CITY of ALBUQUERQUE
NINETEENTH COUNCIL
COUNCIL BILL NO. R-11-247 ENACTMENT NO. ________________________
SPONSORED BY: Debbie O'Malley, Ken Sanchez, and Isaac Benton
RESOLUTION
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Directing The Administration To Retain An Expert To Make Recommendations Regarding The Training Procedures And Training Policies Utilized By The Albuquerque Police Department Related To The Use Of Deadly Force; Calling For A Public Dialogue. Directing City Council Staff To Request A Department Of Justice Investigation Into Whether There Have Been Incidents Or Patterns Of Civil Rights Violations By The Albuquerque Police Department (O'Malley, Sanchez, Benton)
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DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO RETAIN AN EXPERT TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE TRAINING PROCEDURES AND TRAINING POLICIES UTILIZED BY THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT RELATED TO THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE; CALLING FOR A PUBLIC DIALOGUE. DIRECTING CITY COUNCIL STAFF TO REQUEST A DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION INTO WHETHER THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS OR PATTERNS OF CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WHEREAS, concerns have been raised as to whether Albuquerque Police Officers are receiving appropriate training related to the use of deadly force; and
WHEREAS, those individuals within the City who are familiar with current training practices are the police officers who receive such training, the trainers who provide such training and the Administration that is responsible both for adopting the standards that govern training on the use of deadly force and who have the ultimate oversight of such training; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the best way to evaluate current training and to make recommendations for changes to such training, if needed, would be through an independent expert working cooperatively with police officers and the Administration; and
WHEREAS, such an evaluation will only be productive if conducted in a constructive atmosphere of recommending how training should be conducted in the future and not investigating fault in either the trainers themselves or the Administration that oversees such training; and
WHEREAS, at the conclusion of the evaluation, the City should provide public forums to allow for public dialogue to increase awareness and understanding of the procedures and recommendations.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL, THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE:
Section 1. The Administration is directed to retain an expert, qualified in the area of training with respect to the use of deadly force. That such expert shall be retained only after consultation with the Albuquerque Police Officers Association and the Police Oversight Commission regarding such selection and subject to approval of such selection by the Albuquerque City Council.
Section 2. The expert shall be retained to create a written report with recommendations regarding appropriate training with respect to the use of deadly force based on "best practices" after a nationwide review.
Section 3. The expert shall be retained to create a written report with recommendations regarding improvements to policies and procedures, including Standard Operating Procedures, with respect to training in the use of deadly force based on "best practices" after a nationwide review.
Section 4. The goal of the two reports shall not be to criticize existing training practices but to ensure that the Albuquerque Police Department provides training in the use of deadly force that is consistent with the best practices being used throughout the nation.
Section 5. The written reports shall be provided to the Administration, the City Council and shall be made available to the public.
Section 6. The City should provide at least one public forum regarding the recommendations of the evaluation.
Section 7. City Council staff is directed to prepare a request to the United States Department of Justice requesting a comprehensive investigation into whether there have been incidents or patterns of civil rights violations by the Albuquerque Police Department.
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