Mayor Tim Keller, City of Albuquerque | City of Albuquerque
Mayor Tim Keller, City of Albuquerque | City of Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE – District 1 City Councilor Louie Sanchez has filed a complaint with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety (DPS) to investigate potential misconduct by Chief Medina at the scene of the Chief’s February 2024 automobile crash.
On Friday, August 23, 2024, Councilor Sanchez submitted a formal request for a state investigation into the conduct of Chief Medina at the scene of the February accident. The request, known as a LEA-90, follows Medina’s admission to APD Internal Affairs that he intentionally did not activate his body-worn camera when involved in police action. This action by Medina appears to violate Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s 2020 public safety accountability bill, which requires police officers to wear body-worn cameras and record encounters with citizens.
The Law Enforcement Training Act (Section 29-7-1 through 29-7-16) grants the Law Enforcement Academy Board of Directors the power and duty to refuse, suspend, or revoke the certification of a police officer or telecommunicator 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. “Chief Medina’s actions are the type of actions that brought U.S. Department of Justice oversight in the first place. Here, he openly disregarded state law.”
It is imperative to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism within law enforcement agencies. This investigation aims to address any concerns or allegations with utmost seriousness.
The request for investigation has been submitted to the Department of Public Safety's Law Enforcement Academy and will be conducted by the LEA Board of Directors. The findings of this investigation will be made public to ensure community awareness throughout the process.
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