ABQ police are pushing the envelope as far as possible as they try to persuade the public that crime is actually going down in the city. Their latest effort didn't work out so well:

APD says there was a 15% drop in individual robberies. There was also a 39% drop in attempted robberies, and a 51% drop in commercial robberies. But what is the difference between a robbery and burglary? Commercial robberies – the crime APD says is down 51% – happen when businesses are open. According to APD data, the number of burglaries are actually up 15% compared to last year.

Of course it's the epidemic of burglaries, especially at night when businesses are closed and when cops on the beat are short, that is much more of a worry than the less frequent attempts at daytime robberies.

Then there's this latest bizarre story involving APD Chief Harold Medina. 

He told APD internal affairs investigators that he failed to turn on his lapel camera following an accident last February in which he ran a red light and rammed into a vehicle causing the driver serious injury because he was invoking his Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate himself. 

SAY WHAT?

Mayor Keller & Medina

Say what? That's the question former APD sergeant and watchdog Dan Klein had upon hearing of Medina's explanation:

New Mexico law requires an officer to turn on their body camera and failure to do so is a violation of state law NMSA 29-1-18.  "

An explanation of the Fifth:

You can always refuse to talk to federal agents or the police. But the 5th amendment right to remain silent is only triggered in “custodial” situations. If you are free to leave or stop the questioning at any time, that would not be considered a “coercive setting” for purposes of the right to remain silent.

Medina appears to have knowingly violated state law and therefore should bear the consequence. Remember, most of the APD officers involved in the DWI scandal were not in custody when they invoked their 5th amendment right and were terminated by Medina. Think about that. 

ABQ attorney Tom Grover, who often defends police officers, adds:

It blew my mind because it's so preposterous. The notion that he has a Fifth Amendment right would suggest that he's in custody. He, the police chief, is in custody and, therefore, is required to make a statement. He's not in custody. He's at work.

Chief Medina has previously said that he will be retiring in December 2025, after the November '25 election.

MORE MEDINA FALLOUT

Sanchez

Meanwhile City Councilor Louie Sanchez--who happens to be an ex-cop--is taking action over Medina's body camera mishap:

Councilor Sanchez announced he submitted an LEA-90 to the NM Department of Public Safety which is a formal request for an investigation into the conduct of Chief Medina stemming from the February accident. 

This request comes in the light of Medina's admission that he intentionally and purposefully did not activate his ORBD camera when involved in police action. Such action by Medina appears to violate (state law) which requires police officers to wear and record encounters with citizens. The Law Enforcement Training Act (Section 29-7-1 through 29- 7-16), grants the Board with the powers and duties to refuse, suspend or revoke certification of a police officer for just cause as provided under the Law Enforcement Training Act and Board Rules. 

"As the chief law enforcement officer of the state's largest police department the chief should hold himself to a higher standard than that of his rank and file, not lower. We are at a crossroads where officer morale is at an all time low and public trust might even be lower." Councilor Sanchez stated. 

 NELLA'S NIGHT OUT

The ABQ crime explosion again took center stage over the weekend when three homicides occurred in one hour in or near downtown early Sunday morning.

On the campaign trail, candidates are working to connect with voters on the continued gun violence and the fetanyl crisis. 

GOP US senate candidate Nella Domenici took to the streets to get a closer look. This report is from her campaign: 

“Simple crime statistics, while alarming, don’t convey the human suffering and lives destroyed by fentanyl. This evening spent with police officers redoubled my commitment to secure the border.  We have to stop the flow of fentanyl that is devastating our neighborhoods.

This is the Home of New Mexico Politics.