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The Department of Justice heard residents’ complaints about the Albuquerque Police Department’s use of force during an open forum Monday night as part of the DOJ’s investigation into APD.
Luis Saucedo, acting deputy chief of the Special Litigation Unit of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, said the division is conducting the investigation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He said the DOJ launched the investigation following a number of shootings by APD officers during the past two years. He said it is the District Attorney’s duty to prosecute officers who have committed offenses. The investigation will explore the use of unreasonable force by police. The forum was the first of many in the DOJ’s investigation, he said.
“You can prosecute individual officers, but the underlying problems are more ingrained,” he said. “We have to diagnose what might be causing or contributing to that.”
Saucedo said the Civil Rights Division is authorized to investigate police departments nationwide, and APD agreed to participate in the investigation.
Saucedo said the division will examine APD officers’ training and the number of supervisors who monitor officers’ use of physical force in the field.
“We’re not just going to sit back in D.C. and review policies,” he said.
The investigation began in November and should take about a year to complete. Saucedo said the division will only comment on APD’s operations after it finishes the investigation.
About 100 people attended the forum to voice their complaints about APD.
Albuquerque resident Kathy Fuentes said that five years ago, police shot her son seven times in her home. She said that although private investigators did not see any proof that her son, who was 39 at the time, owned guns, APD officers insisted that he threatened police with a firearm and that’s why officers shot him.
“We had three sons, and the first two had passed away. And APD took away the only son we had who was doing a wonderful job taking care of his kids,” she said.
Fuentes said she and her family tried to sue APD, and that they hired a private investigator, but she said their efforts have left the family bankrupt.
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“My grandson was six months of age, and my granddaughter was 11 years of age,” she said. “It has really affected her in all her abilities … and she’s taking it really hard. She really loved her dad. She said there will never be a dad that will take his place.”
Silvio Dell’Angela, who was president of the Eisenhower Area Neighborhood Association in the Northeast Heights for 10 years, said he witnessed APD’s abuse of force during his term. He said about 25 APD officers responded to a call about his neighbor’s house and were able to force the neighbor out of his house.
“So he finally came out of the house, essentially surrendering, and they shot him on the driveway, and he was still alive, and they shot him four more times and killed,” he said. “And they dragged his whole body.”
Paul Heh, a former APD officer for 25 years, said the investigation shouldn’t focus on just the police’s abusive use of force.
“The bigger problem is the culture of corruption that starts with the top. The DOJ’s got to open every door,” he said.
Heh said that as a former officer, he has always spoken up about the department’s offenses. But he said it is unlikely other officers will speak out against APD.
“Everybody’s afraid to open their mouth, because if you open your mouth in APD, you get targeted,” he said. “If you get targeted, they send their hit squad, Internal Affairs, to get something on you.”
Saucedo said the open forums are an important part of his team’s investigation. He urged people who have grievances against APD to contact the DOJ directly.
Department of Justice APD open forum
Wednesday
5:30 p.m.
Alamosa Community Center
6900 Gonzales Road S.W.
For a one-on-one meeting with a DOJ agent or attorney:
call, toll free:
855-544-5134
email:
community.albuquerque@usdoj.gov
