CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE
CITY COUNCIL
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: All Councilors
FROM: Louie Sanchez, City Councilor, District 1
SUBJECT: title
Declaration of No Confidence in Police Chief Harold Medina
body
WHEREAS, Harold Medina is the Chief of the Albuquerque Police Department (“APD”); and
WHEREAS, when Medina was appointed to his position, it was due to the abrupt departure of the previous Chief; and
WHEREAS, effective leadership of the Albuquerque Police Department is critical to the safety and wellbeing of the residents of the City of Albuquerque; and
WHEREAS, a federal investigation into multiple APD officers has resulted in the dismissal of more than 150 active DWI cases; and
WHEREAS, this investigation appears to show unchecked corruption within the Department; and
WHEREAS, these allegations of widespread corrupt actions by APD officers undermine the confidence of the community in the entire department; and
WHEREAS, the profound lack of leadership, which allowed such corrupt activities to transpire, unfairly tarnishes the reputation of upstanding officers, who through no fault of their own are associated with this terrible behavior; and
WHEREAS, Medina’s mismanagement of the Albuquerque Police Department is evidenced by numerous tragedies and scandals, such as:
a. An academy class where seasoned instructors were moved because the son of a deputy chief attending the academy faced termination for untruthfulness;
b. APD’s Gang Unit was all but dissolved along with critical units such as the Narcotics and Vice units;
c. Record numbers of officers have resigned or retired, leaving the Department dangerously shorthanded;
d. Increased officer terminations;
e. Increased officer-involved shootings at the highest number in decades, if not in APD’s history;
f. Increased response times for 911 calls with some callers holding for hours while hundreds more calls sit unanswered; and
g. The highest number of homicides in two recent years with at least 328 people murdered on the streets of the City; and
h. At least two lawsuits pending against the City and APD, each claiming the wrongful death of family members who suffered from mental illness.
WHEREAS, these tragedies reflect serious failures in leadership and an institution in dire need of intervention; and
WHEREAS, Medina’s conduct is inconsistent with the requirements of his position as Chief of Police and his responsibilities and obligations to the City and its residents; and
WHEREAS, Medina’s conduct threatens the public health, safety, and welfare of the people of the City of Albuquerque; and
WHEREAS, while the City Council has expressed concerns on numerous occasions about the leadership of the Department, there has been no apparent improvement in the administration of APD; and
WHEREAS, Chief Harold Medina’s conduct constitutes a failure to lead the Albuquerque Police Department.
BE IT DECLARED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
SECTION 1. The City Council hereby declares that it has no confidence in Harold Medina as Chief of the Albuquerque Police Department.
SECTION 2. The City Council hereby demands that Harold Medina appear at the City Council Meeting immediately following approval of this bill, or another meeting convened for the purpose of addressing this bill, to:
A. Address his leadership performance as Chief of the Albuquerque Police Department; and
B. Address the concerns the City Council has detailed herein; and
C. Show cause as to why the City Council should not call for his removal from his position as Chief of the Albuquerque Police Department, pursuant to Article 5, Section 4(d)(1) of the Charter of the City of Albuquerque.