Police monitor says APD doesn’t need outside oversight
*This story has been updated with quotes from APD.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has been under the watchful eye of a third-party monitor for years. But now, the latest report from that monitor says APD is ready to handle its own oversight of progress.
Since 2014, the police department has been under a settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The settlement was aimed at making sure police officers follow policy and don’t use excessive force. And part of that settlement agreement was paying an outside group to monitor APD’s progress.
“It has been a long road for us to get to where we are today and it couldn’t have been done without the work of so many people,” said Chief Harold Medina in a prepared video statement.
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The latest report from that monitor says APD is “effectively self-monitoring” and that APD’s uses of force have decreased.
“We worked hard, we got the assistance we needed and we made sure that we set an expectation for command staff and everyone involved in that meeting that would lead to success,” said Medina.
“We consider this strong evidence that APD’s policies, supervisory oversight, and disciplinary systems are working as designed,” the monitor’s report says.
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The monitor’s report notes that APD still needs to improve supervisory oversight of in-field activities. The monitor also says the Civilian Police Oversight Agency, which focuses on police accountability, needs to address timeliness and staffing issues.
“Most of all, I’d like to thank the officers who stayed with the Albuquerque Police Department and fought through these changes to make sure that we improved the services that we deliver to the citizens of the city of Albuquerque,” APD Chief Harold Medina said in a press release. “Reform shall never end for any police department. We should always be evolving to see how we could become a better police department, more in tune with the community, and always changing to meet the needs of an ever-changing society.”
So what will be the DOJ’s role moving forward? Medina says its too early to say. “Will be going into a negotiating phase to see exactly how we finish everything off and hopefully leave the department in a very sustainable way,” Medina said.
While the monitor’s recommendation is a big hurdle, ultimately a federal judge still needs to sign off on allowing APD to self-monitor. They’ll meet the judge in a hearing on June 4th.
