At a news conference last week, the wife of an injured officer addressed the Albuquerque Police Department's staffing shortage the day that her husband was shot, according to KOAT.
"When my husband was on duty at the time of the shooting there were only five officers on patrol in my husband's squad in the foothills area command, and four of them were shot," Tryna Verbeck said.
Union President Shaun Willoughby told KOAT that 110 officers have left so far this year, and another 60 plan to leave by the end of the year. "It's alarming," he said of the staffing situation.
"Albuquerque cannot handle anymore of the same old leadership!" the Republican Party of New Mexico said in a post on Twitter.
The APD declined to speak, but a spokesperson did say that only 103 left and another 101 were hired, with an upcoming cadet class to be held in December, according to KOAT.
Verbeck spoke to the crowd about her concerns about the political climate surrounding police in the area as well.
"You will not use my husband or the other officers as your political backdrop," Verbeck said at the press conference. "I am not going away, I am only getting started."