ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —Albuquerque lawmakers said the group of
citizens tasked to police the police needs to be completely revamped.
After more than two dozen officer-involved shootings since
2010 and a great deal of protest by concerned citizens, the U.S. Department of
Justice launched a full-scale investigation into the Albuquerque Police
Department.
While federal authorities take a hard look at Albuquerque
police, city leaders are targeting the police oversight commission.
“There’s been enough that has come up recently that we have
some concerns,” City Council member Don Harris said.
The oversight commission is supposed to keep an eye on
Albuquerque police and look into citizen complaints.
“We believe in citizen oversight. It's a part of the process
and a part of what builds that confidence among our citizens,” City Council
member Dan Lewis said.
But the fact that the commission continually sides with
officers involved in deadly shootings has resulted in strong public backlash.
“At the end of the day, we want to make sure the public has
faith in the police; that the public has faith in the police oversight
process,” Harris said.
Harris and Lewis want the oversight commission to have an
analyst who can study local crime trends and data.
“The intention is to be proactive, to look at system
issues,” Lewis said. “We don't want to appoint people to these commissions and
not give them the tools they need to be successful.”