Albuquerque Police Monitor Provides Update On Reform – Mary Hudetz, Associated Press
A team of independent monitors tasked with tracking reform within the Albuquerque Police Department says some changes to use-of-force policies are underway six months into a court-ordered overhaul of the beleaguered police department.
James Ginger, the court-appointed monitor of a consent decree between Albuquerque police and the Justice Department, and members of his monitoring team took questions Thursday night during the second in a series of community meetings hosted by the city and U.S. Attorney's office.
About 200 people packed a hotel conference room to learn more about the agreement stemming from a DOJ investigation that found a troubling pattern of excessive force by APD.
Ginger faced criticism from the crowd during much of Thursday's meeting, with shouts that the entire court-mandated reform process hasn’t been transparent, and that his responses to public questions and comment were vague.
Tax Department Spends Thousands On Unused Weapons For Raids – The Associated Press & KRQE
The Taxation and Revenue Department has spent thousands of dollars on weapons and ammunition that it is not legally allowed to use.
KRQE-TV reports that the department, which investigates tax fraud cases, does not have anybody on staff that has the police certification required to execute a search warrant — the dangerous part of their job that would require a weapon. Since Tax Fraud Investigations Division was established 10 years ago only two members have had the certification.
The division has purchased equipment including nine Glock handguns, more than 9,000 rounds of ammunition, bullet proof vests and tactical knee pads.
Taxation and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla says until more officers receive their certification, the arsenal is just collecting dust and wasting money.
She says two or three employees will be certified by January.
Former Secretary Of State Vigil Applies For Appointment – The Associated Press & The ABQ Journal
Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil is applying to be appointed back to her old job.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the Vigil is one of nine people whose names have been mentioned for the position that Republican Dianna Duran vacated last month.
Duran resigned before pleading guilty to embezzlement and other charges in a criminal case stemming from a fraud investigation into use of campaign donations.
A special election will be held in 2016 to select someone to serve out the remainder of Duran's term, which ends in 2018.
Vigil, a Democrat, served three previous terms as secretary of state but was accused of a number of federal charges including fraud and embezzlement. The case was dismissed in 2012.
Man Accused Of Fatally Shooting New Mexico Girl Is Indicted – The Associated Press
The man accused of fatally shooting a 4-year-old girl on a New Mexico freeway last month has been indicted by a Bernalillo County grand jury.
County prosecutors announced Friday that Tony Torrez has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder, shooting at or from a motor vehicle and causing great bodily harm, and assault with intent to commit a violent felony.
Torrez was arrested on Oct. 21, a day after the shooting that killed 4-year-old Lilly Garcia during what Albuquerque police have described as a road rage dispute.
The preschooler was inside her father's truck when she was shot on Interstate 40.
Torrez turned 32 Wednesday. He remains held at the Metropolitan Detention Center on a $650,000 cash-only bond.
A call to Torrez's public defender for comment wasn't immediately returned.
Confusion Over Military Exercises Causes Lockdown At Schools – The Associated Press
Miscommunication involving military exercises by the Air National Guard at Kirtland Air Force Base caused a lockdown at Pojoaque Valley schools.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office says it received two anonymous 911 calls Wednesday that there was going to be a shooting at the high school, causing all Pojoaque schools to be placed on lockdown.
On Thursday, sheriff's officials said two school employees who are members of the Air National Guard received automated text messages regarding an active shooter exercise. The text was sent to all base members and was misunderstood as a real threat.
Kirtland Air Force Base said in a statement Thursday saying they regret the disruption to schools and any undue alarm.
Spaceport Master Plan Calls For New Hangar, Lease Space – The Associated Press
It could be late 2017 before Virgin Galactic begins launching commercial space flights from the New Mexico desert, but state spaceport officials say they have a new master plan aimed at attracting tenants and boosting revenues.
The plan calls for building a new hangar at Spaceport America, developing the vertical launch area and offering about 300 acres for lease. Officials envision leasing parcels of various sizes to aerospace and other tech-related companies.
Spaceport Authority Executive Director Christine Anderson says the plan could generate more than $3.2 million a year in rent.
Anderson briefed lawmakers during a meeting in Santa Fe earlier this week.
Rep. Luciano "Lucky" Varela of Santa Fe said Friday he's still concerned about delays with Virgin Galactic and the ability of the spaceport to support itself financially.
US Border Agency Staff Rejects Body Cameras – The Associated Press
U.S. Customs and Border Protection staff concluded after an extensive internal review that the nation's largest law enforcement agency should hold off on requiring agents and officers to wear body cameras.
The yearlong review cited cost and a host of other reasons. It said operating cameras might distract agents while they're performing their jobs, and it might be unsuited for the hot, dusty conditions in which Border Patrol agents often work.
The Associated Press learned of the August findings from two people familiar with the report who spoke on condition of anonymity because they have not been made public.
The findings are subject to approval by Commissioner R. Gil Kerlikowske. They don't rule out cameras in the future but say more analysis is needed before widespread use.
New Mexico Test Scores Lowest In Some Native American Areas - Russell Contreras, Associated Press
Small New Mexico school districts with large Native American populations have some of the lowest percentages of students testing proficient or better on new standardized tests.
A review of state data by The Associated Press found that Dulce Independent Schools, which serves students from the Jicarilla Apache Reservation, had no students score proficient or better in fourth-grade reading or in fourth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade math.
Meanwhile, Jemez Valley Public Schools had no fifth-graders test proficient or better in reading or math.
Around a quarter of New Mexico students in grades 3 to 8 met proficiency or better benchmarks for reading and writing on standardized tests given last year to measure rigorous Common Core standards.
Less than 10 percent of the state's 8th graders met expectations or better in math.
Former Secretary Of State Seeks Old Job – Associated Press, Albuquerque Journal
A former secretary of state who faced criminal charges after leaving office is seeking her old job.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Rebecca Vigil, a Democrat, is among nine people who have submitted applications for the secretary of state job or have been recommended by others. Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver is also applying. She was defeated by Republican Dianna Duran in the 2014 general election.
Duran resigned in October as secretary of state before pleading guilty to embezzlement and other charges in a criminal case stemming from a fraud investigation into use of campaign donations.
The Journal reports that other people who have applied or have been recommended by others for secretary of state position include former legislators Sandra Jeff and Janice Arnold-Jones and former Albuquerque City Clerk Amy Bailey. She’s currently general counsel in the Secretary of State Office.
Deputy Secretary of State Mary Quintana is serving as acting secretary of state until Republican Gov. Susana Martinez names a new person to the post.
A special election will be held in 2016 to select someone to serve out the remainder of Duran's term, which ends in 2018.
New Mexico Museum To Unveil Rare Fossil Find – Associated Press
The first skull ever to be discovered of a baby plant-eating dinosaur that lived some 70 million years ago is being unveiled by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.
The rare Pentaceratops fossil was airlifted out of a remote desert wilderness in northern New Mexico last week by National Guard Blackhawk helicopters and then trucked to the museum along with the skull of an adult Pentaceratops.
A public viewing was scheduled Thursday evening at the museum in Albuquerque.
The discovery was made in 2011 in the Bisti Wilderness by museum staff. A few years of planning, permitting and excavation followed.
A crew of staff and volunteers had to pack in tons of tools and materials since the find was made within a federally protected wilderness area.
Albuquerque Mayor Outlines Legislative Priorities – Associated Press
Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry says he'll push for measures in the next legislative session that would reform the state's bail bond system, create a new "three strikes" law for violent repeat offenders, and add attacks against police to the state's hate crimes law.
Mayor Richard Berry held a news conference Thursday to outline his proposals for the next legislative session in January.
Berry has repeatedly criticized the state's justice system, suggesting a law that bars judges from denying bail to high-risk defendents and lax sentencing laws have allowed violent repeat offenders to remain on the streets.
His comments follow the shooting deaths of a 4-year-old girl who was killed during a road-rage dispute, and an officer fatally wounded during a traffic stop.
In both cases, the suspects have lengthy prior criminal records.