs, declining revenues, stagnant home sales, virtually no new construction, and downgraded municipal bond rates. But the Journal under editor Kent Walz's leadership and decisions continues to grant exceptions to the very people it should be holding accountable--City and Department leaders. It seems tonight's statements by Schultz on KKOB-4 (watch it HERE) about the Albuquerque Police Officer Association's survey will be more of the same: the officers just don't get it and the data is skewed. In other words: I know I'm chief, but it's not me, it's the other guy.

Well, here's some data for you Mr. Schultz. Below is a list of every editorial published by the Albuquerque Journal since Berry was elected mayor. While so many officers have left, and so many "new" policies have been implemented (at least on paper, we all know there's nothing really new), and so many unqualified people have been placed into positions of leadership, the problems in APD have only gotten worse.

Yet despite all this turnover and change in APD, one thing has remained constant: Raymond Schultz has been APD's chief of police.

Schultz Returns Shine to All APD Badges	10/21/2009
APD Brass Shares Blame	1/17/2010
APD Shouldn’t be "The Young and the Restless"	2/5/2010
Facebook Posts Put All APD Conduct in Doubt	2/17/2011
City, APD Break Down a Blue Wall of Silence	6/2/2011
Time For Change in APD Culture, Practice	6/13/2011
Stakes Just Got Higher in APD/White Inquiry	6/25/2011
All of APD Needs to Scrube This "Stain" Out	6/26/2011
DOJ Probe Could be Positive Step for APD	8/7/2011
APD Needs One Chief, Schultz Right for Job	9/2/2011
APD Security Overkill Raining on Parades	9/15/2011
APD Officer Deserves Community Thanks	10/20/2011
Cost of APD Rogue Cop? Close to Priceless	10/24/2011
Felon Freed Because APD Didn't Disclose	11/4/2011
Mayor Missed Chance to Step up on APD	11/18/2011
APD Protects a Culture Out of Control	11/23/2011
Make APD's Oversight Commission Effective	12/10/2011
APD's Efforts Pay Off in a Safer Community	1/2/2012
Current Process Won't Rebuild Trust in Police	4/24/2012
APD's Learning Curve On Use of Force is Steep	4/24/2012
APD Changes Should Make Us All Safer	5/9/2012
Friends Have No Place in Ex-cop Investigation	5/25/2012
Keep Troubling APD Lawsuit Out in Open	6/12/2012
Video Shows Challenge for APD Training Boss	6/23/2012
Another Suit Reveals Deep Problems in APD	6/27/2012
Electing Chief Would Hurt Department	6/28/2012
Kicking Case Reveals Need for Better Intel	8/9/2012
Fix APD the Right Way	8/9/2012
Schultz Moves to Stop Game of Pass Bad Cop	8/31/2012
Schultz Gives APD an A for Reforms	9/12/2012
Weigh APD Grade with DOJ Resolution	9/17/2012
Schultz Sets Example of Policing APD Needs	9/18/2012
APD Doesn’t Need Cops Who Sext Minors	10/2/2012
APD Should Build Its Force the Right Way	10/10/2012
Consider Chiefs Action With Survey	11/17/2012
3 Months of Paid APD Leave Enough Already	11/21/2012
APD Must Fire Bad Cops	11/27/2012
DOJ Probe Could Make a Better APD	12/1/2012
Steroid Use in APD Raises Concerns	12/27/2012

It's a never ending cycle of blame the cops but hold the chief blameless. Despite the fact that the largest and most grotesque scandals have occurred under Ray Schultz--there's no comment about that by Walz. Despite the fact Schultz personally caused millions of dollars in judgements--there's no comment. Despite the fact Schultz own officers are turning on him--there's no comment. Berry recently said he could care less about what the rank and file feel about him. We find that humorous because looking at the list of editorials, it seems all they care about is the rank and file...

If APD's devastation were to be converted to a mathematical equation it would be very simplistic to solve.  The "constant" in this situation is Ray Schultz throughout the time frame that APD has been decimated.  Ray Schultz is the main problem; not the rank and file officers who are doing the job.

White Lies would get you Fired, but not Darren’s White Lies

How do you know Albuquerque Public Safety Director, Darren White is lying? His lips are moving! It has become common place to hear of another White lie from the “Burro” Award recipient, Darren White. City Councilor Ken Sanchez called White out in public on his lies. In the opinion page of the Journal (read it here), Sanchez blasted White for repeatedly lying to the public. The Eye has done several stories documenting other lies that White has told.

Sanchez in his open letter to the Journal set the record straight. According to the letter, White lied when he was interviewed on KOB-TV; White said that voters were assured that Public Safety Tax money would not go to salaries and benefits. Sanchez stated clearly, “That is absolutely not true.”

Sanchez went on to chastise White and the Berry administration (and rightfully so) for diverting 3 Million dollars per year for up to thirty years “in order to borrow money to pay for boutique capital projects that the city may not be able to afford to operate.” That same money could have purchased new police and/or fire vehicles.

Sanchez also stated, "In the same Journal article, White asserted that the city has not followed the five-year expenditure plan that I referred to earlier. Once again, that is simply not true. In fact, through fiscal 2009, the last year of the five-year plan, the Public Safety Quarter Cent Tax had purchased more than $34 million in public safety equipment, including nine fire engines, six rescue vehicles, one command vehicle, 32 sedans, one brush truck, one SUV and dozens of police vehicles. In addition, the city used Fire Public Safety Tax money to renovate the Fire Academy, to renovate fire stations 2, 15 and 18, and for miscellaneous maintenance and capital equipment." This was simply another one of White's lies.

Sanchez backed up his claim by stating, “It’s important to point out that since the inception of the Public Safety Quarter Cent Tax, the city’s Office of Internal Audit has conducted a management audit and a follow-up audit on the use of the proceeds of the tax. One of the purposes was to determine whether Public Safety Tax dollars were being used in accordance with the law. Both the management audit and the follow-up audit found only minor technical issues, but absolutely no misuse of the funds.”

Kudos to Councilor Sanchez, thank you for educating the public and setting the record straight. Oddly enough, if you or Eye lied the way White does, we would be fired. White lies constantly and nothing is ever done. Maybe fibbing and being a tattletale is truly Darren Whites job because that is all he seems to do. It is no wonder the culture of corruption thrives in the City.

It is time for new leadership. When election time comes, please vote your conscience.

Violent Mentally Ill Issue is a National Problem

The Eye took note of the Journal’s claim that 50 people showed up at the Civic Plaza on Tuesday to protest against APD. There were several signs that asked for peace and justice. The Eye wants to know where were all these “family and friends” who know their loved one was mentally ill and did very little or nothing to ensure that, that person received medical attention or assured that their friend or loved one took the medication to help control their violent behavior?

When the police dealt with any of these individuals, it was not because the police were on the hunt for some mentally ill person to see if they could escalate that person into a violent psychosis; in the hope of being able to gun them down. No! The police were there because someone, a family member or friend or a neighbor called the police because they could not handle this violent individual or the police were there as a result of the violent behavior that was precipitated by the mentally ill individual.

These people who claim to be family and friends have to bear the majority of the responsibility for what transpired. The police have a fiduciary duty to respond to calls for service. Does any citizen want the police to create a policy where the dispatchers hold the call for an hour or so, in hopes that the mentally ill individual might calm down and be “Mister Nice” when the police arrive? Lives are on the line; the police must respond and act accordingly.

The Journal (as usual) was trying to sell a few extras of their product to try and inflame the public. Let’s do the math here. If there were 50 people (the Journal claims about 50) out protesting and there have been 18 police involved shootings, which means that only three people represented each victim.

This is not a local police issue but a national crisis and should be addressed as such. Chief Schultz is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) which offers national support for police issues in addition to the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). The IACP and the FOP Presidents have spoken directly to the President of the United Stated as well as our Congress. With assistance at a national level, not only from the FOP and IACP but from our house of representatives and our senators Understanding HIPAA and other restrictive laws, the time has come to create a new index for National Crime Information Center Data Base (NCIC) to house information concerning mentally ill persons across the United States. The NCIC data base is a computerized index of criminal justice information. This would give law enforcement officers across the Country a valuable tool in dealing with this segment of our population. Knowledge is the rawest form of influence and with this type of knowledge (influence); the officer’s decision making process would shift into high gear and hopefully save lives.

The Eye understands the concerns of a grieving family. Family and friends should be part of the solution and not part of the problem. Family and friends should take responsibility for their mentally ill member’s actions that set the stage for their demise and stop pointing fingers. These people need to lobby their representatives and senators.

If Schultz or White want to steal this idea and run with it; the Eye is okay with that…

Did Journal Reporter Jeff Proctor Print only half Truths?

The letter below was sent to the Eye by Brad Arensfield. Arensfield is a former APD officer who went on trial for tipping off an FBI target, on an investigation. Arensfield claims he is innocent and the leak came from Chief Public Safety Officer, Darren White, via White's wife.

This letter is being published in its' entirety and has not been edited. The Eye has asked the same questions repeatedly. How come the local media does not report a lot of the local stories on the Berry Administration or City government? And when they do report it is full of half factual information. Arensfield sent this letter to Journal Reporter Jeff Proctor in reference to a story he ran on March 24, 2011 (See here). Proctor has failed to respond to the letter. At that point Arensfield sent the letter to Proctor's Bosses (Charlie Moore and Karen Moses) and to the Eye. Did Journal Reporter Jeff Proctor only print half truths? Does the Journal violate ethical standards? You decide.

Subject: Email to Jeff Proctor

Jeff,
Are you that much of a hack that you only ever report half of the story and never once ask any important questions? You apparently only write what is spoon fed to you by the Berry administration or the U.S. Government.
How about the evidence WAS withheld! That is not disputed and only discovered accidently during the trial in Dec. Why didnt they turn over the only taped interview of the whole case to us or even let us or Shawn Bryans attorney even know they had it??? Why didnt they investigate the text messages when they found out about it in April 2010 when Bryan tried to turn it over to them?? Why did they wait until days after Erika Bryan wrote a letter about it on the Eye on Albuquerque(10 months after they were made aware of it)? You didnt even mention the missing Lab report, which by the way, is even a more serious violation of the law (Giglio), the reason is, they never had a Federal case and lied on the stand (look at the transcripts Jeff) about how much Crack/Cocaine that was tested (2.89 grams cocaine),,the federal standard for Cocaine is 500 grams,,the Federal standard for Crack is 5.0 grams,,,,they had neither,,,did you look at that the lab report? It says Cocaine!!! That means they are 497.11 grams short of it being a Federal case! Doesn't that make you wonder at all??? Look at the date of the Lab Report they had it 6 weeks before the first trial April 2010,,we got it 1 month ago and had to demand it!,,,why wasnt it turned over a year ago? You also consistently overlook the fact that AUSA Tera Neda has a history of doing this- 5 documented times and a Federal Judge has made an opinion on her (Judge Hansen) and sent a person to prison for 2 years before it was discovered (USA v Torres) he was released immediately! There is a story here and I cannot figure for the life of me why you or anyone else in the media has not grasped it yet! You owe the citizens of Albuquerque the whole story. Isn't that what a responsible reporter is required to do, report all the FACTS and the TRUTH?

Facts do not lie. The Eye is dedicated to bringing you the truth.