Safety Tips for Halloween

Know the Rules...Safety Tips for Halloween

1. Be sure older children TAKE FRIENDS and younger children are accompanied by a TRUSTED ADULT when "Trick or Treating."
2. Accompany younger children to the door of every home they approach and make sure parents and guardians are familiar with every home and all people from which the children receive treats.
3. Teach children to NEVER enter a home without prior permission from their parents or guardians.
4. Teach children to never approach a vehicle, occupied or not, unless they know the owner and is accompanied by a parent or guardian.
5. Make sure all children wear reflective clothing and carry a glow stick when out at dusk and at night.
6. Make sure children are able to see and breathe properly and easily when using facial masks. All costumes and masks should be clearly marked as flame resistant.
7. Teach children to NEVER approach a home that is not well lit both inside and outside.
8. Teach children to stay alert and remember any suspicious incidents and report them to their parents, guardians, and/or the proper authority.
9. Teach children if anyone tries to grab them to make a scene; loudly yell this person is not my father/mother/guardian; and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting.
10. Families my want to organize or attend parties at home, in schools, or in community centers as a good alternative to “Trick or Treating.”

HAVE A SAFE AND FUN HALLOWEEN!

Call the dispatch at 505-428-3720 to report any suspicious activities or unsafe activities in the area of “Trick or Treaters”. Check www.nmsexoffender.com for sex offenders living in your area; do not go to these homes when trick or treating.

Extra Sheriff’s Deputies will be on patrol as well as fire personnel throughout the night to help ensure your safety.

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How Can a Parent Kill a Child?

In La Puebla yesterday the State Police handled an apparent murder suicide case in which a father allegedly shot his two sons ages 10 and 12. When the 911 call came out some of my deputies arrived on scene with the State Police however, we did not handle the investigation and I did not visit the scene. After receiving the phone call from my deputies letting me know of the situation I probably thought the same thing everyone thought when they read about this case in the newspaper or saw it on TV. How could anyone do this?

I want to write about this subject but first the disclaimer. The following is in no way about this or any specific case but rather about the subject in general.

When a parent murders a child it is called filicide. There is a group called the Filicide Prevention and Education Association. Those wanting extensive information should visit this website which offers just about everything you could ever want to know about this phenomenon. They also offer information on familicide which is the killing of a family and then suicide of the perpetrator.

There are basically three reasons a father kills a child, the first is physical abuse, when a father abuses a child and then eventually takes it to far and ends up killing a child. The second is mental illness, illnesses such as depression or psychosis, the third is a custody battle type situation.

In the first instance, child abuse, it is usually pretty clear after the fact. The deaths are usually violent and show signs of rage. The father may decide to try and cover up the murders or commit suicide afterward.

In the second instance, mental illness, the cause is not as clear for police to prove motive especially when the depression or mental illness is undiagnosed. Manner and cause of death tends to be less violent. There have been cases of a father building a makeshift gas chamber, or using a car with carbon monoxide. Poisons or drugs may be used and yes while guns are considered a violent death it will still usually be a well placed shot designed to end life quickly. There may be no notes, no signs that this was planned or alternatively the parent will leave a note and have a very thought out and executed plan. Often the parent feels that they are doing a poor job at parenting or that the child will have a deprived life. They convince themselves that they are somehow doing the children a favor or allowing them to go to a better place. These types of murders are usually followed by suicide by the parent committing the murder.

In the third instance, custody battle type situations, the father feels he is being deprived of his children. Or alternatively the hate he has for his spouse or former spouse causes him to want to extract revenge on the spouse by taking away the children. "If I can't have them no one will" or "I will teach you". Often times these types of murders include the spouse but not always.

Alternatively Mothers who kill their children have a few more reasons and unlike fathers usually do not kill the spouse or father during the homicide. Research has also shown that mothers tend to kill younger children or babies while fathers tend to kill older children.

Like fathers a mother can kill her children because of mental illness or depression as well as during a child abuse or fit of rage situation. Unlike a father a mother is more likely than the father to kill an unwanted or unexpected child. A mother is also more likely than a father to kill a child who has serious illness as a mercy killing. A mother is less likely to kill for revenge or to deprive the father of the child. However, she is likely to kill a child because of feelings of jealousy or envy of the child and feelings the child receives more attention. With male children the mothers anger towards the father can be directed at a male child who might remind the mother of the father. Statistics show that a third of all mothers kill their children over some sort of depression.

After a killing like this the media clamors to find friends and family to talk about the parent and deceased children. There are always people who say what a nice father or mother or family they all were and once in a while there are a few who say they saw signs of abuse, depression, or maybe even there is a restraining order or several police calls to the residence. If there was ever a crime police wish we could prevent, wish we would never have to investigate, it is the death of a child.

I still remember vividly the first time i saw a dead child on the job. I was on the job only months when I was called to a back yard where a three year old child died after strangling herself on a back yard swing. It was the first of many young children I had to investigate after I became a detective in the juvenile division of the city police. Most were victims of sudden infant death and a few were teenage suicides. None the less after seeing countless murder, car accident, and suicide deaths not to mention all the natural and overdose deaths, nothing leaves more of an impression than the death of a child.

So there is all the reasons why in a pretty non emotional straight forward way. But is any of these really a reason or just a list of facts? What can we do to prevent these killings? Are there signs we could look for? If we do think we see a sign would anyone believe us if we reported it? Lots of questions and unfortunately not a lot of good answers.

Some things you can do:

• learn the signs of depression, You can find a good list here.
• take threats by spouses seriously and report them.
• report suspected abuse of children even if you are not sure.
• report domestic arguments you hear or see don't be afraid to get involved.
• Look for signs of postpartum depression in new mothers, you can learn more here.
• If you or someone you know is in emotional distress and/or suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. Calls are free, confidential, and help is available 24/7.
  

Drug Interdiction Summit Seeks to Solve Northern New Mexico Drug Problem.

I have been writing a few articles for law enforcement publications and I thought I would share with you the following one I wrote for the New Mexico Lawman, a publication of the New Mexico Sheriff's and Police Association.

Drug Interdiction Summit Seeks to Solve Northern New Mexico Drug Problem.

Mayor Joseph Maestas spent his last days in office at a Drug Interdiction summit in his hometown of Espanola New Mexico. Northern New Mexico and Espanola have had a long history of Drug abuse that spans generations. Grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren within many families all are addicted or use drugs. The results are high property crime rates and the highest rate per capita of drug overdoses in the nation.

The summit was hosted by Mayor Maestas and City Police Chief Julian Gonzales on February 25, 2010 and included sheriffs, city police, state police, federal officials, district attorneys and members of the medical and treatment fields. The summit was facilitated by New Mexico First. Participants were broken up into two groups and each were tasked with coming up with ideas to combat the problem. Ideas were taken at large and broken down into groups of things we are not doing now, things we can do better and things we need to stop doing. Thirty or forty ideas were then broken down into four groups of importance from most important to least. The majority of participants were law enforcement and many in the public would be surprised to find that education, intervention, and treatment were very popular as opposed to incarceration and prosecution.

On the Law enforcement side a lot of participants felt that using recent efforts to strengthen and enforce D.W.I. laws would be a good model to use in drug interdiction. Making it the next state priority was the theme. Another popular idea was revising the states forfeiture laws to make them more usable and enforceable. Of course lack of funding was another big discussion.

New Mexico first is going to gather the results of the summit into a report and action plan which will hopefully be the blueprint for the future of combating drug abuse in Northern New Mexico. At the end of the day nine recommendations were made to be part of the action plan.

· A comprehensive strategy for coordinating programs for law enforcement, prevention, and training

· Formalizing and coordinating multidisciplinary, multi-agency drug interdiction initiatives

· A greater commitment to the Region III task force that is showing positive results in drug interdiction in the region

· A community involvement campaign targeting neighborhood associations, church groups, and rural groups in helping address narcotic and criminal activity

· Implementing evidence-based youth prevention programs

· Revising the state forfeiture statute

The summit recommendations will be turned over to an Implementation Team comprised of volunteers from the event who are in a position to move the recommendations forward. A full report on the results of the summit will be released in about two weeks and will be posted at www.nmfirst.org.

By Sheriff Greg Solano, Santa Fe County

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Hear Greg on KRSN AM 1490 Los Alamos!

Thursday, August 20, 8:30-9:30 am KRSN AM 1490, Los Alamos

Sheriff Solano will be in the studio speaking with Miro about public safety issues in Santa Fe County, and his campaign and platform as a Democrat for the 2010 Lt. Governor’s Race.

Hear web cast at http://www.krsnam1490.com/venusinterviews.htm

Santa Fe's National Night Out Party

Last night was National Night out and Santa Fe had its party in style at the plaza. There were representatives from all public safety agencys and the plaza was packed with families enjoying the night out. For more pics from the event click here.

Santa Fe Radio Cafe Podcast, Burglary Prevention

The interview I taped earlier with Santa Fe Radio Cafe, a early morning FM show on KSFR Radio 101.1 aired this morning (Monday Aug 3, 2009.) The interview came about when I ran across a post on the host Mary-Charlotte Domandi's facebook page. In the post she described two friends burglaries which occurred at the friends homes in the past two days. I added a comment on her post with a link to burglary prevention tips.

She commented back inviting me to be on her show. The show is taped live from the Santa Fe Baking Company on Cordova Road. The show is also posted on the web as a podcast so If you want to download it and listen to burglary tips while jogging around your neighborhood here is the link. Of course you can just listen to it online at the same link.

Hear Sheriff Solano Monday on KSFR 101.1FM

I taped an interview yesterday with Santa Fe Radio Cafe a early morning FM show on KSFR Radio 101.1 on your FM dial (do any radio's have dials anymore?). The interview came about when I ran across a post on the host Mary-Charlotte Domandi's facebook page. In the post she described two friends burglaries which occurred at the friends homes in the past two days. I added a comment on her post with a link to burglary prevention tips.

She commented back inviting me to be on her show. The show is taped live from the Santa Fe Baking Company on Cordova Road.

Santa Fe Radio Cafe is described as "a daily talk show featuring people you know and others you'd like to. Community-spirited, smart talk: From Presidential candidates and nationally known experts to local Santa Fe artists, authors, healers, and minor miscreants. It's where all of Santa Fe has time to talk"

The show is slated to air on Monday August 3, 2009 at 8:00 am. If you miss hearing it, it will be posted as a podcast at this location on the web. The show focused on Burglary's and how to prevent them. I originally was slated for a half hour show however I can talk, so before we knew it the show lasted an hour. Actually I am sure that before editing it was almost an hour and a half. The host was really good and I enjoyed the interview. Hope you will also!

D.W.I. , Why are our children dying? What can we do?

This has been a tragic weekend for the Sheriffs Office and our community at large. Worse it has been tragic for 6 families. I can not discuss the details of the case on a personal blog. However, I do want to discuss the lessons we can learn from this. I have attended two of the three memorials for the deceased teens and witnessed hundreds of teens in pain. Unfortunately my daughter is one of them. I haven't met a single person in Santa Fe yet who does not know one of the kids or the young 28 year old driver who has been arrested or an immediate family member personally. I have had a chance to talk to over half of the parents involved and all including the mother of the young man who was arrested are feeling the greatest pain imaginable. My wife and I pray for all those touched by this horrible tragedy and hope they will all find peace.

New Mexico has been battling D.W.I. for a long, long time now. As a state we have made huge strides. In 2008, there were 143 alcohol-involved fatalities in New Mexico, down 34 from 2007 and a huge drop from 221 in 2002. Since 2003, New Mexico has seen a 35 percent decline in drunken-driving related deaths and has implemented some of the toughest laws and most innovative programs in the country to stop drunken driving in New Mexico.

So why are our children still dying? What more can we do? As I looked at the teenagers mourning at the memorials one thing came to mind. How many of these kids will drink and drive? Statistics say over half will drink and drive at some time. Most people who drink and drive and get arrested say when taking surveys during mandatory treatment that they have driven while intoxicated up to 100 times before getting caught. Driving home after drinking is ingrained in the culture of New Mexicans. Not drinking and driving is something we will have to teach a whole new generation of New Mexicans so that it is considered a true moral and subconscious "you do not do this, type thing". Now we all have that little subconscious thing in the back of our head that says "you do not kill someone". Unfortunately for many that does not kick in where drinking and driving is concerned.

So here are a few hundred teens who have witnessed first hand and directly in their own lives just what the consequences are for drinking and driving. How many now will go out and fulfill the prophecy of the statistics that say over half of them will drink and drive? Will they go out and teach their children about the friends they lost on June 28, 2009 ? I hope so, I hope the memory of the four teens who lost their lives and the young man arrested for their deaths, will live on in the minds of these hundreds of teens mourning today. Not as a haunting memory of death, but as a reminder of life. What a life is worth and what is lost when you choose to drink and drive. I have sat down with my children and discussed just what I wanted them to get out of this tragedy. My family is not without sin and has been touched repeatedly over the years by drinking and driving. However, I still have hope, hope for my family and for yours. Talk to your kids about this tragedy and what can come out of it. Tell them that the way to honor the lives of these teens is by pledging to never, ever, ever, drink and drive.

My families prayers go out to all those touched by this tragedy.
Sheriff Greg Solano

Tips to prevent Home Burglaries

I want to reissue this post on how to prevent home burglaries. Property crimes throughout the nation are on the rise. One of the interesting notes in many of these burglaries is the fact that many of these homes had alarm systems which the owners did not activate before they left the home. This brings to mind the fact that this is a good time to remind everyone on some simple steps you can take to prevent burglaries at your home.

• Make your home look occupied, leaving TV or radio on works, and make it difficult to break into.

• Lock all outside doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed. Even if it is for a short time, lock your doors.

• Leave lights on when you go out. If you are going to be away, connect some lamps to automatic timers to turn them on in the evening and off during the day. Use motion detector lights outside.

• Keep your garage door closed and locked.

• Don't allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers or fliers to build up while you are away. Arrange with the post office to hold your mail, or arrange for a friend or neighbor to take them regularly.

• Push-button locks on doorknobs are easy for burglars to open. Install deadbolt locks on all your outside doors.

• Know who belongs or does not belong in your neighborhood. If someone looks suspicious, call the police to have them checked out.

• Keep your yard clean and bushes and trees trimmed. You don't want to give burglars a place to hide or remain concealed as they come in and out of your yard. Plant Cactus or yucca around vulnerable windows.
  

• If you have an alarm system, use it, even if you are only leaving for a short time. While they may not prevent burglary's they do reduce the amount of items taken and many times when the alarm goes off the burglar will leave with out taking anything. Whether you have an alarm system or not buy signs that say you have an alarm and place them around your home.
  

• Call the sheriff's office to get involved in or start a nieghborhood watch program in your area. 505-986-2402
  

The thing about burglaries is that one or two people can do 5 or 6 burglaries in a day. A few days of doing this and the crime rate can rise dramatically in just a short time. When we catch these persons the crime rate drops just as dramatically. We will catch these people and things will return to normal. The most effective way to catch these burglars is through help from the public. Deputies can not be everywhere and most burglars are caught when someone calls in a suspicious person or vehicle or when a burglar is caught in the act. I ask everyone to be extra vigilant and be our eyes and ears, it is a cliche but its also very true that crime prevention begins at home.

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KOB TV News Story on Sheriff's County Wide Alert System

Here is Gadi Schwartz from KOB TV News telling viewers about Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office new Emergency Alert System.







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Sheriffs Office Launches Emergency Alert System

Sheriff Greg Solano reports that The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is launching an Emergency Alert System in conjunction with Nixle.com. It is a free service that allows Santa Fe County residents to receive trusted up to the minute neighborhood information for citizens through out Santa Fe County. Those who sign up for the service at www.santafesheriff.com will receive notices sent out by the sheriff’s office through text message, twitter accounts, email, and via the Sheriff’s alert web page.


The service will include up to date alerts on traffic delays, missing persons, disasters, crime information such as suspect vehicles, warnings on crime sprees, public safety alerts, and News Releases. The service will also include up to date information on the swine flu epidemic as it pertains to Santa Fe County.


Citizens will be able to enter addresses of particular concern to them such as their home address, work address, family members etc. Once you log in with your home address you can add multiple address’s by going to (Locations) and click to Add New. When the Sheriffs office sends out alerts they are categorized as county wide alerts or area specific. If we are trying to warn of a particular crime prevalent in a specific area of the county then the alert may only be sent to those living or working in that area. Broader alerts would be directed towards the entire county. The citizens who sign up will not be subjected to spam or advertisements and strict confidentiality of their information will be adhered to. The service is completely free of charge.


Sheriff Greg Solano states “We were working on launching this system in the next few weeks however due to the swine flu epidemic we have rushed to launch the system sooner. I encourage all citizens in the county to sign up for the alerts and take advantage of this great system. Sheriff Solano has been in contact with the State Health Department and together with our Santa Fe County Office of Emergency Management we are monitoring the one possible but unconfirmed case of swine flu in Santa Fe County and will monitor for any other possible cases in Santa Fe County. Alerts will be sent out via the Sheriffs Emergency Alert System described above.

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Bad Economic Times and Law Enforcement

The recent economic news had primarily centered on businesses in America and has moved away from the individuals. What I mean by this is that the first signs of the economy failing and the big news 6 months ago was the residential foreclosures sweeping the country. The media and the government focus has now moved to business failures. I am going to put my Conan Obrian collar and point the flashlight at my face and make some predictions.

Cities and counties across the state look to cut budgets as taxes coming in to pay for services are dropping. It is a necessary evil as government must live with in their means. The problem with Law Enforcement is crime increases as the economy drops. Yet police agencies across the nation are held to flat budgets at best and cuts at the worst.

It is the way the cookie crumbles and there is not a lot that can be done. If crime rates raise to the point of crisis then and only then will government leaders bite the bullet and divert funds from other projects to law enforcement. The good side, if there is one, is that public safety is usually the last government function that is usually cut and is the easiest function in which to make a case for holding back cuts or even getting additional resources in tough economic times, if the crime rate is increasing enough.

In Santa Fe, the majority of the general fund for county government is property tax related. The huge swings seen in the city funds where the taxes are generated primarily through gross receipts are some what moderate in the county where property taxes are more stable. Leaders in law enforcement recognize crime trends and how economic factors, socioeconomic factors, seasons, weather, holidays and other factors that affect crime rates and respond accordingly. We need to prepare for the short and long term effects of tough economic times and ensure that our officers understand and are prepared to deal with these times. The upside to tough economic times is that careers in law enforcement become more desirabled. The benefits, retirement, job stability and pay make law enforcement a much more viable option to those who may not consider the career otherwise.

The important thing is that we understand and prepare for these times both as public officials and as individuals. Individuals need to understand what these times mean for crime trends and take extra precautions to prevent crime. The truth is we all should take these precautions all the time but there is never a better time than now to pay attention. I am adding these crime tips for burglaries because that is the most prevalent crime that will increase with tough economic times.

• Make your home look occupied, and make it difficult to break into.

• Lock all outside doors and windows before you leave the house or go to bed. Even if it is for a short time, lock your doors.

• Leave lights on when you go out. If you are going to be away, connect some lamps to automatic timers to turn them on in the evening and off during the day. Use motion detector lights outside.

• Keep your garage door closed and locked.

• Don't allow daily deliveries of mail, newspapers or fliers to build up while you are away. Arrange with the post office to hold your mail, or arrange for a friend or neighbor to take them regularly.

• Push-button locks on doorknobs are easy for burglars to open. Install deadbolt locks on all your outside doors.

• Know who belongs or does not belong in your neighborhood. If someone looks suspicious, call the police to have them checked out.

• Keep your yard clean and bushes and trees trimmed. You don't want to give burglars a place to hide or remain concealed as they come in and out of your yard.

• If you have an alarm system, use it, even if you are only leaving for a short time. While they may not prevent burglary's they do reduce the amount of items taken and many times when the alarm goes off the burglar will leave with out taking anything. Whether you have an alarm system or not buy signs that say you have an alarm and place them around your home.
  

The thing about burglaries is that one or two people can do 5 or 6 burglaries in a day. A few days of doing this and the crime rate can rise dramatically in just a short time. When we catch these persons the crime rate drops just as dramatically. We will catch these people and things will return to normal. The most effective way to catch these burglars is through help from the public. Deputies can not be everywhere and most burglars are caught when someone calls in a suspicious person or vehicle or when a burglar is caught in the act. I ask everyone to be extra vigilant and be our eyes and ears, it is a cliche but its also very true that crime prevention begins at home.

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My Trip to the Birth Place of Rock and Roll.

I visited Memphis Tennessee last week. It was the second time I visited the Birth Place of Rock and Roll. about 8 years ago my whole family made the trip to visit Graceland the home of Elvis Presley. I often joke with my co-workers that Elvis was my father. The joke continues on that I became estranged from the family after Lisa Marie and I split ways when she married Michael Jackson. All that aside I was in town with out the family this time. Our Computer Forensic Examiner and myself went on business.

We attended the National White Collar Crime Summit. The summit was actually really good and primarily focused on high tech crimes and the use of cell phones, computers, and pda's for crime and how to gather evidence from them. Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office is one of only five police agencies to have in house computer forensic labs and two of those five others are state agencies. One of my goals when I first became sheriff was to bring the future of law enforcement into our local sheriff's office. This included computers in the cars, digital photography for gathering evidence, computerized report system, a computer forensics lab, use of cell and pda's to enhance law enforcement and soon to come Global Positioning Systems in the Sheriff's Cars. Believe it or not only 6 years ago all reports at the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office were done with pen and paper.

The Key note speaker was former C.H.I.P.S. star Erik Estrada. Erik Estrada serves as a deputy sheriff in Bedford County, Virginia and a reserve police officer for the Muncie, Indiana PD. I was able to meet him earlier in the day before his key note speech. He immediately began speaking to me in Spanish. Me habla muy poquito espanol ( I speak only a little Spanish), and Erik was extremely fluent. I made my way through the conversation, got a photo and autograph, (which he also signed in Spanish, calling me his primo and telling me to be safe.



An interesting part of the conference was a look into virtual worlds such as World of Warcraft and Second Life. These virtual worlds have economy's of their own and people are coming into police departments and reporting thefts of their virtual money. Many are actually earning real money working in these virtual worlds. Companies are advertising in these virtual worlds and even identity theft is occurring. Viruses are being transmitted within these worlds and virtual people called avatars are actually being killed off by these viruses.

Although this may be years away from affecting local agencies it was still interesting and a good seminar to keep on top of emerging trends. Of course these worlds are being used by sexual predators as well as those just seeking interaction.



Other topics included presentations by Microsoft, working and gathering evidence from Windows Vista, and of course Internet based crimes including Identity Theft, Sexual Predators, and locating criminals using online databases such as facebook and others. Besides Microsoft, one of the big sponsors of the conference was Philip Morris. This was the first time I had seen this sponsor at a police conference however they were there with a booth in the exhibition hall asking for law enforcement help in catching those who distribute counterfeit name brand cigarettes. Apparently this is a growing crime with cigarettes being brought in from China, Europe, Asia and Latin America. According to Philip Morris “in China, 190 billion counterfeit cigarettes are produced each year, making it a major source country for European-destined fakes”.

Of course being a big 50's rock and roll fan while in Memphis I had to visit Graceland, Sun Records, Jerry Lee Lewis Ranch, and Beale Street. Over the next few days I will blog about those trips. I am by no way a singer but I enjoy singing Elvis Karaoke so I even cut a track at Sun Records. It was like a dream singing (although I wont be discovered any time soon) at the same studio where Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and many others cut their most famous records.

Gun Toting Teachers Hit Texas Town

Since most other bloggers are covering the Democratic Convention I have stuck to other issues. Today I thought I would talk about a small Texas town who has decided to allow its teachers to carry concealed weapons on campus. Harrold Texas is a town with only 320 people listed in the 2000 census. The School has about 100 students and the town reportedly has a zero crime rate. Depending on the news story you read the local sheriffs office is 17 miles away or 30 minutes away, which with lights and sirens means a deputy is about five to 12 minutes away.

Despite all of this the local school board has not only allowed teachers to carry concealed firearms they have provided training, 40 hours worth, to the teachers who have decided to carry firearms to school. The school board has declined to release just how many teachers are carrying firearms and have also declined to name who the teachers are. This decision is supposedly based on the school boards contention it would release security details to possible attackers. According to many parents the school board made this decision with out proper notification and discussion with the parents.

Superintendent David Thweatt of the Harrold Independent School District says he studied the issue for two years while he filled his school with more than 100,000 dollars in state-of-the-art security systems. According to Superintendent Thweatt even with the new keyless entry, camera system, lock-down buttons and classroom telephones, Thweatt said he still could not have prevented a mass murder like the one in an Amish one-room schoolhouse in Pennsylvania in 2006 that left five girls dead.


The move by the school district is attracting attention not only across the nation but in other countries as well. The Republican governor of the state Rick Perry, has endorsed the idea. The governor is a staunch advocate of right-to-carry provisions and has advocated allowing licensed gun owners to carry them into places where they can currently be banned, such as college campuses, churches, bars and private businesses. Some in Texas do oppose the gun toting teachers including Texans for Gun Safety board member Linda Siemers who said teachers or students carrying guns around school "is a terrifying idea." The Houston Teachers Union has voiced opposition to the program and the Dallas Morning News has issued an editorial against the program as well.

I support concealed carry for properly trained citizens. I fully agreed with Barack Obama's quote in his acceptance speech just a few hours ago.

"The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than they are for those plagued by gang violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals."

While I can see some good in having armed personnel in schools, I believe arming teachers is not the answer. The odd thing is that when you combine the claimed security costs of $100,000 of equipment that has been installed in this particular school and the costs of training and liability insurance costs the school must incur then you could put an armed trained officer in the school for at least two years if not three. The liabilities don't end with the fact that a teacher could shoot someone or have their weapon taken away and used against them. What happens when a teacher feels threatened or uses bad judgment in when to draw and point a weapon at someone? Money that could have gone to education or to a certified, trained, and armed officer in school will go to the parents of the students who sue the teacher and school involved in the incident.

Law enforcement officers who attend 22 weeks of training and an additional 40 hours of training every two years get sued regularly for alleged excessive force complaints. I can see a lawsuit if not several as this program continues. Police officers go through psychological testing and extensive background checks in addition to all the training they receive. How many teachers would carry weapons if they had to go through psychological testing? How many would pass the tests? If someone fails a psychological test would you want that person teaching your kids with or without a concealed weapon?

I have spoken in this blog in the past about the cuts from the Bush administration which have all but removed federal funding for cops in the schools programs. President Clinton understood the need and included the program as part of the COPS programs which put 100,000 more cops on the streets and in the schools. We all want our children safe in schools however we must be reasonable and think through ideas before taking extreme measures which could backfire and create more problems than they are designed to solve.

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Local Police Could Become Spys, A Tool or a Weapon?

I was reading a story by Trip Jennings in the New Mexico Independent Website which was based on an article in the Washington Post. The article intrigued and concerned me. The articles describe a Justice Department proposal to implement a new domestic spying measure designed to allow state and local police to collect intelligence about citizens and share the data with federal agencies. The local agencies would also be able to retain the data for up to 10 years.

As I read the Washington Post story I tried to decide, is this good or bad for local law enforcement? It reminded me in a very roundabout way of one of the first times I was called to a homicide scene as a young officer. On May 10 of 1989 I was called to a home on Urioste Street. It was about 3am and Connie Brito had called police to report she found her 100 year old Grandfather Pino Madrid beaten in his bedroom. I arrived at the home to find this 100 year old grandfather in his bedroom. His bedroom looked like a scene from a horror movie with blood everywhere including the ceiling. Mr. Madrid was still alive and actually sitting up on the bed.

He had 18 to 25 holes in his head all bleeding. When I would try and apply pressure with towels there were too many holes to cover and when I would cover some wounds, increased blood would flow from the remaining holes. His genitals were swollen to the size of cantaloupes which was so out of place it looked inhuman. We later discovered Connie's husband John Brito had beaten his wifes 100 year old grandfather with a claw hammer. The beatings with the claw end were so intense the steel claw had broken off the hammer in Mr. Madrid's skull during the attack. Amazingly Mr Madrid survived until June 2, 1989 before succumbing to his injuries.

What does this have to do with local police gathering spy type information on citizens? I like working with my hands and often do home remodel projects, woodworking projects and other Tim Allen type man stuff. In doing this work the claw hammer is a tool that one can hardly do without and does much good for mankind. With the hammer you can provide shelter for the homeless, build hospitals, soup kitchens, and schools to teach our young. When asked if the hammer is a good invention most people would say yes. But even the best intentions can turn bad. In the death of poor 100 year old Pino Madrid the hammer was a weapon and not a tool. A real cruel vicious weapon that had to have inflicted horrible pain upon a man in the last days of his life.

There may be some good in allowing local officers to play international spy and maybe develop important information which could one day prevent a terrorist attack on American soil. On the other hand some officers could use this to gather intelligence on groups which are not doing anything illegal and are not planning to do so. Perhaps, church groups? How about NRA members or political groups? Can't happen?

In the Washington Post article incidents of local police spying on political and other activists groups are described. In Maryland State Police agents spied on death penalty opponents and antiwar groups in 2005 and 2006. Undercover New York police officers infiltrated protest groups before the 2004 Republican National Convention and California state agents eavesdropped on peace, animal rights and labor activists. There have also been revelations that Denver Police spied on Amnesty International and others before being discovered.

Local police currently gather data and intelligence on criminals involved in Drugs, Gangs, Burglary Rings and other crimes which are both investigated and prosecuted by local police and District Attorneys. The types of data we now gather are really based on ongoing criminal investigations or known criminals. I do think we have a responsibility on a local level to keep our eyes and ears open for national crimes, and should be trained to recognize and deal with possible terrorist threats. We also have a responsibility to report these tips or information to federal authorities. I do not think we should make junior g-men out of local law enforcement.

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Drastic Cuts Await Northern New Mexico Drug Task Force

New Mexico is about to swallow 67% cuts in one of the primary funding sources in the war on drugs. The Byrne JAG grant which in past has provided 2.9 million in funding for combating drug dealing in New Mexico has been reduced to 900,000 by the Bush Administration in the 2009 federal budget. Across the nation the grants have been reduced from 520 million to a mere 170 million to be divided up among all 50 states. Since the Clinton administration law enforcement has faced year after year of cuts in every funding source once provided by the federal government.Northern New Mexico which includes Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Los Alamos and Taos Counties usually combat drug dealers using the Region III drug task force. The Task force is made up of officers from cities and counties in the area and the New Mexico State Police. Each City and County who sends officers to the task force pays the base salaries of their officers. The task force and its federal funding provide equipment, office and civilian support and overtime funding as well as monies to purchase drugs and pay informants. The 67% cuts in funding will create big changes in the way things are done. After a big sigh and a few moments in mourning we will now have to sit down and cope.

Byrne-JAG grants began on February 26, 1988.On that day New York City Police Officer Edward R. Byrne was working witness protection on a witness in a large drug case. While sitting in his patrol car outside the witnesses' home he was ambushed and killed by two gunmen. Police later captured four suspects, the two who ambushed him and two lookouts. The hit was ordered by a gang related drug kingpin from his jail cell.

Later that year the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 was passed. As part of the act the U.S. Government launched a Department of Justice initiative titled the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program. Over the years it provided local law enforcement agencies with the tools, money and officers it needed to combat high level drug dealers, gangs and murders.

The region III task force is the best way to combine our forces and deal with the big picture and target the big fish who deal drugs in Northern New Mexico. I believe several of the city and county chiefs and sheriff's along with State Police, will commit to whatever resources are needed to continue the task force but it will not be easy. With costs for officers on the rise, gas prices on the rise, ammunition expensive and hard to get due to the war, law enforcement is really feeling the crunch. It is only a matter of time before the effects are felt both within the ranks and in the public.

Across the nation U.S. Attorneys General, National Sheriff's Associations, The International Chiefs of Police and others have rallied against the cuts. Usually this works in at least restoring lost funds if not getting increases. This year we have all failed Miserably. Our own Attorney General Gary King petitioned congress along with Attorney Generals from 50 states to restore the funding. I personally spoke to Congressman and Senate Candidate Tom Udall about the need to restore this funding however the cuts were recently passed and attempts by some in congress to restore the funding have failed.

(photo from Democracy for New Mexico )


Some of you, whether you believe in recreational or medical drug use or not, may think that this does not affect you. Some believe the war on drugs is a failure and should be abandoned all together anyway. I believe burglaries and other thefts could increase, homicides and gang activities could grow, and innocent people could die. Mexican cartels which already have taken over Meth, Cocaine, and Heroin supplies could grow into todays American Mafia's. The biggest problem with the Mexican cartels is they are not afraid to kill whether it is on American soil or Mexican. Already hit lists of individuals in New Mexico have been drafted by Mexican Cartels who are not afraid of U.S. Law Enforcement. Mexican criminals are gaining power and could end up making Manuel Noriega look like a Wal-Mart shoplifter compared to this new breed of heavily armed criminal.

When I think of the Bush Administrations handling of the war on drugs and law enforcement in general it reminds me of the time President George stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier and declared that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended. All while standing in front of a Mission Accomplished banner. This was five years ago and our troops still die in Iraq as the war rages on. Has President Bush declared victory in the War on Drugs? Maybe the Federal Government has waived the white flag and surrendered? Either way the Federal Government is wrong. We must continue to attack the problems created by drug addiction, not only with law enforcement but with additional treatment and prevention programs. Funding for treatment and prevention is also declining rapidly and is unavailable to many who need and want it.

Many times the pendulum swings from one extreme to the other and I am hoping it begins swinging back to a place where law enforcement is adequately funded. Until then we will hunker down in our fox holes and hold the enemy at bay until reinforcements arrive.

Cops Don't Live Here Anymore.....

Mark Sanders from the Santa Fe Reporter has an excellent cover story in this weeks Reporter detailing the fact that most cops who work in the city and county of Santa Fe, don't live here. Its a very in depth article and Mark did an great job of showing both the effects on the community and the officers themselves. Santa Fe is reaching critical mass as far as law enforcement officers living 30-60 miles away verses them living in the city and county. One item he touched on was the take home car program. It is a very beneficial program used by most police agencies in New Mexico. As both the City and County pass the 60% mark of officers who live outside the county we lose many benefits of the take home car program. Officers are allowed to take home their police cruisers for several reasons.

1. They can respond directly to an emergency with out going to the police station first when they are off duty and called out in an emergency.



2. They can respond to accidents, emergencies or reckless driving while en route to and from work and help on situations which they may drive up on.



3. Police presence in the neighborhoods reduce crime, (the police cars visible in neighborhoods).



4. Cars assigned to individual officers tends to reduce wear and tear and cars are kept in better condition because one individual is responsible for the vehicle, verses a motor pool type situation where many people use the same vehicle.



5. Take home vehicles are used as a perk to attract and retain personnel.
   It is an especially effective recruiting tool because other law enforcement agencies in the region have similar vehicle use policies for their officers. It stands to reason that a take-home policy would make an agency more competitive for the most qualified job applicants.



6. Take home vehicles let officers keep their special equipment, such as SWAT gear, organized and readily at hand.

As you can see from the list of benefits the take home cars make sense. However we lose some of the benefits when officers live 30 -60 miles away.

1. Officers still help when they encounter crime or accidents on their way to and from work however many times the help comes to citizens outside their jurisdiction so their ability to take action is limited.



2. There is still an increased police presence in neighborhoods but the benefit is for neighborhoods in other cities and counties which have more affordable housing. The City and County of Santa Fe is paying for safety and security of other communities.



3. While cars are still better maintained by individual officers versus motor pools the increased wear and tear put on by the increased mileage may negate some of the benefits. Gas costs are also greatly increased by the increased distances to and from home.

As you can see we start to lose the benefits of take home cars as we allow the costs to live here to be beyond the reach of our civil servants. When we look at the true cost to not have affordable housing in Santa Fe city and county it goes beyond simple dollars and cents. We start to encroach on the actual safety and security of our residents. Think about, doctors, nurses, firefighters, teachers and other essential personnel who are often needed in emergencies or whose shortage of available personnel is even worse in Santa Fe due to its high housing costs. What is the true cost of not ensuring we have housing available at all income levels?

There is much controversy over the proposed city transfer tax on high end homes in Santa Fe. The Transfer tax is designed to raise funds for affordable housing projects in the city of Santa Fe. There is probably many ways including the transfer tax to combat this problem and there is much disagreement on the best way to tackle the issue. However, we must tackle the issue. There is more than increased gas costs for take home vehicles on the line. The safety, security and sustainability of the county and city are at stake.

The Santa Fe Reporter article described Aspen, Colo., where the median home cost is so prohibitive (more than $6 million in the first quarter of 2008 for a single family structure) that the city has begun a lottery system for police department heads and emergency responders.“They get them at a reduced cost,” Sgt. Chip Seamans of the Aspen Police Department says. Department employees are eligible for the lottery after five years. The city then determines the cost of the property based on income. So depending on income, a new cop might pay $100,000 and a chief might pay $300,000 for a house. In either case, Seamans says, it is a great deal.“To be able to purchase a home in Aspen proper is a bit of a stretch for any government worker,” Seamans says, noting the starting pay for a rookie is $7 an hour better than in Santa Fe—$22.03.

We have probably already reached the point where we should consider this type of system for Santa Fe. There are those who would oppose this, at least until their home is burglarized, or until the S.W.A.T. team takes 50 minutes to respond to their emergency. I hate to bring up these instances since they could be thought of as scare tactics but it is the truth. Sometimes the truth is scary.

Will Red Light Camera's Leave Albuquerque?

The two of you read this blog regularly,(lol) will know that I have often derided Albuquerque's Red Light Camera Program. I have always felt that the program was more geared towards revenue than it was towards safety. Especially when you look at the exorbitant fees the private company that runs the program charges. Now Mayor Chavez has announced he is forming a task force to investigate whether or not the camera's are effective at preventing accidents. Many States and locality's have done similar studies after trying out the camera's and ended up canceling the program.

Below is KOAT TV's coverage of the Task Force.



Mayor Chavez announcement came after two different T.V. stations did investigative pieces over just where the money was going. KOAT TV's investigation revealed that between 2005 and 2007, New Mexicans paid $10.6 million in red light and speed tickets. The city spent $4.8 million to run the safety program, which means $5.8 million is in the city general fund - all generated from the red light and speed program. When KOAT TV asked the city's chief financial officer, Gail Reese, how a program Mayor Martin Chavez claims is not out to make money is making millions. She responded with "Over time this program's costs will equal the revenues.
"It is an expensive program. Safety is an expensive thing,".

Here is the KOAT piece on the profits the City of Albuquerque has made from the program.



As I said earlier RedFlex charges Exorbitant fees to Albuquerque. The city spends about $200,000 a month leasing these cameras and speed vans, and on top of that the company leasing the cameras to Albuquerque, RedFlex, also charges for every single ticket: $18 for red light runners and nearly $25 for speeders. What I hope is that the task force appointed by Marty Chavez or one of the news outlets does a comparison between the contract RedFlex has with the city of Albuquerque and other contracts the company and similar companies have with other cities across the state. I have a feeling there are vast differences and communities that fight for a good deal and want to save taxpayers money are successful in doing so.

This red light program needs to be completely restructured or ended all together. One of the things that we who are law enforcement administrators often try to do is to eliminate the perception that we have quota's or that we make money from tickets. Most agencies do not. The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office gets about $6000 a year back from magistrate courts from tickets we issue. We issue about 30,000 tickets a year so as you can see it really is not much. Especially when you consider the over ten million dollar budget we have in the Sheriff's Office. This program flies in the face of trying to get rid of the perception that tickets are to generate funds. What tickets should be about is education and deterrence.

Here are some links to past blog posts I have had on red light camera's. When you read them you will see that you heard it here first. The things this task force will study are the things I have advocated looking at all along.

Sheriff Greg Solano Red Light Camera Blog Posts.

Note: I use KOAT TV a lot for embedded video in my blog posts because they are nice enough to post their video on YouTube. Its a great convenience and I think a great way to get free publicity for their station.

Santa Fe goes High Tech.

Yesterday I was proud to unveil SORIS the which stands for Sex Offender Registration and Identification System. The system brings to mind Star Trek type technology which is now no longer a science fiction story but reality. The System was donated by the company that designed it, BI2 Technologies. The equipment is valued at $10,000 and Santa Fe County will be the only jurisdiction in New Mexico to have the SORIS system as part of a pilot program to create a national database of sex offenders.

The system is an iris recognition biometric scanner and software to recognize and identify a person based on a scan of their Iris. With this equipment a persons true identity can be had in seconds based on a scan of the persons eye. Once a national database is populated and more and more law enforcement and jails use this system we can better track offenders and find offenders who move to other area's and change their identity. Here is the Santa Fe New Mexican Story on the system.

Below is the Fox News at Nine story on the SORIS System:


And here is the KOB TV News story on the SORIS System:

Halloween Safety Tips

I want to offer you all some Halloween Safety Tips you can use to keep your kids safe this Halloween.

· Carry a flashlight or glow sticks
· All young children should have parental supervision.
· Teenagers should have a map of the areas parents want them to stay in.
· Walk, don't run.
· Stay on Sidewalks
· Obey traffic signals
· Stay in familiar neighborhoods
· Don’t cut across yards or driveways.
· Make sure costumes don't drag on the ground.
· Shoes should fit (even if they don't go with your costume)
· Avoid wearing masks while walking from house to house.
· Carry only flexible knives, swords or other props.
· (If no sidewalk) walk on the left side of the road facing traffic
· Wear clothing with reflective markings or tape.
· Approach only houses that are lit.
· Stay away from and don't pet animals you don't know.
· Inspect all candy and items and do not keep anything that is not pre wrapped or may have opened.

Call the dispatch at 505-428-3710 to report any suspicious activities or unsafe activities in the area of trick or treaters. Check http://www.nmsexoffender.com/ for sex offenders living in your area; do not go to these homes when trick or treating.

Extra Sheriff’s Deputies will be on patrol as well as fire personnel throughout the night to help ensure your safety.

Sheriff Greg Solano Wishes you all a happy and safe Halloween!