The Justice Department and the city of Albuquerque have agreed to let the Albuquerque Police Department and the city self-assess compliance with federally mandated provisions intended to protect the public.
Under terms of a settlement agreement signed in 2014, the DOJ monitored APD’s compliance in several areas including training, the creation of a task force to investigate shootings, as well as recruiting and hiring, according to a report by KRQE. Now, the city will analyze and report on APD compliance every six months.
“I am pleased we have finally found a light at the end of the tunnel in the reform process,” APD Police Chief, Harold Medina, said in a statement to KRQE. “We overcame many challenges to get to this point. I appreciate the acknowledgment from the DOJ of our progress and our commitment to reform at APD.”
The DOJ acknowledged the city’s “sustained compliance" with significant provisions of the consent decree in a Sept. 15 press release.
“The Albuquerque Police Department has made real progress toward compliance with this consent decree,” Assistant Attorney General, Kristen Clarke, of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, said in the release. “The progress that we have seen in the city of Albuquerque has yielded reform and is moving the city in the right direction when it comes to constitutional policing. We look forward to working with officials to achieve full compliance with the consent decree. The residents of Albuquerque deserve nothing less.”
The release cited an independent monitor, who reported that the APD has set new standards in police recruiting at a time when police recruiting has become increasingly difficult nationwide. In addition, the APD also developed and maintained “a robust and effective public information program to facilitate misconduct reporting and ensure that civilian complaints are accepted and investigated.”
“Successful self-assessment is the cornerstone of true reform, and the Albuquerque community should expect no less,” said United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Alexander M.M. Uballez. “I want to commend the hard work put in by the men and women of APD, as well as the persistence of community stakeholders that went into this accomplishment. Together, we will realize the goals set out by this community, through mutual agreement, seven years ago.”
