4 DAYS TO GO!

Four more days to go and then I can talk about something besides the election on this blog. My volunteers and I are working hard in the final days.

Here you can see that even the family pets are out campaigning for me. Here our friends poodle diamond came out at 7:15 am to welcome commuters on their way to work.

I have seen many of you during this last rush of non-stop campaigning. We have had a lot of fun and a lot of support holding signs on street corners during rush hours, attending many large gatherings, appearing on radio shows, and hitting the door to door and phones to remind everyone to get out and vote while asking for support for my candidacy.

Tomorrow, Saturday June 3, 2006 is the last day to early vote and the polls will be open from 10 am to 6 pm. After that you will have to wait till election day the big 6-6-06 to cast your ballot. I ask for your support and please take 15 minutes and call your family and friends and ask them to cast their ballot for me on June 6.

So after you cast your ballot come join us on Tuesday June 6, 2006 at our election night party. It will be at the Fraternal Order of Police at 521 Airport Road from 7 pm to 11:30 pm. We will have up to date election results, great food and the band SOUL FIRE which is an excellent young band led by Lumbre Del Sol's Chris Abeyta' son. I know we are going to have a great time so come and join us. AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE! SU VOTO ES SU VOZ !

Santa Fe Reporter Endorses Sheriff Solano

Today The Santa Fe Reporter Endorsed me for the Democratic Primary on June 6, 2006. I am very grateful they have endorsed me for the third time in my three Sheriff's Races. This Complete's the Triple Crown of Print Media Endorsements with all three major local papers endorsing me in the Sheriff's Race. The Santa Fe Reporter joins The New Mexican, The Albuquerque Journal North with thier endorsements. Also endorsing me is the Fraternal Order of Police, and AFSCME's Local unions as well. The Reporter's endorsement is quoted below.

Endorsement as printed on May 31, 2006, The Santa Fe
Reporter.

Santa Fe County Sheriff/Democrats
Greg Solano

The Race: Incumbent Greg Solano is finishing his first
term and seeking re-election. Sgt. Linda Ortiz, also of the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department, is challenging him in the June primary. There is no Republican on the general election ballot.

The Issues: The county jail, which returned to county management last fall, was a topic of discussion. Solano, who advocated the move during his last campaign, maintains the county is improving conditions at the jail and says having it under local control is the right thing to do. Ortiz initially made public statements that she favored privatization, but the Journal Santa Fe subsequently reported Ortiz was rethinking that position. Ortiz, in her campaign, cited low morale at the Sheriff’s Department as one reason for her run. Solano points to the increased salaries for his deputies and lack of vacancies as a rebuttal. The campaigns also have discussed DWI laws and other crimes in the area.

Our Pick: We profiled Solano, both his life and first term, in a cover story in May. That story also included a section about Ortiz’ challenge and contentions regarding Solano’s tenure. Following that story, Ortiz declined to come in for an endorsement interview, which made it challenging to evaluate her for the office she seeks. It also was disconcerting. The media—and hopefully the public—should be wary of public officials, or public official hopefuls, who respond to articles they don’t like with silence. It never bodes well. Solano, on the other hand, is likely one of the most accessible public officials in recent history. He keeps an online blog, is outspoken, returns all calls promptly, provides police reports quickly and without argument. He has been an active sheriff, pushing for not just public control of the jail, but DWI forfeiture laws. He writes grants to acquire technology for his department; initiated a project for counseling for his officers to address their jobs. He’s willing to speak out, even when his views aren’t popular, and even deputies who supported his opponents in the previous election say he’s doing a good job. Universally popular? No. Deserving of a second term? No question.

If you have not gotten out to vote early yet, Saturday June 3, is the last day to vote early. Click here for early voting election sites.

New Mexican Endorses Greg!

Today the Santa Fe New Mexican added its endorsement to the growing list of endorsements I have received. I wholeheartedly thank The New Mexican, The Albuquerque Journal North, AFSCME Local 1782, and the Fraternal Order of Police for their endorsements. Wednesday is the last of the big three print media endorsements when the Santa Fe Reporter makes their choice. Below is the text from the New Mexicans editorial which ran Today, Sunday, May 28, 2006.

Below is the endorsement as printed in the Santa Fe New Mexican, 05-28-06

Santa Fe County has a good Sheriff - Greg Solano, who carried through on his commitment to putting the jail back in public hands, and more deputies on patrol. This high-energy public servant should be given a second term.

Printed from Freenewmexican.com.

11 Days To Go!

The June 6, 2006 primary is eleven days away and the campaigns are heating up! I have watched the Attorney General Ads heat up on TV with Geno Zamora and Gary King airing some hard hitting commercials. The Santa Fe County Assessors race and the Magistrate Court races are also heating up.

I began radio ads almost two weeks ago and voters got a look at my print ads in publications such as Round the Roundhouse, The Santa Fe Reporter, The Santa Fe New Mexican and the Albuquerque Journal North. Look for additional publications next week.

My opponent and I faced off in the last scheduled forum in Eldorado at the Community Center last night. It was a structured debate that became heated towards the end as my opponents negative campaigning continued. I will not get negative and instead will continue to talk about what I have done and will continue to do in a future Sheriff Solano Administration. Look for pictures from the forum to be posted soon at my campaign web site www.solano4sheriff.com. If you would like to view my opponent and I in a debate you can do so by watching Community Access Channel 16 on Comcast Cable at the following dates and times. May 29, at 9am, June 1, at 2pm, and June 4, at 8pm.

I really believe that if you have not made up your mind or have any doubts, that watching this forum will convince you that I am the best qualified candidate. I believe this so much that I purchased print ads publicizing the dates and times that the forum will be televised.

My campaign staff has been working overtime helping me put up more signs as citizens continue to call for them, meet with voters, attending forums and political events, waving signs at street corners and raising funds to pay for it all. I really appreciate them all and I could not do it with out them. I am often in awe of these friends, family and supporters who believe in me.

Now I am waiting for the final endorsements to come out. So far I have received the endorsements from AFSCME Local 1782, The Fraternal Order of Police, and the Albuquerque Journal North. Julie Goldberg talks about the frustration at writing the endorsement issue at the Santa Fe Reporter on her Blog. Trust me Julie waiting for the results of your writing is as grueling if not more that writing them must be. Oh well, we each have our cross to bear.

DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE! The last day to early vote is June 3, 2006. Click here for early voting sites and times.

Albuquerque Journal Endorses Sheriff Greg Solano

Today the Albuquerque Journal Endorsed me in the June Primary race for Sheriff. I am very appreciative of this endorsement. The Journal did not endorse me in the 2002 June Primary and its good to see that I have earned their confidence. I have always tried to work with the media seeing them as an important part of our democracy. The Santa Fe Reporter should come out with their endorsements May 31 and only the editor knows when the Santa Fe New Mexican will come out with theirs. I have worked hard to earn all of their endorsements and most of all to earn the voters endorsement with your votes. Thank you to all who have helped and continue to help me in my re-election bid. Only 13 more days to go! Below is the endorsement as written in the Albuquerque Journal North.

Printed from ABQjournal.com, a service of the Albuquerque Journal
Wednesday, May 24, 2006

ENDORSEMENT: Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano

The Journal didn't endorse Solano when he ran for the office the first time, in 2002. We judged him short on law enforcement experience- he had been out of the police force for seven years when he ran for sheriff.

But Solano has acquitted himself well in his four years in office. He seems to have steered clear of the garden variety personnel and department loyalty problems that might have plagued a young office-holder without much shared experience with the staff he would supervise. He has overseen the county's takeover of a privately run jail plagued with serious problems- a takeover long overdue. And he has been very visible as the public voice of the law enforcement agency responsible for the best part of 2,000 square miles, thus fulfilling another of his campaign promises.

We see no reason not to return Solano for another term. (No Republican is on the ballot in November.)

An Audio Excerpt from SFCC Forum

As I mentioned in an earlier post my opponent and I took part in a forum at the Santa Fe Community College. It was sponsored by the community access channel 16 and KSFR radio. KSFR has been running portions of the questions and answers on their news segments. Here you can listen to a question regarding the jail. My opponent wants to go back to having a private company run the jail although she alters her answer to that question based on where we are speaking. One of her campaign websites (she has two) clearly states she wants to privatize the jail.

The entire forum can be watched on Community Access Channel 16, (you must have comcast cable) The forum was taped for later showings and will be on air at 8 pm on May 26, and June 4. It will also air at 1pm on 23, and at 9 am on May 29, It will also air at 2 pm on June 1, 2006.

The Sheriff's race has also been featured on KOAT Channel 7 in a news segment called commitment 2006. I have received numerous calls in support of my answers to the questions in these segments. I hope to provide a link to these segments if KOAT puts them on their website. On Thursday May 25, 2006 there will be a forum for candidates put on by the Eldorado Residents Association at the community center in Eldorado. The forum will begin at 7:00 pm.

There are not a lot of forum's scheduled and my opponent was a no show at the Edgewood forum on Friday May 19, 2006. Early Voting has begun at several sites throughout Santa Fe, stop by and get your vote cast. There are seldom lines and you can be in and out quick.

2006 Primary Election Early Voting Sites

Main Location - Open May 9 through June 3
Santa Fe County Clerk's Office, 102 Grant Street Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504
Location Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm

Saturday, June 3 ONLY, 10:00am - 6:00pm

Alternate Sites Open May 13 through June 3

Santa Fe County Fair Building, East of Rodeo Grounds, Rodeo Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507

Pojoaque Fire Station #1, Pojoaque 17919 US 84/285, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506

Edgewood Fire Station #1, Edgewood 23, East Frontage Road, Edgewood, New Mexico 87015

Cimarron Office Complex, Eldorado, 2 North Chamisa Drive, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87508

Abedon Lopez Senior Center, Santa Cruz 153 Camino De Quintana, Santa Cruz, New Mexico 87567

Location Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 12:00 noon - 8:00 pm
Saturdays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

2006 Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

As promised I want to describe to you the events which took place this morning at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Memorial. All three major TV networks were there and KRQE's newscast is presented below. That is me in the black Sheriff's hat and grey uniform which you can see presenting a wreath in the middle of the story.

The event was a solemn one, three names were added to the wall this year. The names of Bernalillo County Sheriff''s Deputy James McGrane and Albuquerque Police Officers Richard Smith and Michael King were added to the Wall of Honor. The wall is located in the courtyard of the Police Academy in Santa Fe. It is a constant reminder to the cadets in school there of how important their training at the academy is.

Michael King and Richard Smith were shot and killed while serving a medical order on a disturbed man in August of 2005. John Hyde, age 48, was arrested for the murders. John Hyde was also accused of killing 3 others earlier in the day, prior to the two APD Officers trying to pick him up on the medical order.

James McGrane was shot and killed March 22, 2006 during a routine traffic stop in Tijeras Canyon. Michael Paul Astorga was arrested after a massive manhunt. He was found in Juarez Mexico. When James McGrane stopped Michael Paul Astorga that night he had no idea that the driver was wanted for a previous murder and was on the run from law enforcement.

A coincidence in all three murdered officer's was the fact that all three had left law enforcement and then come back. Michael King and Richard Smith retired from APD then returned to work as junior officers basically starting their careers all over again from scratch. James Mc Grane left police work and went to work for the U.S. Postal Service for many years before returning to his first love as a deputy for the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office in 2002.

Many dignitaries and law enforcement from throughout the state attended the ceremony and the heads of the two agencies whom the fallen officers belonged gave speeches. Sheriff Darren White of Bernalillo County and Chief of Police Ray Schultz gave moving speeches honoring their fallen comrades. Bagpipes played,helicopters flew over, flags were lowered and raised, and the silence was broken by the loud pops of the 21 gun salute. Then the families returned to their homes to deal with their loss. I have seen many of the same families year after year. Their hearts must break again and again each time they hear the bagpipes play. I know my heart aches and I feel a lump in my throat even though I have heard them every year since I first became an officer in 1988.

Eight columns of names have been added to the original wall as through the years names are added. It would be nice if no more names ever had to be added. Often quoted in the death of a peace officer is the bible quote "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)." This is what Law Enforcement is all about. Whether you give of your life with all the nights and endless hours away from your family, or you give of your life with the supreme sacrifice, all peace officers give. Its not a job, its a calling. God Bless the soldiers and peace officers who have made the supreme sacrifice.

Televised Sheriff Candidate Forum

Santa Fe Community Television channel 16 and KSFR Radio sponsored a televised forum for Sheriff's Candidates tonight at the Community College. The forum was taped for later showings and will be on air at 8 pm on May 20, May 26, and June 4. It will also air at 1pm on May 21, 23, and at 9 am on May 29, It will also air at 2 pm on June 1, 2006. The discussion was moderated by Bill Dupuy the on air news anchor from KSFR Radio. It was an informal format with more of a Charlie Rose feel to it as opposed to the normal debate type format.

I feel things went really well, my opponent has a much less issue oriented campaign and answered the questions much more broadly then I tried to answer them. When she did cite numbers or specifics they tended to be skewed or just plain wrong. I am not sure whether this is on purpose or if she just does not have the right information. Either way I felt really good with the forum. If you have not heard one or either of us speak the forum would be worth watching. It is only a half hour so its not a long drawn out forum and should be easy to watch. You must have comcast cable to watch the program and it is on channel 16. If you do get to see it please feel free to email me with any further questions or comments at sfsheriff@aol.com.

The Santa Fe Reporter will be coming out with their endorsements on May 31,and the New Mexican and Albuquerque Journal usually come out the week before the election which is June 6, 2006. I am looking forward to these and have my fingers crossed. These endorsements come out late for early and absentee voting but can still assist with last minute undecided voters. Today marks three weeks to the Primary Election, it is getting busier everyday as election day approaches.

I really enjoy the campaign and getting out and meeting the voters. Over the years I have met some running for office who really don't enjoy the campaigning part of the job. To me this would seem as something that if you don't enjoy it I really can't see running for office. It is so integral to public office that I believe you really must enjoy running for office in order to be a successful public servant.
Well I am yawning so I will cut this post short and hit the sack. Tomorrow morning I will be attending the Law Enforcement Memorial Services which begin at 10:00am at the Law Enforcement Academy. It is always a sad service and each year it seems we always have someone's name to add to the wall. Maybe this time next year we will not add any new names. We can only hope and pray. For those who have never been to one of these services I will try and describe the services as they occurred this year, tomorrow night in this blog.

President Al Gore Speech

In case you missed it here is President Al Gore and the speech he gave on Saturday Night.

Children Are Our Future?

Today I had lunch with volunteers and residents at the Santa Fe Youth Development Center (previously known as the youth detention center). Federal Judge Martha Vasquez joined me in honoring the volunteers who teach students, Music, Art, Native American Rituals, Religion, Culinary Arts, and Academics. It was a moving experience.

The program started with Aztec Dancers who danced and prayed. First just the Indian dancers danced then about 9 brave residents and one of the volunteers joined them. As I watched the teens dance they really got into it and had big smiles on their faces. Dressed in their sweat pants and green t-shirts, when I first arrived it was easy to distinguish them as residents. However, dancing with big smiles on their faces they looked just like any other kid, actually they looked a lot like my kids. I have a 13 year old daughter and a 20 year old son.

These were all long term detainees, most were Federal Indian Nation prisoners. In order to be placed in this program one must have been convicted of a serious felony. Dancing, smiling and enjoying the beautiful day outside these kids looked just like kids should look. Happy and enjoying life. All this was happening in the back recreation yard of the Youth Development Program. As I watched them my eyes caught the fence surrounding the property. It is tall and topped with razor wire. Just outside the fence you can see a normal playground belonging to a nearby daycare. What a difference from the harsh playground in the fence to the colorful inviting playground outside.

Inside the building we were served a meal as good as I have had in some of Santa Fe's finest restaurants. All of it was cooked by residents enrolled in the culinary arts program. Many of the volunteers were honored by the kids with moving speeches, prayers, and awards. This entire program once run by a private company is now run by Santa Fe County. It is really a shining star and a great example of government doing things right.

I know one day some of these kids will serve us a meal in their own restaurant. One day we will enjoy a sold out concert played by one of these kids. One day we will attend a gallery opening with the works of one of these children. The sad truth is one day I will also see one of these kids at the adult jail. Maybe one day I will be able to say this will not be the case, at least that is why all these great volunteers do what they do.

Early and absentee Voting Begins

On May 9, 2006 early and absentee voting began in Santa Fe County. You can vote right now at the Santa Fe County Clerks Office at 102 Grant Ave. Numerous parking spaces are reserved for voters only, right in front of the building so parking is usually easy for voters. Beginning the third Saturday (May 20th) before the election there are four early voting sites available throughout the county. In general, early sites are located at the Santa Fe Rodeo Grounds, Pojoaque Fire Station, in El Dorado, in Edgewood, and in Espanola. The exact locations and hours will be posted and advertised soon.

If you wish to vote by mail (absentee) you need only call the Santa Fe County Clerks Office at 986-6280 to get an application. Do this early as it takes time to get the application sent to you and then you must return it. The ballot will then be sent to you by mail. Mail in ballots will only be sent out by the clerks office until June 2, 2006. The primary election is June 6, 2006. I appreciate and Thank you for your vote but regardless who you vote for the important thing is for you to get out and cast your ballot.

A word of thanks to the Secretary of States Office who's employees tried hard to deal with the snags involved in the new on line campaign reporting system. Its always hard to implement new technology in what was previously a paper system. I had to deal with the staff both on the phone and in person and even though they were swamped with calls and issues the staff remained friendly and helpful. All the issues I had were dealt with promptly and efficiently. I am sure the bugs will get worked out and we will have a better system when its all done.

One final note on the story by Dan Frosch and the Santa Fe Reporter "Behind the Badge" . I received at least 50 calls from people who read and enjoyed the story. Even some of Dan's peers from other print and TV media commented on how the story was very well written. I also received calls from people who had to search for a copy as by the weekend many Santa Fe Reporter boxes were empty. As a new issue comes out today if you still would like a copy, the Reporters downtown office at 132 East Marcy street usually still has copies of the previous weeks issues. You can also access the article on line. Great job Dan!

Register to Vote by Tuesday!

Tuesday May 9, 2006 is the last day you can register to vote and still cast your ballot in the June 6, 2006 Primary. Only those registered as a Democrat can vote in the Sheriff's race, as well as the many other races which have no Republican opponents. Many Races will be decided in the June 6, primary in Santa Fe County as there are seldom Republicans running in this county. As a side note the County is looking for Election day workers! It takes a lot of good help to make the democratic process of elections work. Please consider taking the day to help with elections. Poll Workers get $130 for the day and $150 for presiding judges. Click here for more information on working the polls.

As election day gets closer the candidate forums are starting to be scheduled. May 25, 2006 there is one tentatively scheduled in Eldorado and on May 19, 2006 my wife and I will celebrate our 22 year wedding anniversary and her birthday by attending a forum scheduled in Edgewood. I will owe her a dinner and a night out on a different date to make it up to her. It is a good thing I have such a supportive and understanding wife. Even though we are celebrating our 22 wedding anniversary we have been together for 26 years, Since we were 16 years old. Hard to believe so many years have passed and now here we are with our first grandchild.

Anyway, If you are not yet registered to vote get out and do so by Tuesday!

You may register at the following locations:

Santa Fe County Clerks office at 102 Grant Avenue
Office of the Secretary of State at 325 Don Gaspar
Motor Vehicle Division located at 2544 Camino Edward Ortiz
MVD Express located at the corner of Calle Lorca and St Michaels Drive
Santa Fe Public Library at 145 Washington Avenue
Santa Fe Community College at 6401 Richards Avenue
Santa Fe Indian School at 1501 Cerrillos Road
St. Johns College at 1160 Camino de Cruz Blanca
Children, Youth and Families Department at 1920 5th Street
Human Services Department at 2542 Cerrillos Road
Health Department at 605 Letrado Street
Vocational Rehabilitation at 2109 Warner Circle
Commission for the Blind at 2905 Rodeo Road Park E, Bldg 4, Ste. 100
Commission for the Deaf at 2055 South Pacheco
Veterans Service Commission at the Bataan Memorial Building/Don Gaspar
Developmental Disabilities Planning Council at 810 W. San Mateo, Ste. C

Voter Registration is also provided for the clients of the following home health care agencies:

Professional Home Health Care at 10 Calle Medico
Visions Case Management at 1570 Pacheco Street
EGIS at 227 East Palace, Ste. N

Pop Quiz

I forgot in my last post to mention the Santa Fe Reporters Pop Quiz. These things are fun to read but nerve racking to answer the questions when they call you. You get an unannounced call and they ask you the questions and you must answer right there and then. The reporter writes exactly what you say and that's it. I actually knew that Rachel O' Conner is the DWI Czar however at the time I mixed her up with Linda Atkinson who is the director of the DWI Resource Center. I had her on my mind because she assisted me a lot with the statistics and research for the DWI forfeiture Ordinance. Other wise I answered all the questions and the quiz went well. Take a click on the link above to see how my opponent and I did.




P.S. , sorry Rachel O' Conner I bet I remember you next time I am asked.

Behind the Badge.

Behind the Badge, Hmm, interesting title. When the Santa Fe Reporter first called me and said they wanted to do a day in the life type story about me I had mixed emotions. Our wise former Governor Bruce King once said a "controversial front page story where they spell your name right is worth much more than a paid ad on the inside of the paper". It is true, people will remember story's involving you much more that they will the ad you paid for. When I first received the call from Dan Frosh, a great writer who not only writes for the Santa Fe Reporter but also for the New York Times, I had no idea it was to be a cover story. When I later found out I was to grace the cover I was much more nervous. I soon found out they were to interview family, friends, co-workers and detractors and the story was to expand from a day in the life to my whole life story. Ok, now I am really nervous and I swear I could actually see the new white hairs growing on my scalp.

Well, Dan did an excellent job and while there are parts I would not have added if I had written the story, I understand the story had to show all sides of my life. Several serious and more laid back smiling photos were taken as potential cover shots and the likability vote on the chosen shot is still out among my friends and family. Some like it and some do not, I kind of wish I did not look so serious. David Kaufman the photographer, was a real nice person and I like his work. You can not tell from the end result but the photo was taken with a backdrop provided by the downstairs disco room at Swig.

I still am surprised by my opponents assertion that morale at the Sheriff's Office is low. Granted I have over 100 employees and some are not going to be happy, but look at the facts. Sheriff's Deputies have received an average of over 21% in raises since I became Sheriff. When I started we had 14 vacancies, we now have none. Deputies now have Tasers, Pepper spray, and increased radio channels with more to come. Deputies would buy their own weapons because the Sheriff's Office weapons were old and outdated. This is no longer the case, we now provide new state of the art Glock pistols to all. Deputies were unhappy with our uniforms and at their request we changed them to one that the deputies union members picked out by committee. If morale is so low then why do we not see the 16% vacancy rate that other police agencies have. The city police is down 18 officers, The State Police is down 70, Albuquerque is down over 140 officers. We used to be the training ground for other agencies, now we take officers from other agencies. Combine the 14 vacancies we had when I became Sheriff, add the 3 new positions which have been funded and filled and this means we now have 17 more deputies patrolling the streets.

My opponent has also come out in public for privatization to occur once again at our jail. She wants to turn the jail back over to a private company and leave the employees to once again fend for themselves among the private companies that come and go every few years at privately run jails. She made this announcement at Tuesday nights AFSCME meeting where we were both invited to speak. What would morale be like when employees who now enjoy the great benefits of Santa Fe County Employment lose those benefits to a private company which in order to make a profit offers meager retirement and medical benefits. What will the jail be like when three previous companies failed to make a profit and the next company looks to cut corners and succeed where the others have all failed. Unlike my opponent I will not launch personal attacks but I will point out where I feel my opponents ideas and statements are wrong. The jail is one of those instances.

Legalizing Drugs in Mexico and New Mexico

Joe Monahan blogs about legalization of drugs in Mexico and New Mexico.

The Mexican Congress has approved a bill to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana, heroin, cocaine and even Ecstasy. Mexico says it hopes the measure will help police focus on large drug trafficking, rather than minor drug busts. The NM pro-drug message died a quiet death when Johnson & Company exited. No wonder. New Mexico's Rio Arriba County has the highest rate of heroin overdose deaths in America. (17 in 2004) If Mexico is going to concentrate on the big dealers they could start with the gangs that continue to flood Rio Arriba with deadly dope. Our own state and federal governments also need to do more.

Before this vote was taken in Mexico I wrote a college paper on drug legalization and then posted some of the paper on my blog. I still miss the logic that allowing small amounts of drugs would give Law Enforcement more time to concentrate on big dealers. Joe is correct on his mention of the high rate of heroin overdoses in Northern New Mexico. Ever wonder why we don't have a lot of Meth labs in Northern New Mexico? Because the Meth is brought in from Mexico along with the Heroin trucked in to New Mexico from Mexico.

Someone close to me was upset about my stand on immigration because they felt that the building of walls and the increased security would put a dent in the drug trafficking also. I still feel the main problem with legalization of even small amounts of narcotics will not deter crime related to drug addiction and remove a major avenue for those addicted to get treatment. Most people who get some type of treatment do so through the courts after charges are filed by law enforcement.

Joe Monehan and Julia Goldberg each mention how boring the primary elections are so far. I don't know, it is not boring to me. From the signs blowing away in the winds or otherwise coming to their demise,to the nasty comments from opponents. (Are Patricia Madrid and I the only ones getting negative campaigning from our opponents?) The election cycle is in full swing. With five weeks to go the radio ads, newsprint ads, forums, endorsements, and the fight for them are closing in. Oh well, 6-6-06 will come and pass pretty quickly. What a date for an election! You can see why I always throw in the zero.

In some unrelated good news my wife and I became Grandparents this last weekend. My Granddaughter Marilyn Judy was born Saturday. I still don't think of myself as a Grandfather and I don't think I am ready for the "Grandpa" license plate or t-shirt. Nonetheless I am very happy for my son and his fiancé. I am still hopeful that the world will be a better place for her and my Great Grandchildren. Isn't that what we all strive for in our own way? Whether its news reporters performing their service, or most politicians and especially those who believe in them and work for their election, all the way to those who just work hard every day just to pay the bills and give their children the basic necessities. We all hope for a better life for our children and their children. Its the basic premise of life in America.

Attorney General's, and Sheriff's Race

The state wide Sheriff's Conference has ended and it was a real good conference. The social events ended up really interesting with the different Sheriff's from New Mexico's 33 Counties discussing their various races in an honest and casual atmosphere. This being an election year that was the main topic of conversation outside of the training and meetings.

A forum was held for the Attorney General Candidates. Candidates Lemuel Martinez, Geno Zamora, and Jim Bibb all attended. Notably missing was candidate Gary King, he was reportedly in Geneva Switzerland giving a speech. The forum went well with all candidates coming across knowledgeable and speaking well. I will withhold my opinion on this race except to say that as a staunch democrat I will have no trouble supporting any of the democratic candidates as they are all very qualified and should do a great job. Jim Bibb was young and did somewhat impress me and I am sure we will see more of him (maybe we can get him to change party's). Jim Bibb did seem to emphasize his tour in Afghanistan just a little too much. He deserves much respect for his service but I am not sure that relates to the job of Attorney General.

A big topic at the forum for Attorney General Candidates was the State Treasurer Robert Vigil's Trial. Each candidate took a strong stance on corruption and the investigation and prosecution of government officials involved in corruption. Which brings me to some kudos for The Santa Fe Reporter and their story this week uncovering the connection between Guy Riordan and Con Alma. It was a fact that remained uncovered by all the other news media. They also actually spoke to Eric Serna on the issue which was another exclusive in itself. I wonder if Con Alma will survive the scandals and still be around in a year or two. They do fill a need in New Mexico and do many worthwhile donations and grants.

Two of the three local papers have called to set up meetings for endorsements in the Sheriff's Race. I am hopeful for a home run with all three endorsements. The media in past years has always emphasized freedom of the press issues and access to government records. I can't think of another police agency that is more open than mine. In three years we have never even had a Freedom of Information Act Letter sent to us because I always release information with just a phone call and if I don't release the information I make very clear why and the reporters have always understood. All the media has my cell phone which I answer 24/7 and my home number is even listed in the telephone directory so all constituents can call me at home or at the office. Try looking up my opponents home phone number, you will not find it. I have always tried to be as accessible as I can given my hectic schedule. Endorsements are nice to have but all candidates realize that they don't take the place of hard campaigning and gaining the support of the voters. Due to early and absentee voting many voters have either voted or made up their minds by the time endorsements come (usually the week or weekend before the election). Have a safe weekend!

County Commission Passes DWI forfeiture Ordinance

The Santa Fe County Commission passed the DWI forfeiture Ordinance yesterday. The ordinance allows the seizure of a suspect’s vehicle on the third DWI arrest when they have two prior convictions on their record. A vehicle may also be seized if the driver is driving while their license is revoked for a DWI arrest. Commissioner Harry Montoya carried the ordinance after I proposed that the county consider passing such an ordinance. I really want to thank the County commissioners, our excellent legal staff and all the DWI prevention proponents who assisted in getting this passed. A special thanks to the Santa Fe New Mexican who really kept this issue at the forefront of the newspaper and on their web site. I also want to thank the other media who also keep this issue on people’s radar screens.

Seized vehicles will either be sold at auction or the county may allow an innocent owner to sign an agreement which will allow the vehicle to only be booted for 30 days. The owner pays the cost of the boot and the vehicle will not be forfeited. An ignition interlock may also be installed as part of the agreement. The agreement also states that if the same offender is caught driving the same vehicle while either on a revoked drivers license (revoked for D.W.I.) or while actually driving while intoxicated, the vehicle will be subject to immediate seizure and will be sold.

This ordinance will give families a tool to use when their family members want to use the car and they have a history of drunk driving. They can refuse to lend or allow use of the car and tell their family members the reason is that they do not want to lose the family car. It puts more pressure on family's to not let their family member drive drunk.

Currently drivers convicted of D.W.I. have no reason to drive on a revoked drivers license. Anyone who has had their license taken away for D.W.I. can get their license back if they install an Interlock Device on their vehicle. With that provision there is no reason that someone should be driving on a revoked license for D.W.I.. Therefore we have given them the means to legally drive and not be subject to having their vehicle taken and if they choose not to follow the law then the consequences are their own fault. The ordinance will take effect July 1, 2006.

In other news aside from returning to Santa Fe for the county commission meeting, the State Sheriff's and Police Conference is going well. The training has been excellent and the networking as always is a great tool to see what is happening in other parts of the state. As another great side note they have door prizes and I won an IPOD given away at the conference. My 13-year-old daughter has been asking for one and I will probably give it to her for her 14th birthday, which is in June.

The winds are playing havoc with my campaign signs for the re-election. No matter how carefully we secure them we are losing quite a few each day. I hope the winds die down otherwise we will have to place another order for more signs. Signs are a necessary evil and the most inexpensive form of advertising. They also can be the most frustrating part of a political campaign. Signs are routinely thrown down, blown down, run over, vandalized and mysteriously disappear. Candidates and their supporters begin to blame the other candidates and their supporters for the missing and damaged signs. After two campaigns and now being in the midst of my third I can say that most of the time it’s just the elements (wind, rain, etc) or people not related to the other candidates damaging or throwing down signs.

Now for a plug on my re-election campaign. If you would like a yard sign or have property where you would like us to install the sign call 505-470-4731 and we will get one to you or install it for you. If we install it we also keep a list and take it down when the election is over. You can also fill out a form at my campaign web site to ask for bumper stickers, buttons, and signs as well as volunteer to help the campaign. Other than signs in the wind the re-election campaign is going well. Unfortunately my opponent is getting increasingly negative in her campaign however, I will not follow suit. I vow to stay positive and just campaign on my record and the issues.

State Cops Conference Time

This week I am at the New Mexico State Sheriff's and Police Association Conference in Albuquerque New Mexico. It is a week long Annual Conference and it includes many hours of training. I am a Vice President of the organization so we are in for a busy week.

The training this year includes Marijuana growing information, Interview, Interrogation and Investigative Strategies, Clandestine Lab Manufacturing Awareness Trends, Terrorism Intelligence, Money Laundering and Terrorist Finance, Avian Flue and Bio Weapons, Fugitives in Mexico, Current Trends in Meth Trade, Taggers, Legal Updates, Intelligence Preparations to Operations and combating Terrorism, and Right Wing Extremists and Hate Group training. There will also be a few non-training discussions on various topics. Whew, that was a lot to list. On top of all that we also have meetings with all the Sheriff's just to share information on what each of us is dealing with in our respective 33 counties.

So you can see that when New Mexico's Sheriff's get together for a conference it is far from a junket or all party. Although there is fun stuff also, Golf and Pistol Tournaments, dinners, award ceremonies and other social events. So this week I will try and fill you all in on the weeks training and events. Maybe I can even through in a few pics of our conference. The Golf Tournament was Sunday April 24th and I did not attend (I must admit I am one of the few politicians I know that has never played golf). I checked into the hotel late tonight and as you can see I am still up past midnight finishing my online Community College homework and blogging.

This week I will travel back and forth to Santa Fe for some items I cannot miss. Tuesday is the first public hearing on the DWI Forfeiture Ordinance. I hope this passes and I do not expect much public resistance. The City is moving forward on this also and I want to thank City Councilor Patty Bushee for getting the ball rolling on this.

Several Times during this week I have NDI practice. NDI is the National Dance Institute which is a children's self esteem building program in Santa Fe. Each year they put on a show with 500 kids in one show and myself, some other deputies and some City Police Officers will join them in the show. Last year Kathy De La Torre a New Mexican Photographer caught me in mid air during this show and while I got a lot of ribbing, the photo was chosen as one of the top 10 of 2005. Some friends photoshop'ed (is photoshop'ed a word?) the pic and added a ballerina and tutu just to have fun with me. I actually enjoy a good joke and it was funny. The kids (and yes there are 500 in one show) really get a kick out of it and it allows them to see cops in a non-stressful situation and get to know them as friends. Usually when kids see cops it is only when something bad is happening you can see I have a busy week but I will try and keep you up to date as the week progresses. Good luck to our new Chief of Police, I know he will do a great job!

Red Light Camera's

One item that has come up in Santa Fe County recently is the use of Red Light Cameras at Santa Fe County intersections. The use of these cameras to issue official criminal traffic citations is illegal in the state of New Mexico. State Law requires citations to be given by a uniformed certified officer who must witness the infraction. The only exception is in the case of an accident when the officer can rely on evidence at the scene and witness statements to issue the citations. So how does Albuquerque use the Red Light cameras to issue citations? They do this through a civil action.

The citations issued are civil summons issued by the city. The only cause of action if you do not pay the citation is for the city to take civil action and boot your vehicle under civil forfeiture ordinances until you pay. If you do pay the citation then the only penalty is the cash you send to the city. No matter how many citations you get for running red lights by the cameras you will not receive points on your M.V.D. records. Your insurance companies will not know you even received a citation. The penalty is cash and or impoundment. Violators are fined $100 the first time, $250 plus a 30-day impound of the vehicle for the second time. For subsequent offenses, there is a $500 fine plus a 90-day impound. The city saves on storage fees by impounding your car in your own driveway by booting the vehicle.

The number of cameras in Albuquerque that will catch those running red lights has doubled in the last month and will increase five times in a year. Critics say that the city is expanding the program not to prevent red light accidents but rather because the cameras are huge moneymakers for the City. In February of 2006 a traffic camera at Coors and Paseo del Norte caught 1,353 motorists driving through the intersection after the light turned red. Assuming that all citations were first time violators the city raised $338,250 in one month at one location.

A real disturbing trend is the local media searching the records of who was cited and publicizing politicians, government workers, police officers and other notables who are caught running the lights. I am someone who really does not media bash or blame the media for all the worlds ills however, how many searches have been done for media workers who are caught by the camera's. If you make a mistake and are caught by the camera is public embarrassment for the select few who work for the government or whom are public figures an intended punishment of which only those individuals should be subjected? Granted everyone’s driving record is public record but its not as likely that you will ever see a public officials citation written by a regular officer published on the front page or on the ten o’clock news.

I really see a problem when traffic citations are used as a revenue source. Unlike the view of many cited motorists, there are no quotas. We do not raise the Sheriff's Office Revenue by issuing citations. The public would probrably not re-elect me nor should they if we had quotas. These promote abuse and bad citations issued by deputies who just need to pull over citizens in order to reach their quota. We do receive $1 (one dollar) for every citation that is plead or found guilty in court. Most are not, usually people go to driving school or get a deferred sentence and we do not get the dollar. Last year I believe we got about $10,000 from the thousands of citations we issued. This was out of a taxpayer provided budget of just under seven million dollars.

The bottom line is we give citations as educational tools, not to raise money. They final question I have is do we approve that the owner of the vehicle should pay the price no matter who is driving when the red light is run? Drivers are not usually identified so the car and the owner are cited not the actual driver. So what do you think? Do the problems of red light runners and the high amount of accidents they cause justify the use of the red light cameras? Feel free to comment on this post.

Happy Easter Eggs !

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This holiday I felt I would not post anything controversial, at least not as controversial as my April Fools Day Post. How many of you knew that your software, DVD Movies, Games and other items have Easter Eggs? Well they do ! Just like any good Easter Egg, you have to hunt for them.

Easter eggs have been cropping up in computer hardware and software for at least a couple of decades now. No one's certain exactly when this practice started. In 1977, Many cartridges for the Atari 2600 game system contained Easter eggs. Early Apple Macintosh and Commodore Amiga's also were known to have some eggs hidden in their system software. Since then, nearly every major operating system and software program has been home to at least one egg. Some companies are strict about putting Easter Eggs in their products and others companies are less strict.

Here is what Bill Gates said in an Interview to New York Times : "We don't mind including credit screens in a product, as long as they don't burn up too much development time or require many resources of the consumer's machine. A lot of work and pride go into creating a software product, and it's understandable that the people involved enjoy getting credit. Unfortunately, the credit list can never be comprehensive because so many people contribute."
Other companies don't have much use for eggs of any kind. Developers at Intuit, say they'd rather spend time fixing bugs than adding eggs. Nico Mak, maker of WinZip, states that his team would rather add more features to the product than waste time with eggs.

Not every egg is simply a scrolling list of programmers. These computer goodies range from a dull, scrolling cast list of the developers to cool, 3D video games. Click here to start exploring some of the best known Easter Eggs, available to date.

And from The Sheriff, let me wish you all a very Happy Easter!

P.S. (see if you can find the Hidden Easter Egg in this post!)

The "War on Drugs"

I am taking classes at the Santa Fe Community College (mostly on line) in order to finish a degree in Criminal Justice. One of my classes is Composition and Rhetoric. The class was assigned the task of a one page essay on the cause and effects of legalizing drugs. I thought I would take some excerpts from that paper and post it here. The entire essay seemed long to post here so hopefully my butchering it will still leave it readable and on point.

The legalization of narcotic drugs in the United States is a constantly debated topic. When you separate the hype and political rhetoric from the facts you will find that legalized or not drug addiction and the crime associated with it will not go away.

One of the problems with this issue is “what some call the war on drugs”. I believe that the catch phrase is part of the problem. The criminal aspects are no different than other serious crimes law enforcement deals with every day. We try to reduce burglaries, homicides, and auto accidents, yet we don't call those efforts a “war”. The fact is people who are in drug treatment get there by way of the courts and law enforcement. Legalizing drugs will not stop people from being addicted. It will not lower the drug related crimes either. Those addicted will still have to pay for their addiction. Addicted persons tend to be unproductive and will still be unable to hold down a job. They will resort to crime to pay for their addiction.

Movies such as Traffic, made in 2000 highlight the many factors that make the drug problem one that has no easy answers. In the Movie Michael Douglas plays a conservative judge who is appointed by the President to spearhead America's escalating war against drugs, only to discover that his teenage daughter is an addict. He is forced to examine his core beliefs about the drug war and just who the drug addicts are. To many those with drug addictions are the homeless, downtrodden who have “created their own situation”. What this movie forced its main character to come to grips with was the fact that those addicted with drugs are our own brothers and sisters, children and grandchildren, and even our mothers and fathers.

In Santa Fe County I have worked in what some call the war on drugs for about 12 years. I grew up at an early age just across the street from one of Santa Fe’s Community Housing Projects. Most of the kids I grew up with are in prison or dead. The prevailing factor has been drugs. Go to any drug addiction treatment facility and ask people why they are in treatment. The overwhelming majority of patients will tell you they are court ordered. How does one get court ordered to treatment? Through arrest or charges filed by law enforcement. It is primarily through law enforcement efforts that people receive treatment. Society does not look at law enforcement in that manner.

Many say the cost of illegal drugs will drop if legalized. Why would drug companies lower costs on a captive audience? Have alcohol prices dropped since prohibition ended? Politicians would put a high sin tax on drugs just as they do with cigarettes and alcohol. The high cost of legal drugs will allow for a black market and the illegal drug trade to continue. Restrictions on the sale of drugs to felons and to those with addictions will be passed also. This would further the black market and illegal sales.

The majority of inmates in prison are not incarcerated for drug charges; the fact is they are incarcerated for crimes committed in order to pay for their addiction or for violence committed during drug transactions. The average criminal is arrested and convicted three to four times for felony offenses before they are sent to prison. These are individuals who have failed to avail themselves of the opportunities for treatment and the chances to turn their lives around with each arrest. Legalizing drugs will not change any of these factors. Individuals will still become addicted. Once addicted, they will not be productive members of society with the ability to pay for their addiction. They will turn to crime as a means to obtain or pay for the drugs. My opinion is to strengthen an all-inclusive approach to the drug problem. We need a good balance of law enforcement, treatment, prevention and education.

Phone Jamming Records Point to White House.

I was up late (yes its midnight) reading news articles when I came across this article. It only shows the lengths the current administration will go to further its political agenda. It is scary and one wonders who would even have thought up this scheme.

A small excerpt:

Democrats have suggested in a court filing that another subject was discussed: a GOP scheme that jammed phone lines to keep state Democrats from being encouraged to vote.
The phone-jamming operation has led to three federal convictions and a pending indictment. Prosecutors have not raised questions in court about the White House conversations _ but records of the calls were available to them as criminal court exhibits.

Controversy and Immigration

My stance on this issue has created some controversy especially on the New Mexicans comments section of their website. I have received some very hateful and vicious emails and calls and some very supportive. The supportive calls and emails has been about three to one which is nice. The biggest bone of contention seems to be the belief that some have that I cannot enforce the laws while speaking out against them at the same time. I truly believe that in America laws are drafted and changed through a democratic process that involves speaking out and letting our elected officials know how you feel on an issue. The fact that I am an Elected Official and a Law Enforcement Officer does not preclude my right and responsibility to seek changes in our laws while still enforcing them.

That said, I want to make very clear that we as local Law Enforcement Officers do not enforce immigration laws. We cannot arrest someone strictly on the basis of their immigration status. If someone commits a crime and also happens to be undocumented then the arrest is made and immigration officials, if they are interested in the case will take up the immigration portion of the case. Just a note: many, many misdeameanor cases such as D.W.I., shoplifting etc. are ignored by immigration officials and they will not deport based on these arrests simply because they are over taxed and do not have time to deal with these individuals.

Now, what I am advocating is not that we do not deal with the immigration problems but rather that we advocate legal means for these workers to come to our country and work legally. I support working towards a meaningful immigration policy that makes sense and is enforcable. It is obvious that the current system does not work. Another note: Some of the people who have called me, hire or have used undocumented workers themselves, yet they disagree with my beliefs on this issue. On the one hand they want to take advantage of the workers while they are here but on the other hand they say we should not allow them to be here illegally. I find this highly hypocritical and is at the root of this problem.

I truly feel that we can deal with homeland security issues and immigration issues while still bieng compassionate and giving of the people coming to America to make a better life for themselves and their family's.

Human Rights and Immigrants March

Today I attended the Immigrants Rights Rally and March organized by Unsomos Pueblo Unido and others. It was definitely the largest rally and march of its type I have ever seen in Santa Fe. Hundreds of immigrants and locals joined with union leaders, politicians, members of the NAACP and many other oganizations to march for peace and immigrants rights. I have worked with immigrants rights groups on many issues and I was asked to give a speech. Here are excerpts from the speech I gave. I have doubts about spelling on the Spanish portions.

Buenos Tardes, Me llamo es Gregorio Solano, el Sheriff en Santa Fe. (Good afternoon, my name is Greg Solano the Sheriff of Santa Fe.)

Me habla muy poquito espanol, pero me corazon es puro Hispano Americano. ( I speak very little Spanish however my heart is pure Hispanic American.)

At one time our president demanded Russian President Gorbichof to "tear down that wall". Now some in the Republican Party and in Congress wish to build a great wall on our borders.

This will change the very nature of America and the principles it was built on. The call from the statue of liberty itself. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. " Outlined what America is all about.

We must work together for legalization of undocumented immigrants and a guest-worker program.

We must oppose laws that crack down on illegal immigrants and laws that would punish those who help them.

We have a god given mandate to care for our brothers and sisters and show compassion for the poor.

We must stand united, this is not a Mexican verses an American thing, this is a human rights issue. Often we go to other countries and fight for the human rights of others. There is a human rights struggle happening here and now in our own country.

It is not easy for some to stand up and speak out. But I defer to the late great Dr. Martin Luther King who put it best when he said "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

So to all the politicians out there who are trying to stay politically correct, to those who are silent in this issue, I say speak out. It's a not just a political issue, it's the right thing to do.

Gracias, vallen condios ( Thank you , May god go with you)

Attack of the Republican Consultant

In a move usually reserved for statewide candidates or candidates of higher office Whitney Cheshire, President of Cheshire Communication Strategies, a Republican and conservative campaign attack dog, has blasted me for my April Fools Post. On her unabashedly Republican blog Wednesday Morning Quarterback she has taken the typical Republican attack strategy straight out of the their Michael Paul Astorga play book and gone as far as to say that on the night I posted my April Fools post I should have been out looking for Michael Paul Astorga. Wow, that one floored me. I truly feel she dishonored law enforcement in general and all the efforts in particular of my fine deputies and detectives, who spent countless hours participating in the man hunt. She also felt I had ruined my relationship with the presidents security detail. What this really is about is a Republican attack on a staunch Democrat. Since she does not allow comments on her blog I emailed her.

Here is a excerpt:

I can guarantee that I have an excellent working relationship with the Secret Service and this didn't even register a blip on their screen. Do you really think that the Secret Service is worried about where the President is not going to be? I personally have worked with two Presidents Administrations and one Vice President (Clinton,Gore and Bush) and have met both Presidents and the Vice President on their visits to Santa Fe County and I am sure I will continue to do so. I was very careful not to do anything that would endanger or hurt anyone in this and your insinuations that I somehow hurt homeland security or put the president at risk, or even brought shame to the county or state is really out there. Oh well, Blogs including yours and mine are about opinions and I respect yours even though I disagree. I allow comments on my blog and I wish you did on yours also.

Biggest Visitor Days Ever

The April Fools Day Prank has lead to the largest number of visitors I have ever had to this Blog. There has been over 200 visitors to this blog since April 1 and the biggest day ever was Monday April 3, 2006 with 116 visitors. The last biggest day was 51 visitors on March 30th. Most average days prior to this was 20 to 30 per day. I am not sure what it says that my prank attracted more visitors then my regular ramblings. Hopefully you all will stick with me as a regular reader. I offer the ability to comment on my posts, please take advantage of this I would like to see this become more of a dialog on issues I bring up rather than just my thoughts and opinions. Until next time be safe and have a great day!

April Fools Day is Over

Ok, I had a lot of fun with the last post. If any of you did not click on the more information link then you still may not realize it was an April Fools Joke. I received no less than 15 calls from various reporters and new organizations including two of the three Major T.V. Stations in New Mexico. Some called just to congratulate me on a good joke, Some called trying to get more information on President Bush's Visit to Santa Fe. One reporter thanked me for angering his editor, he thought that was the really funny part. Apparently his editor did not think my joke was that funny. I really thought that any newsperson would want to know more about the story and click on the more information link right away and learn it was a big April Fools Joke. I was surprised that some reporters began running with the story before clicking on the link which would let you know it was an April Fools Joke. Anyway, I had a lot of fun and hopefully some of you did also. A big thanks to Henry who unwittingly gave me the idea for this prank. Now back to serious stuff.

President Bush to visit Santa Fe

I will probrably anger the White House Press Secretary by telling you this but here it is. President Bush will visit Santa Fe New Mexico Friday April 7th for just a few hours. The President will be giving a speech on immigration and will be naming former Mayor Debbie Jaramillo to a task force whose mission it is to foster relations with Mexican immigrants in the United States. I found this hard to belive but the meeting I had today with Secret Service advance men asking for us to assist with security and road blocks confirmed this information. This was especially surprising considering that Debbie Jaramillo is a Democrat. Maybe it is an attempt to reach accross party lines on this issue. I did find one reference to this task force on the internet. Click here for more infomation. Have a good weekend!

Speed Humps will grow like weeds

It's spring time in Santa Fe County. We are getting a little (very little moisture) and few things are growing in Santa Fe County. One thing is about to start growing, Speed Humps. The Santa Fe County Commission has approved spending $64,000 to put speed humps on County Roads 113S, CR84, and 84E as well as CR63. I don't blame the commissioners, squeeky wheels get the grease and the county commissioners were really hearing it from the residents in these areas. The Sheriff's office did all they could to increase patrols, use traffic speed trailers and signs provided by public works, and issue many citations in order to help calm the residents nerves and complaints. I am sure that right after our deputies left the area to go to the next area or to rush to a call where they were needed that residents or users of the roads sped up again. One time in Eldorado I received numerous complaints over speeding in the area. The next day we had deputies giving tickets in the area and I drove up to see how it was going. I stopped to backup one of my deputies and after we approched the car I heard the ladies name and realized she had called me complaining the day before. She was furious as she recieved her citation. The Sheriff's office, Fire Department officials and others opposed the humps over the last year citing the problems they cause emergency response in the areas which have them. Officially I oppose humps for those reasons, personally I oppose humps for other reasons.

Speed humps are supposedly designed to cause people to slow down to the speed limit, typically 25 in residential areas. In reality drivers must drive approximately 10 mph or slower in order to negotiate them. Vehicles in our gas conscious times are created smaller and lower to the ground in order to save gas with increased aerodynamics. The Sheriff's office purchased Chevy Impalas in the last three years abandoning the Ford Crown Victorias which are larger but use more gas. Like most cars the Impala has an 8.5 inch clearance under the vehicle without any weight in the vehicle. Put a 180 to 240 pound officer in and fill the trunk with police equiptment, install radios and cages to secure the prisoner in the back and the vehicle drops another 2 inches at minimum. Go over the speed hump at even the posted speed limit and you and the car are in for a jolt. You have no choice but to go much slower than the speed limit. Put a victim in an ambulance while you are trying to insert an I.V. or other medical lifesaving procedures and you must really drive painstakingly slow as you are trying to rush a seriously injured person to the hospital. What makes speed humps effective ? The fact that they reduce the amount of traffic on a street in which they have been installed. People whether they commonly speed or not will avoid roads which have them. This causes side or nearby roads to have increased traffic usually causing the addition of traffic calming devices on these roads as well. It causes congestion on nearby roads by increasing the traffic on side roads and decreasing traffic on the roads with the humps.

I live in a community where the roads are owned and maintained by the homeowners association. Shortly after I moved in two years ago Speed humps were placed abundantly by the board of the homeowners association through out the community. Many homeowners like myself who did not know they were going in were shocked. My wife owned a 1990's Firebird and no matter how slow or what angle we used to attack the humps We scraped the bottom horribly. We traded in the car for a four wheel drive pickup. After going over the 7 humps between my home and the main road for just one year we started noticing noisy shocks in the truck. Trust me, my wife who uses it the majority of the time never comes even close to speeding. Something like 90% of the residents turned in a petition to remove at least some of the humps but the board resisted for two years.

What made the board change their minds? Reductions in home values which came about because residents were having trouble selling their homes. New prospective home buyers looked at all the humps and shied away from buying. Many felt the humps signaled problems in the neighborhoods and others just did not want to transverse them every day. After the board and residents realized it was hurting sales of homes in the area humps finally started being removed at a considerable cost to homeowners through their dues and even a dues increase. So homeowners be careful what you ask for. Speed humps could end up reducing your property values or cause you to take longer to sell your home, many people would rather live in a place without them.

So why did I say in the title that humps would grow like weeds? The City started its speed hump program some years ago with a modest budget and the plan of putting speed humps and later roundabouts in a few high complaint areas only. Once some people had them others throughout the city wanted them in their neighborhood also. Thus the budget and the humps grew like weeds in the desert. Some of the public works employees have told me that despite the cites wishes to reign in the speed hump growth, screaming constituents caused City Councilors to relent and add more and more. Thus goes my prediction that the 4 roads getting humps this year will grow proportionally year by year. I compare it to Moores law of computers which states that computer processor speeds will double every 18 months. Speed humps will grow at a rate of double the amount installed the previous year until the county residents or the county budget can take no more. Maybe this will be named Greg's law of speed humps.

links related to speed hump problems
National Motorists Association

Association of British Drivers, What they don't want you to know about speed humps.

The Mourning Badge

Yesterday was one of the worst days for a Law Enforcement Officer.

It had to be even worse for my counterpart in Bernalillo County. Early yesterday morning Sheriff Darren White had to go to the home of one of his deputies and tell his wife that her husband would never come home again. Deputy James McGrane Jr. Age 38 was killed on a traffic stop on NM 337 near the intersection of NM 333 in the East Mountains. As Officers we all sooner or later have to go to someone's home early in the morning and tell them their loved one has died. Once we become Sheriff or Chief we all pray that we never have to make that visit at the home of one of our own. I have had a couple of occurrences, a shooting, a stabbing and a couple of car accidents where I thanked god that things turned out ok and the deputy make it through the ordeal.

Yesterday I went through a ritual, a ritual that all officers go through when one of our own doesn't make it home. I went looking for my black little elastic band. Its a small symbol, kind of like the memorials that people create at death scenes. The difference here is that it is a cop thing. We all get this little black band or a piece of black tape and place it over our badge. The symbol of pride and authority becomes the symbol of mourning. We always have to make one, or go to the local cop shop and get another one. I was talking to one of my corporals in the morning and said "everytime this happens I have to get another one, I don't know why I don't save it" She had the perfect answer, " Its bad luck to save it, Its like your expecting or waiting for the next one." Do I unconsciously not keep it? In the back of my mind do I lose it or throw it as though I never expect to need it again?

Every May we have a memorial service for all officers ever killed in the line of duty in New Mexico. The large granite slabs list every name of every officer killed in the line of duty. Almost every year a name or two are added. The memorial sits in the courtyard of the Police Academy. All new officers in New Mexico go to this academy. The dormroom windows overlook the courtyard. For 21 weeks they see the memorial everyday. Its a constant reminder of why they must take everything they learn in the academy seriously. When you are young and new to the job your invincible. When you put on that badge, the gun, the bullet resistant vest, its like Superman putting on his cape. After a few years, maybe a car wreck, a close call or two you learn. You are just a man or a woman with a badge. Not a magic badge, not a shield of invincibility. All the training, all the hard work at being aware of your surroundings, and all the special tactics sometimes just don't matter. Sometimes your at the wrong place at the wrong time. The badge of invincibility becomes a target. At a simple traffic stop, where maybe you were just going to give someone a speeding ticket you unknowingly become a target. My guess is Deputy McGrane Jr. never knew what was coming. I dedicate this blog to Deputy McGrane, his family and all the officers left out there to carry on Deputy McGrane's mission. May God bless you all, Be Safe, May no more names be carved into the granite wall next year. At the end of Deputy McGranes funeral services I will throw away my little black band.

















Deputy James McGrane Jr.
Killed in the line of duty.
3-22-02

Happy Filing Day

Today is candidates filing day for State and Local offices. For many incumbents and non-incumbents running for office it’s a nerve-racking day. I actually enjoy it as the official kick off to the Election Day race. Many incumbents are worried about drawing opposition. No opposition especially as a Democrat in a Santa Fe County Primary means the race is over and you've won. Non-incumbents are worried about who will actually file and who will not. There is really no telling how many opponents you will have and who they will be until filing day comes.

I have always begun my race with the General Parade at Fiesta's. This is in September of the year prior to the primary. The first time I ran in 1998 only then Under Sheriff Ray Sisneros and I had been campaigning for 7 months when filing day came. On filing day three others jumped into the race. It was disappointing to both of us but especially me. With Ray pretty much running as an incumbent along with Sheriff Benjie Montano planning to be Under Sheriff the rest of us were pretty much splitting the vote of those unhappy with the current administration. I worked hard and still came in a close second.

Today there were no surprises in the race for Sheriff. I drew an opponent whom I expected to run. I won't mention the opponents name since the opponent is relatively unknown. It's kind of fun when I have been campaigning and people ask me who my opponent is I just smile and say "no one else knows who it is either so I don't give the name out." People usually laugh and go along, some ask "no really, who is it?" I don't give in. So don't expect to learn the name in any of my blog postings.

After filing time ends at 5 PM the candidates all gather and draw numbers to see who's name comes first, second etc. on the ballot. Everyone wants to be first but I really feel it does not matter. Ok, just for disclosure sake I drew second to my opponent. But really, I have never drawn first and was third and last on the ballot in my last race. This was the race I won. Some people actually think that if you are first on the ballot that an undecided may go in and pick the first name not knowing whom else to vote for. Even though some people don't really study the candidates I still have more faith in our voters than to believe that any more than the very few would ever vote in this fashion. I also feel that if anyone votes in this fashion that the candidates have not done their job. It is our job as candidates to get exposure to the voting public. No one should walk into the voting booth not at least recognizing our name. If they vote for others based on some other reasons that is one thing. However, not knowing even one of the candidate’s names is something else.

So, the gate is up and the race is on. I really enjoy the campaigning part of this job. I really enjoy meeting people, shaking hands and debating the issues. It's odd isn't it? That someone would actually enjoy the madness. It’s a good thing you don't have to pass a psychological test to run for office because you have to be crazy to do it. Anyway, Happy Filing Day!

All Politics is Local

I took a week off of blogging not intentionally but just because it was such a hectic week I didn't get near my keyboard. This week we had a large political function at the Fraternal Order Of Police on Airport Road. It was a St. Patrick's Day Dinner and it went off really well. Around 300 people joined us for Corned Beef and Cabbage cooked to perfection by my good friends Victor and Lydia Lioce. These types of events have two main purposes. One is to gather supporters and whip up momentum in the election. It's a chance to handout signs and bumper stickers, collect names of volunteers and just remind everyone that the election is heating up. The other purpose is to raise funds. This has always been the most controversial and difficult part of running for office.

These type of local affordable functions give the common voter a chance to be part of the process. The $10 raffles and $5.00 dinners don't raise the kind of money that lunches with big donors and $100 a plate dinners at the local galleries raise, but they allow everyone to get involved and contribute to the candidate of their cause. Real advertising and votes in local elections are not gathered by media advertising or who has the largest and prettiest signs. They are garnered by word or mouth. So many people who have not made up their minds or who don't know or have not met one of the candidates personally decide who to vote for by taking into account what a friend or relative recommends. Word of mouth is the most cost effective and reliable way to garner votes.

So how do you get people to talk about you? You ask them, you must never forget to ask people to vote for you. Many times people will vote for someone just because they met someone once and they were asked for the vote. Those same people will talk about you to their friends and relatives if you impress them when you spoke to them. Former Governor Bruce King was the master at this type of campaigning. Where ever he went he made it a point to shake everyone's hand in the room. The most amazing part of Governor King was his ability to remember everyone's name. He only had to meet you once and he would remember your name a year or two later. Because of this even today he has loyal supporters who would vote for him and work for him in any race. As he shook your hand he always asked for your support, more often than not he received it.

New Mexico and Santa Fe County is growing but still has not grown to the point where personal campaigning has become ineffective and I loathe the day when that happens. When New Mexico elections are won or lost based entirely on who has the most effective media campaign, this will mark the end of grass roots elections based on individuals and their hearts and personality's and the beginning of who has the best marketing persons and is the most photogenic. It has been said all politics is local, We must work hard to keep it that way.

Until next post Be Safe and have a great day!

Democratic Singles?

I was perusing the New Mexican free web site today when a tile ad caught my eye. It advertised election discussions with democratic singles and offered pictures to view. I rarely click on ads but it piqued my curiosity. Not because I am looking for dates, I am happily married to a beautiful woman. (hope I get points with the wife for that comment) Anyway I just wondered whether the likes of Eharmony.com and others were actually working demographics all the way down to the political orientation level. Ok, so I clicked on the ad and found the Democratic People Network. I did not go past the first advertisement page because it required you to sign up and even though it was free I do not like to sign up for stuff on the net.

So for you lonely Democrats or Republicans out there (yes there is a Republican People Network) there is a place to find a mate who matches your political beliefs. This reminds me of the crossfire and other discussions I used to enjoy watching between James Carville and Mary Matalin. For those who may not know they are husband and wife. James Carville is a top Democratic strategist and Mary Matalin is a top Republican strategist. Both Matilin and Carville have gone on record saying that they don't talk politics at home. I find that hard to believe and while my wife and I don't always see one hundred percent eye to eye we have the same core political beliefs. I could not really see it any other way.

I hope if anyone meets their political soulmate as a result of this blog post that you email me and let me know. Who knows maybe this blog can be the start of someone's lasting relationship. For any of you who want a soulmate that can debate you on political beliefs I guess you can always visit the site opposite of your political persuasions. Until next post Be Safe and have a great day!

The Day After

I was out late last night, trying to hit as many of the election night parties as I could. With my re-election now looming close, the day after the city elections mark the end of the city campaigns and the kick off of in earnest of the county and state office campaigns. Although I began my re-election campaign in September of 2005 with a float in the Fiesta Parade we go into high gear today.
Our crew hit the smaller and less optimistic parties early last night hoping to shake as many hands as possible before those parties broke up. We headed to New Mayor David Coss's party last which was still in high gear and had a steady stream of people in and out. As I visited the different parties I was reminded of my first loss in 1998 and how we felt election night. As the night went on I was then reminded of my win in 2002 and the jubilation of four years work to attain that goal. Having experienced both wins and losses in my political and Union careers I must say that I learned a lot from the loss which was instrumental in my win in 2002 against two other strong primary candidates.

We are very busy this week between campaigning in the end of the city elections and the planning of our next fundraiser which is Friday, March 17, 2006 at the Fraternal Order of Police. This is St Patricks Day and we will be hosting a Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner which begins at 6pm. Our signs and bumper stickers should be in and we will begin distributing them that night. We also have a raffle in which the grand prize is a trip for two to stay at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas Nevada. This includes airfare and hotel accommodations.

Let me end this post with a congratulations to all the candidates in the city elections. You all contributed to progress in the city whether you won or not. Its the dialog and opposition that candidates have that force all the candidates to think hard about why they are running and what they want to accomplish. The campaign itself does more to form opinions and ideas between elections than anything that occurs during the candidates terms. I have never forgotten the repeated themes and comments that are drilled into you on the campaign trail. Even supporters of your opponents and why they are doing so are important lessons to be learned.

Election Day and Media Polls

Today is election day in the City of Santa Fe. Its the most exciting and exhausting day for a candidate. Up to a year of more of work and giving of yourself emotionally and physically culminates on a day that starts before dawn and ends late into the night, and sometimes early into the next morning. For races which are more localized and do not merit a poll paid for by the media the day starts out with much optimism. For those whom an opponent has been predeclared the winner by a media poll you struggle to convince yourself and your supporters that the poll can be wrong. You tell your supporters that polls don't vote people do. You remind them of the last time a poll declared a winner and it was wrong.

For the winner of the poll numbers you use that poll to continue the momentum. You remind your supporters that it isn't over till its over and the race could still be lost if it is taken for granted. The worst poll of all is the one that a newspaper or television station puts out on the Sunday before the election. In the mayors race it seems like each election at least one of the losing(in the polls) candidates has a rally scheduled for that Sunday. I attended one such rally on Sunday and it was well attended but you could still sense the frustration in the air. The candidate did his best to forge ahead but you feel his pain. Mayor Delgado talked about how he was behind in the polls when he won his first race for mayor. It helped and elicited huge cheers.

Sometimes I wonder whether polls released so close to the election unfairly influence race outcomes. As we have all witnessed polls can be skewed by demographics and other factors. We want to believe that pollsters and media outlets want fair and accurate information but is this always the case?

Exit polls on election day are really the most unreliable and potentially damaging. If you see that exit polls show your candidate way ahead do you say to yourself that going to vote is not as important? If your candidate is way behind do you not bother to go thinking it wont matter anyway? Or does this get more voters motivated to go and vote for their candidate who is behind in the polls?

The media is giving people what they want, people tune in or pick up the paper and they want to know how their candidate is doing. Each year we are making it harder for city and county clerks to tabulate votes by adding early voting, absentee votes, in lieu of ballots, paper ballots, and a myriad of rules and regulations. Yet in today's society we want the quick answers. We want to know right after the polls close who won. It is a race to see which T.V. station can proclaim a winner first. We don't want accuracy as much as we want speed. And can we have both?

Good luck to all the candidates today and I want to thank all of you for giving of yourselves in order to better your community. To run for office is hard on you, your family and your friends. The only thing harder is what happens when you get your wish and win.

Speeding Tickets, Fun Friday

This has been a big week for new visitors to this blog. The Santa Fe Reporters Article was followed by a post on Daily Kos Blog by Claude which resulted in many new visitors. Thanks Claude. Since its Friday I thought we would have some fun. Many times even now as the Sheriff I will pull over speeders or other traffic violators. I have often given out warning citations unless the person I pull over is really out of line on their driving or if they are abusive or rude in the way they deal with me at the time of the traffic stop. I first saw this video a few years ago and while I can empathize with the guy who was speeding I really was amazed at the patience of the trooper who pulled this guy over. It is a good training video but it is also one of the most hilarious traffic stops I have ever seen. Enjoy, have a good weekend and be sure and Vote if you live in the city on Tuesday!




If the video is jerky hit pause and wait a little while the video downloads.

Sheriff of the Blogosphere

Usually I am commenting about the news in my blog. This time the news is about this blog. Dan Frosch of The Santa Fe Reporter did an article about my Airport Road annexation blog post. Well Written Dan and thanks for the complement, although I had to look up the word "soliloquies".