BY: ABQ RAW staff
POSTED: 01/23/2024 @ 11:15AM
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, with the APD lapel pin, speaks at a 2023 press conference while APD Police Chief, left, looks on. Both are being questioned on the alleged scandal of APD DWI police officers being involved in FBI raids.
Albuquerque –
On Monday, the Albuquerque City Council had their regularly scheduled monthly meeting to discuss city business. This meeting was within days of the much talked about FBI raids done at a few Albuquerque Police Department officers’ homes and at least one confirmed defense attorneys home office late last week.
During the meetings format, City Councilors can ask or make statements to the Mayor’s staff. Four councilors wasted no time asking about the potential APD scandal involving the DWI unit. Newly elected District 8 Councilor Dan Champine, who is a retired APD officer, was concerned that the Keller administration and APD have ignored the public’s need to hear from them about what’s going on with their department.
“I have yet to see the police chief (Chief Harold Medina) or anyone from the administration come out and said anything. Is there a reason why we weren’t communicated to and is there a reason why you have not addressed it with the public?,” said Councilor Champine to Dr. Samantha Sengel, the newly appointed Chief Administrative Officer of Albuquerque.
Sengel tried to use the “on going investigation” narrative and said it would be difficult to comment.
“It is bigger than APD,” said Sengel.
She did confirm that the investigation is focusing on a handful of officers and goes back more than a decade.
APD Police Chief Harold Medina was not in attendance at the City Council meeting and in his place was Patrol Officers DCOP (Deputy Chief of Police) Cecily Barker.
Council President Dan Lewis asked DCOP Barker about the investigation with DCOP Barker trying the best she could to give what information she could which was pretty much nothing.
“We are working closely with the FBI and giving them all the information that they need or are asking. It is very disheartening to officers who are working hard every day and frustrating. We will do everything we can to cooperate with the investigation,” said Deputy Chief Barker.
Lewis followed up with another question asking when APD was actually made aware of investigation. APD’s Barker did not know the answer and CAO Sengel chimed in saying the knowledge would vary from the Mayor to the police chief.
The revelations in the council meeting contradicts the APD statement sent out by spokesman Gilbert Gallegos last week saying:
“APD has been working with the FBI for the past several months on an investigation involving members of the department. Due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, some officers have been placed on administrative leave, and others will be temporarily reassigned within the department. APD leadership is working closely with the FBI to ensure a complete and thorough investigation can be completed”.
The statement caused a lot of the public to question the honesty of it. ABQ RAW’s knowledge of FBI investigations is they do NOT tip off anyone involved nor the organization they are about to raid.
APD’s Barker went on to say they will release information when they can.
Since the news of the FBI raiding the homes of APD officers and a local attorney, Mayor Tim Keller and the Albuquerque Police Department have made zero comments in the public about the matter. However during the council meeting Mayor Keller did post a statement on his official X formerly known as Twitter and released an email statement:
Tuesday afternoon, Ava Montoya, the Mayors PIO released a short statement saying:
“This investigation involves a handful of long-time officers at APD, going back a decade; if true, what these individuals did is a disgrace to the badge, and erodes faith in law enforcement. APD leadership fully supports this investigation and continues to work with our partners to serve justice. Any individuals who engaged in this conduct will never work for the City again, and should be held accountable to full extent of the law. The department’s willingness to drive accountability, especially on its own, reflects how far we have come.”
So far, no federal documents have been released the the public or media about the purposes of the FBI raiding the homes of multiple APD officers and a local attorney.