Video: Letters swayed Berry to retain Chief Schultz

Updated with Audio at 10:45p

Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz will keep his
post in Richard Berry's administration.

Mayor elect Richard RJ" Berry who made crime, especially reducing property crimes, one of his top campaign issues in this Fall's municipal election is retaining Police Chief Ray Schultz.

Berry, who met with Schultz several times before tonight's announcement, says letters from businesses and citizens' groups, and even members of the police union, helped sway his decision.



"I know he shares my vision for a safer Albuquerque, a better quality of life for our citizens--he's committed to using innovative approaches to attack property crime and gang violence," Berry said this evening. "I'm very excited that he'll be joining me in my administration."

Schultz told us he will consolidate his organization-- on the 5th floor of police headquarters -- by reducing the number of bureaus and is making other changes to improve the efficiency of the police force.

Keeping politics out of policing



Two commanders get three stars

Berry also announced that commanders Beth Paiz and Allen Banks will become deputy police chiefs. Berry called each of them "rising stars."

Schultz immediately gave them three stars signifying their new rank.

We interviewed Paiz and Banks for our morning newscasts. You can hear them starting at 6am on 770KKOB.

Paiz says she's excited to get down to "business" heading up the investigations unit.



Dan McKay at the Albuquerque Journal reports Paiz will be only the second woman to be a deputy chief to serve in APD, and Banks is the first African-American deputy chief since the 1970s.

Banks had been heading up the internal affairs department at APD before tonight's appointment to the lead APD's support bureau.



Union supports reappointment

We also interviewed APOA Union President Joey Sigala who says that his members have always been able to work with Chief Schultz. He says while labor and management don't always agree they always feel comfortable sitting down to discuss issues with him.

Sigala told us that his team sat down with three different "branches" of the transition team and provided input on the Chief based on various questions they were asked.



Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White, who was appointed Public Service Director, was sentimental in welcoming Schultz to the Berry Administration, calling him "a dedicated professional who's done a fantastic job for the city."



White says he's personally responsible for contributing to some of the gray hairs on the side of Schultz' head -- recalling how then Sgt. Schultz had welcomed him to the APD police force's overnight shift in the SE Command when he was still just a patrolman.

Berry told reporters he is still "in the process" of considering appointments at the Albuquerque Fire Department. Chief Robert Ortega did not attend the evening news conference.

White told reporters that the team has made no decisions regarding changing any APD policies dealing with how police officers can deal with questioning suspects about their immigration status. He said those discussions and decisions will be made after Berry is sworn in on December 1st.

Albuquerque Police Department Innovation Praised

Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz

The Albuquerque Police Department received international recognition today during a session of the International Chief’s of Police Association conference being held in Denver Colorado.

The force was recognized as a semi-finalist along with 24 other police agencies world-wide for the “Webber Seavey Award.” All 24 departments were picked from an international selection of police departments.

The recognition is for APD's Best Practices in police work, specifically in the area of property crime innovations.

The APD innovation addressed the effectiveness in identifying, investigating and prosecuting property crime offenders through increased “Communication and Partnership with Community and the Criminal Justice System Stake-holders”.

Police Chief Raymond D. Schultz pointed out property crimes can quickly become a violent crime:

It is so tragic and common today that property crimes turn violent so very quickly, that we must combat the start of crimes at it’s roots, being property crimes and before they turn deadly.

Property crimes and retail thefts are intrinsically linked and organized retail crime requires APD to become extremely proactive so that property & retail based theft does not further damage a national crippled economy.

Schultz said, “This program illustrates the need for police to engage Community Partners in deploying proactive crime fighting strategies”.

The APD initiative utilizes such approaches as a, “Top 5” offender identification and concentrated enforcement efforts coordinated monthly by all APD Detectives, and follow-up prosecution with the local District Attorneys Office.

High ranking Police Officials mandatory appearances in all “Top 5” sentencing hearings, and very concise measures taking place in our community relationship, their rolls and involvement.

Albuquerque Mayor Martin J. Chavez said, “A partnership with law enforcement, retail owners, and our prosecutors has increased the identification of serial offenders which results in more successful prosecutions”.

Chavez complimented the hard work and cooperative nature that exist every day between the APD and its community:

It is that very special relationship between APD and our citizens that makes Albuquerque one of the finest Cities in the nation to call home for so many families and a destination for so many others seeking this Southwest jewel and the quality of life that exist here in Albuquerque.

Chávez Says ABQ Crime Rate "Unacceptably" High

On a hot summer day in Albuquerque the 2009 City Election is beginning to heat up. Mayor Martin J. Chávez announced at the Taylor Ranch Community Center today that he's joining a three-way race for the city's top elected office. He wants voters to give him an unprecedented fourth term and third straight.

Chávez told 770KKOB he's been an "activist mayor" and that his record demonstrates his vision of the future for the city. But, that record is under attack by two challengers, former New Mexico Senate President Pro-Tem Richard Romero, and current State Representative and local business owner Richard "RJ" Berry.

On Friday, the mayor said he believes crime is "unacceptably high," but public safety will continue to be his number one priority if he's re-elected October 6th.

Last week, Chávez announced that he's directed Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz to add another 100 police officers to the force, but Romero says that while he supports getting more cops on the street it smells like election year politics. Romero says only 42% of the city's current police officers work on the street.



Both Romero and Berry have said they're frustrated with the nearly 9% increase in property crimes year over year. Romero told reporters on Thursday that if he's elected he will replace Schultz.

According to FBI statistics released recently, property crime in Albuquerque has increased from 29,293 reports in 2007, to 31,907 in 2008, a nine percent increase in one year.

Mayoral Candidate Richard RJ Berry's Burned Out Truck
Was Recovered in the East Mountains

Berry proposed his own crime fighting plan after Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies recovered his stolen truck. On May 23rd he said:

We are in need of new solutions and new commitments if we are going to reduce property crime in Albuquerque. This is a quality of life issue. We need a Mayor who will take this head on and get results.

El Paso, whose population exceeds Albuquerque's by approximately 90,000 people, reported only 19,702 property crimes in 2008, or nearly 12,000 less crimes. And in Denver, a city with a population that exceeds Albuquerque's by approximately 70,000, the city saw a decreasing rate of property crime and reported only 19,316 crimes in 2008, once again far less than Albuquerque.

While the mayor prepares to announce in Taylor Ranch on Sunday afternoon, Romero is organizing around 100 volunteers to knock on doors.

While campaign election signs can't be planted in front yards, street corners, or on billboards until August 7th the election campaign has been underway for months and months. The mayor has already received several union endorsements including one from the American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees Council 18. But as Marjorie Childress reported Local 624, the bluecollar workers, are not happy with the selection. They say AFSCME's endorsement doesn't represent their views.

All three candidates received public financing on April 1st. The first financial disclosure statements will be filed on Thursday, July 17th. The City Clerk, Randy Autio will draw the candidate's ballot position on Thursday, August 13th at 5:01pm.

Residents who want to vote in the city election have to register with the Bernalillo County Clerk's office by September 8th. The City of Albuquerque has posted all election deadline dates here.

This Week: Lt. Governor Diane Denish Hits the Road; APD Chief Ray Schultz Says West Side Gravesite Dig Nearly Complete & We Have More Surgery.

It's been a little while since we posted bonus audio on the blog.

We've always wanted this to be a forum to run extended audio clips from our one-on-one talks with local and regional news makers.

During the week, the radio reports we file, at 770KKOB, are limited to less than a minute and usually only have time for one or two :08 to :12 second soundbites. We know you want to hear it all in context.

Today, we're posting two extended audio clips for you to hear. The first is with Lt. Governor Diane Denish. She outlines her rural economic recovery initiative rolling out this week.

The second audio clip, you must listen to if you've been following the tragedy of all the missing women found on the West Side.

Albuquerque Police Ray Schultz told us he expects investigators will complete their digging on the Westside graveyard sometime this week.

We're putting up two because we'll be back in the hospital on Monday for another ERCP, and then off the beat for a day or two. Hopefully, we'll be back to 100% after Monday's expensive trip to Lovelace.

Help Coming To Rural Areas to Access Federal Grant Monies.

Photo: MG Bralley
Lieutenant Governor Denish is launching a rural economic recovery initiative today. Denish, a product of a small southeastern town, Hobbs, New Mexico, wants to make sure rural New Mexico Communities get their fair share of a $74 Billion Economic Recovery Initiative.

“We are all facing difficult economic times. Families in every corner of New Mexico are hurting. Often it is the smaller communities that are hit the hardest,” said Denish. “Creating Jobs and brining economic development to every corner of the state is my top priority."

Listen Here

Note: Denish says $74-million dollars on the tape, but corrected herself after the news conference. It is Billions.

The Federal money contains three sources of aid to communities. Once source will be available through community grants. Denish says the money can be used to improve the plight of small towns during this economic turndown and wants to make sure government leaders, tribal governments, universities, and non-profit organization know how to apply for community grants.

On Monday, Denish will visit Cuba and Aztec. Tuesday, she’ll visit Farmington and Gallup. On Wednesday she’ll visit tribal leaders in Grants.


Last week, on Friday, Denish hosted a community meeting with advocacy groups, the media and law enforcement to determine how the groups can work together to help identify and find missing adults. Denish is proposing an adult style Amber-Alert System.

Photo: MG Bralley
After the meeting, we stuck behind, and talked with Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz. He told us, he expects investigators to complete their field work at the West Side grave site, where 14 bodies, including a fetus, have been unearthed since February. Schultz says he agrees in issuing AMP Alerts in some cases, if it's determined a missing adult is truly endangered. He even referenced how a similar system was successful in helping to locate the Runaway Bride, Jennifer Carol Wilbanks, in Albuquerque almost four years ago, in April 2005.

Listen Here

Schultz told us he expects that the case will be solved, but that it could take time. Schultz says when he started the task force for the mesa murder mystery case he deliberately picked some of his youngest and brightest detectives to work on the case alongside experienced investigators.

Surprisingly, the top law enforcement officer in Bernalillo County, Republican Sheriff Darren White was not invited to the meeting hosted by Democrat Diane Denish.

KOB TV's Investigative Reporter Jeremey Jojola has been chronicling the mesa murder mystery here. Also check out his personal website here.

Photos: MG Bralley

UNM Professor Believes Bone Yard Is The Work of a Serial Killer!

Could there be a serial killer on the loose in Albuquerque?

Police Chief Ray Schultz says it's to early to tell, but yesterday the bones of an 11th victim (who was 4th months pregnant at the time of her death) were unearthed at a crime scene where investigators have been searching for a month.

KRQE TV Anchor Jessica Garate, who won an Emmy in Wyoming for her coverage on the killing of Wyoming Student Matthew Shepard, talked to UNM Professor Dirk Gibson, who has done research on serial killers, believes the grave yard was likely the "dumping ground" for a serial killer.

In this studio interview taped before three more victims were found, Prof. Gibson tells Garate there could be many motives for the killings. He says some serial murderers want bodies to be found, but believe the suspect in these killings probably didn't ever want his victims located.



Chief Schultz says digging at the "city's biggest crime scene" will continue with help from the Federal Bureau of Investigations.