The Best Day Fishing.

If you subscribe to the saying "the worst day fishing is better than the best day working" then I was in fishing heaven this weekend. The Under Sheriff Robert Garcia, his wife Christine, my wife Antoinette and I spent the weekend at Tall Pine Resort in Red River New Mexico. If you ever want to Camp and fish in style, you have to stay at Tall Pine Resort. The owners Richard and Linda Green own piece of heaven with 23 cabins, beautiful land with Red River running through it and a small private lake that is stocked weekly with trout. The resort is a great place to stay and yet it is affordable costing less than a decent hotel room.

According to their website the cabins run between $60 and $170. We stayed in a two bedroom with a living room, kitchen, dining room, and bathroom which costs $130-$150. The cabin includes electricity, propane, a stove, refrigerator, and running water. There is no microwave, or TV, however there is small appliances such as toaster and coffee maker. There is also no internet which is the only thing I really missed. I did take my laptop which was good for watching a dvd. Fishing at the lake is an additional $20 but well worth it.

According to the published history of Tall Pine Resort, Tall Pine Camp was established in 1920 by Reed, Richard, and George Oldham, brothers and prospectors who settled in Red River during the gold rush in 1895. They staked the Golden Treasure, Golden Calf, Bunker Hill, and Raton group of claims located beginning 5 miles up Placer Road (the current road to Goose Lake). The camp was originally intended to be headquarters for their mines.

In 1935, the prospector's niece Winifred Oldham Hamilton and her husband Walter moved to Red River from Boulder City, NV, where Walter worked building the Hoover Dam and Winifred taught school to the construction worker's children. Their dream was to help the uncles develop Tall Pine Camp. Travelers seeing the beautiful valley setting frequently stopped and asked to pitch their tents. The family began building cabins to rent, and what is now known as Tall Pine Resort was born.

In 1990, in her 89th year, Winifred had a dream in which Walter, who had passed away in 1977, told her to "sell, sell, sell." The remaining Oldham family agreed, and the cabins were placed on the market. Winnie would retain her house and the buildings on six acres until her death in January, 1998.

Linda and Richard Green were longtime guests of Tall Pine Resort who, like many others, had dreamed of owning it someday. Linda grew up vacationing here with her family, and brought Richard here after their marriage. Linda's mother's family, the A. B. Clouthiers of Springer, NM, were some of the original tent campers in the twenties and thirties.

The Green's convinced Winnie and the family to sell to them with the promise to keep Tall Pine Resort the special place so many families loved, and began operating the resort in the summer of 1991.

We arrived late on Friday and settled into our cabin, named Riverside. By the time my wife and I arrived about 7:30 pm the Under Sheriff Robert Garcia had caught his daily limit of 5 trout and was cooking dinner on the grill for all of us.

A pic of Riverside Cabin, our home for the weekend.

We had a great dinner and played some cards and chatted before hitting the bedrooms. On Saturday morning we had a great breakfast and heading into the town of Red River where we hit some yard sales before heading back to hit the Tall Pine Lake. Antoinette my wife does not usually fish with me but I convinced her to join me and she quickly caught a couple of trout only to lose them at the bank reeling them in. On her third catch she brought the fish ashore and was all smiles. She really got into the fishing and quickly caught two more. Not doing well where I was fishing initially I moved closer to her spot and my luck changed. Within a few hours we all had our limits and packed up as the rain began to lightly fall.

Antoinette and the stringer with both our fish.

With all the fun I was having I sure look serious.

Robert and Christine waiting for the next bite.

The ducks hung around us waiting to snap up any food or bait that was dropped.

As we took the short drive back to our cabin we drove up on a small herd of Deer. I had to stop and take about a dozen pictures. It was great getting close enough to grab these pictures.


Saturday night we had some great steaks off the outdoor grill and hit some of the tourist shops back in the town of Red River. On Sunday morning I got up surprisingly early, a little after 6 am. I brewed a pot of coffee and after a couple of cups I headed back to the lake where I caught another 4 trout before heading back to the cabin for breakfast. I sure hated to leave but none the less we packed up and got ready to leave. After taking a few more pics of some chipmunks and Antoinette and I by the river we headed home. I will definitely be returning to Tall Pines Resort as it made for a great weekend. The resort closes for the winter on September 30th so if you can't make it this year keep the place in mind for next year.

One of the many chipmunks we saw. Not sure if this was Alvin or Theodore.


One last picture of Antoinette and I by the river.

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Funny Friday- My Favorite Traffic Stop Story

Gabriel Iglesias is one of my favorite comedians. I have heard a lot of traffic stop stories and by far this one is my favorite. I hope you all enjoy.

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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Have Officers Outgrown Cops in the Neighborhood Programs?

This story in the Santa Fe Reporter made me wonder whether Police Officers have outgrown these types of programs. At the same time some residents don't want the officers living in their neighborhood. In the story Mark Sanders describes some residents who oppose a program called the Caretaker Housing in City Parks. The Program would provide affordable housing for police in city parks. It is designed to provide more security to parks and the neighborhoods which surround them as well as help provide local housing for officers who increasingly are living in outlying areas and communities such as Rio Rancho.

This is a serious problem as I described in this blog post entitled "cops don't live here anymore". Mark didn't mention what kind of housing would be put into the parks. Will they be manufactured housing? Mobile Homes? or real single family housing? These questions among others are important. Also the city may want to do a survey or take applications to find out just how many officers would live in this type of housing. When I first became a rookie officer in 1988 I started at a little over $6 an hour. we had city police officers living in city housing projects. Not as part of a community policing program but because they qualified to live there based on their income and family size. Many officers were also on the Federal Food Stamp Program. Aside from retirement which has always been good for law enforcement officers in New Mexico, men and women really became officers because they wanted to help others and because they grew up wanting to be cops, not for the pay.

Now starting pay for officers is up to a respectable level of just under $15 an hour with officers making $18 an hour and more after the first year. Officers now expect more in terms of where they are willing to live. That is one reason many move to or buy houses in Rio Rancho and surrounding communities. It is not only that affordable housing is not easily available in Santa Fe but also the fact that your dollar buys a lot more outside of Santa Fe. Larger lot sizes, more square footage, and a new home for the price of an older used home in Santa Fe.

I often get people who want to rent guest homes or other housing in Santa Fe to a Law Enforcement Officer. Usually they are small guest homes or maybe a mobile home located on a business lot. The owner hopes to rent to an officer at a low rental rate in exchange for the security of having an officer living on their property. We also often have city and county properties including housing located in government housing projects or blighted areas offered to officers for little or no rent. Officers used to jump on these properties but in the past few years many of these offers go without takers. Officers are still underpaid compared to the levels of training, dedication, and hazards of the job. However, officers can now afford better and like all who want the American Dream they strive for better.

I am curious just how many officers will take these houses in the parks and whether or not the homes and yards can be made appealing to young officers and their families. I also hope the city considers the turnover that occurs in these types of homes. Once the officer saves money and moves up in pay and rank they will move on from this type of housing and hopefully into a home they own, still in Santa Fe. We really need to focus on making it appealing and financially sound for officers to become City of Santa Fe home owners rather than citizens of Rio Rancho. I commend the City of Santa Fe for doing something to keep officers living local and I hope they have considered the factors I describe in this post along with others to make this program successful.

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Democrats Become the Organized Party.

WillRogers

"I don't belong to an organized party--I'm a democrat."

I read this quote sometime back and at the time its seemed very appropriate. At least on the local level and even somewhat on the state and national level it seemed as though the Democratic Party was a million different organizations each doing their own thing and unaware of what the party was doing even in the next town.

Lately I am seeing more and more cohesion and organization than I have seen even in my own lifetime. Act Blue is allowing national fundraising to occur organized and through the Internet. Calling itself the online clearing house for democratic action, the web site allows individuals to choose a race, maybe not even one in their own state, and make a difference for the democratic party as a whole by donating money to key races around the country. It used to be said that all politics is local, and for the most part it still is. However, now individuals can make a difference on a much more national scale.

State wide the same fundraising ability has been set up using Act Blue interface and calling itself True Blue New Mexico. Here you can contribute not only to the congressman in your district but to all democratic candidates for congress throughout the state. This allows a new breed of activism across the U.S. . There was a time that it took some work on an individuals part to see who might need our help across our own state as well as across the U.S.. Now that information is a mouse click away.

Barack Obama has also brought a new level of grassroots, rural and suburban campaigning to our nation. In the past Presidential campaigns opened offices in only the largest cities in our state and tried to get those offices to work the smaller surrounding rural areas. Obama has changed all of that with 20 offices across this state and more being added weekly. Places like Los Alamos, Carlsbad, Raton, Shiprock and Taos are hosting Obama for President offices. This is great for all future campaigns as people who have never had the chance to volunteer in a local office are getting to do so now. I can tell you that it is addicting and once you go out and volunteer for a candidate many do so again and again. It is the epitome of making a difference in your community.

The Internet and new mass communication methods such as text, email, blogs, My Space, Facebook and others have led this new level of organization. Everyone is more organized and organization is easier with cellphones, P.D.A.'s , online calendars, contact lists, and spreadsheets. With all this organization comes more voters at the polls than ever before and a greater understanding of our political process. It is great to see all this happen in my lifetime and I am excited to be a small part of it.

Perhaps one day I will tell the story to my grandchildren about how we used to read about politics in a thing called a newspaper and then actually get in a thing called a gasoline powered automobile and drive to a place known as a polling place. Once there we used to have to make sure we were at the right precinct, stand in line sometimes for hours and then cast a ballot on a piece of paper. I may even explain to my grandchildren what a hanging chad was.

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Maricopa County Democrats go to the Web to Remove Joe Arpaio

I have been receiving a lot of visitors who have found my site via a link on a new website called Joes Got To Go. Apparantly the Democratic Party in Maricopa County has decided to link to a blog post I had back in May where I spoke about Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County Arizona decision to endorse Aubrey Dunn in his 2cd Congressional District primary race against Ed Tinsley. The web site mistakenly says the congressional race was in Santa Fe County and even though I am in Santa Fe County the 2cd Congressional District is in South Eastern New Mexico.

Apparently Joe's endorsement did not work as Republican Aubrey Dunn lost to Ed Tinsley in the June Primary. The controversial Republican Sheriff is facing democrat Dan Saban in the November election for the office of Sheriff in Maricopa County. Dan Saban was a republican when he ran against Joe Arpaio in 2004. Now after switching parties he returns to try and unseat the Sheriff who despite controversy after controversy continues to win re-election every 4 years. In the latest poll numbers on August 6, 2008 the Sheriff was still ahead even though his popularity has slipped in the last year. He remains ahead of his opponent with a 54% to 38% lead in polling numbers. The Sheriff enjoyed a 64% lead in March of 2007. The Sheriff has faced major opposition from Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon and Gov. Janet Napolitano, who has withdrawn state funding from the Sheriff's office after the Sheriff started conducting controversial immigration sweeps.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Sheriff Candidate Dan Saban

The battle between the Mayor, Governor and Sheriff Arpaio is based on his controversial program of "Crime suppression sweeps". In the sweeps he and a posse of volunteer deputies show up in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods, stop residents for minor traffic violations and then question them about their immigration status. A recent “sweep” rounded up 27 Hispanics who the Sheriff believes may be in the country illegally. The sweeps have resulted in law suits, rallys both pro and con and sometimes heated demonstrations.

According to a five part investigative series by the East Valley Tribune in Phoenix the result of the massive effort has been slower response times on emergency calls, a slumping arrest rate and, for a time, excessive overtime costs. All while the Sheriff and his deputies wage war on immigrants.

I have always been surprised by the extent of controversy in this Sheriff's career as well as his ability to push the envelope and cross over lines and still remain an elected official. I have never visited Maricopa County but perhaps when New Mexico's Space Port is open I can visit, I imagine it is somewhere in the twilight zone.


P.S. ever wonder what happens to a candidate web site when they lose the election? In the case of Aubrey Dunn he took his campaign web site www.aubreydunn.com and redirected it to a real estate and cattle sale web site. I have been wondering what to do with solano4sheriff.com !

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Martin Heinrich Public Safety Press Conference

Yesterday I attended a press conference for Martin Heinrich congressional candidate in district 1. The conference featured Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, firefighters from the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 244 and myself. I am borrowing photos from the FBIHOP blog flicker page for this blog post.


First to speak was Fire Captain Ahren Griego who explained why the local IAFF was supporting Martin Heinrich. He spoke about fire fighters who are developing lung and other diseases after years of working in and around fires. The fire fighters sometimes develop the diseases after retirement and many times are in a fight to prove thier ailments are work related. Martin Heinrich has vowed to work on this issue in congress.


I spoke next and I am just going to post my speech as I wrote it. I know I did stray from my prepared remarks in a sentence or two.

I want to tell all of you something’s you probably don’t know and something’s that will shock you. Police officers and deputies across this nation are going to work with out bullet proof vests they need to stay alive. They are going to work without enough ammunition to attend needed firearms training. There are thousands less cops in our schools protecting our children than there were just 7 years ago. This year alone New Mexico received a 67% cut in federal funds to combat drugs including Meth, Cocaine, and Heroin.

What happened 7 years ago that began these cuts? President George W. Bush took office in Washington.

I always thought I could support a Law Enforcement Officer going to represent us in Washington. Who better to work on Public Safety Issues? However, after all the destruction the Bush Administration has done to public safety in America one Sheriff not only stood by him but actually was his New Mexico Campaign Chair in 2004. Worse, not once has Sheriff Darren White tried to get his friend George W. Bush to stop the bleeding of our public safety agencies.

But we New Mexicans can do something about this. We can elect a man who has a proven record of working to combat crime and graffiti in Albuquerque as a city councilor. That man is Martin Heinrich!

I am proud to join the Sheriff's from Valencia and Sandoval County in support of Martin Heinrich because I know he will work hard to ensure that Public Safety officials have the resources and tools they need to protect New Mexico citizens. I hope all the citizens in District one will get out to vote and when they are in that voting booth they will choose Martin Heinrich.

I am very proud to introduce to you the next Congressman from District 1, Martin Heinrich

Next up to speak was Martin Heinrich himself who thanked all of us for our support and spoke about working in congress to address the issues our public safety officials have brought to him. He gave a great speech which was well written and thought out. He then introduced Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois. Congressman Emanuel spoke about the Clinton era COPS programs which put 100,000 cops on the streets. He described how the Bush Administration has tried to end the program year after year and now has the program cut to almost nothing. I was very impressed with Congressman Emanuel and look forward to meeting him again.

The event went well and was well attended by the TV news, Print and those whom I recognized from the blogosphere. I look forward to helping Martin Heinrich as much as I can in his race and I feel he is on the road to victory in November.

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Press Conference with Martin Heinrich

Its late notice but if anyone is interested in joining Congressional Candidate Martin Heinrich, Myself and other law enforcement and fire officials, we will be at Highland Park which is located at the corner of Silver SE and Elm SE in Albuquerque. The event will be at 3:30 pm on August 7, 2008 and as you can tell the focus is public safety issues. I look forward to seeing you there.

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Paris Hilton Responds to MCain Celebrity Ad.

We have probably all seen or heard of John McCain’s latest TV ad, which calls Obama a "celebrity". The ad comes complete with pictures of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and suggests he's not ready to be president. Now Paris Hilton has released an ad of her own.

Martin Heinrich Announces Sheriff Greg Solano's Endorsement

First Congressional District Candidate Martin Heinrich has sent out a press release announcing that two other Sheriff's have joined Sheriff Greg Solano in endorsing him for his race against Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White. Readers (or the reader, lol) of this blog know that I endorsed Martin Heinrich back on June 16, 2008 in this blog post.

Now joining me in endorsing Heinrich are Sheriff John Paul Trujillo of Sandoval County and Valencia County Sheriff Rene Rivera. All three sheriffs come from jurisdictions that reach into the First Congressional District.

Left to right Sheriff Rene Rivera, Sheriff Greg Solano, Sheriff John Paul Trujillo

For me I feel just a little bad that I cannot support Sheriff White but he has always been a staunch Bush supporter and the Bush administration has decimated law enforcement in his last 7 years in office. The really bad part is I have never heard Sheriff White admonish the Bush administration or even lobby the Bush administration to stop the bleeding. Officers across this nation are going with out Bullet Proof Vests, without ammunition for training and with out funding to keep cops on the streets and in the schools. I would love to see a fellow Law Enforcement Officer in Congress, Darren White is just not that officer. Below is the actual Press Release from Martin Heinrich's campaign. I will join Martin Heinrich at a press conference on Thursday August 7, 2008 in Albuquerque. I have not yet received the location but I will update you when I receive it.

Martin Heinrich Endorsed by three Sheriffs of First District

August 4, 2008

Sheriffs Solano, Rivera, Trujillo staunchly back Heinrich's crime-fighting record

The sheriffs are back in town. This past weekend, three central New Mexico sheriffs publicly endorsed candidate Martin Heinrich in his campaign for Congress in the First District. All three sheriff cited Heinrich's crime-fighting record on Albuquerque City Council as a main reason for supporting him in the race for Congress, and all expressed optimism for the future of New Mexican law enforcement with Heinrich acting on their behalf in Congress.

Valencia County Sheriff Rene Rivera appeared Saturday at a Valencia County welcoming event for Martin Heinrich. In his endorsement, Sheriff Rivera said, "I've been in law enforcement for over 19 years fighting against crime and drugs. Martin Heinrich was tough on crime on the Council, and I know he's the right partner in Congress to help keep our streets safe. That's why I'm endorsing him."

"We need Martin Heinrich in Congress," said Sandoval Sheriff John Paul Trujillo in his statement of endorsement. "This is the year to send the right representative to be our man in Congress, our voice for New Mexico law enforcement. Martin Heinrich will fight for critical legislation, like the COPS program. President Bush has succeeded in almost completely defunding COPS, but Martin will fight for the grants and funding law enforcement needs."

Santa Fe Sheriff Greg Solano endorsed Martin Heinrich earlier in the general election, but released an official statement of endorsement today. "This was not a hard decision – supporting Martin Heinrich and endorsing his candidacy," said Sheriff Solano. "I will always support my fellow sheriffs and members of law enforcement, but this year I know the best man to represent us in Congress is Martin Heinrich. As City Councilor he worked to fight crime and meth production in Albuquerque and increase the minimum wage to help out all of us living here. Martin Heinrich will bring the same ingenuity, creativity, and focus to Congress."

In response Heinrich said, "I am honored that Sheriffs Rivera, Trujillo, and Solano have decided that I am the one person in this race they know they can count on to be their partner in fighting crime."

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An Honest Sheriff is a Poor Sheriff.

There are bad doctors, lawyers, reporters, etc. and anytime someone does wrong it puts a black mark on all those in the same profession. Back in October of 2007 I read that a federal indictment has been unsealed charging Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona with conspiracy, mail fraud and witness tampering.

Ex-Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona

Like any modern scandal the case includes Money, Power, and of course Sex, lies and Video Tapes. The indictment also implicates his wife Debra, alleged mistress Debra Victoria Hoffman and former assistant sheriffs Donald Haidl and George Jaramillo. The Indictment contains the following allegations.

All five conspired to get Carona elected in 1998 so he could then use his position to enrich himself and his cohorts. Together, Carona and others took more than $350,000 in illegal contributions.

In 1998, businessman Haidl solicited donations to Carona's campaign from others and then reimbursed the donors to hide the money trail.

Haidl paid for a Lake Tahoe vacation for Carona, Jaramillo, himself and their spouses after Carona was elected.

In 1999, Carona appointed Haidl an assistant sheriff for reserves and made Haidl's family, friends and business associates reserve deputies.

In 2001, Haidl gave Carona a boat and boat trailer valued at more than $5,000, and use of his yacht and private plane.

Haidl paid Carona $1,000 a month in cash for a "get out of jail free card" for friends and family members and full access to sheriff's department resources.

Haidl appointed Carona and Jaramillo to the board of directors of a company owned by Haidl's uncle.

Carona asked Jaramillo to lobby the county district attorney to charge Haidl's son, Gregory, as a juvenile instead of as an adult when the teenager was arrested in connection with a 2002 gang rape.

In 2003, Gregory Haidl received preferential treatment from the Sheriff's Department with Carona's consent after being arrested on a drug charge.

Between March 2004 and August 2007, Carona met with the elder Haidl, and, in a tape-recorded conversation, persuaded and attempted to persuade Haidl "from testifying truthfully" before members of a grand jury.

At the end of October then Sheriff Carona and his wife set up a question and answer session which I found interesting and odd. You can read about it here.

Sheriff Carona then resigned the office in January saying he was retiring in order to take advantage of Pro Bono Attorneys who were assisting him. When it was learned his attorneys were working for free a complaint was filed alleging that the attorneys amounted to illegal gift exceeding the amount allowed by state law. That complaint was opposed by the sheriff but he decided to retire and end the complaint. A private citizen is clear to accept free attorneys.

This case continues to be interesting when you look at who his attorneys are. Carona's legal team will be led by Brian Sun, a Los Angeles lawyer who won a famous settlement from the federal government in the case of Wen Ho Lee, a scientist accused of being a Chinese spy in a case that proved to be an embarrassment to our own Governor Bill Richardson who was then Bill Clinton's Secretary of Energy. Sun also successfully appealed an Orange County politician's conviction for his role in the county's 1994 bankruptcy. Attorney John Cline who has represented I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the former White House adviser, and former national security aide to Oliver North is also assisting in Carona's defense.

The Washington post recently did an extended article on this case which details a lot of the sexual aspects of this case. Reminiscent of President Richard Nixon, Sheriff Carona had video and audio tape recorders in his office. Those tapes have proven to be more of an embarrassment than evidence as they detail derogative language and discussions of sexual conquests by the ex-sheriff. In another odd aspect to the case the Sheriff's cell phone accidentally dialed a phone number and an answering machine recorded Sheriff Carona having sex in a county vehicle with one of his deputies. Somehow this recording is being considered for use by the prosecution in the upcoming trial. The female deputy has agreed to testify and Court papers indicate the woman has revealed to investigators "physical characteristics, the kinds of sex he preferred, examples of sexual talk, and a nickname he used for his private parts." In case your wondering the nickname is "Little Sheriff".


Carona's fellow indicted former friend and cohort Donald Haidl began assisting the feds in this case. He wore a wire and had several meetings with his former friend and Ex-Sheriff. Reportedly the tapes have Carona outlining the testimony Haidl should give and discuss whether their is an evidence trail of the money and gifts Haidl gave Carona. During a conversation with Haidl in which he was wearing a wire Sheriff Carona describes the rich people he hung out with like this..

"All the guys that, you know, got a lot of zeros, you know, in their bank accounts have checkered pasts, man," he said one July night last year. "Didn't want anything from me. They just enjoyed having fun and, you know, probably liked hanging out with the sheriff, thought that was cool. And I liked hanging out with them 'cause I thought that was cool.

"You wanna put me in jail for that, put 12 people in the box, and let's rock-and-roll."

Some feel that the Sheriff has been targeted by the feds and from higher ups in Washington for his controversial stances on issues such as immigration. Yet President Bush at one time appointed Sheriff Carona to the National Homeland Security Advisory Council. The Web Site fulldisclosure.net has numerous videos which look at why the feds are after Sheriff Carona and how the media is affecting the case. Here is a short version of the videos which looks at whether the Sheriff was unjustly targeted by the feds ...








This whole story reminded me of a conversation I had with the movie actor Burt Reynolds when he was in Santa Fe Filming the movie The Longest Yard. Burt Reynolds told me some stories about his dad who was a Police Officer and a Sheriff. As we were talking he asked me the question "how can you tell an honest Sheriff?" I didn't know exactly how to answer the question so I just kind of shrugged my shoulders. He responded " he is a poor sheriff".

I will never forget that only because the same can be applied to any elected official. Not necessarily in the specific sense but rather in a general sense. A lot of times elected officials are already lawyers, successful business owners and those who already have money. Sometimes that does not keep them from wanting more. Other times some seek office for the prestige and the ability to meet and hang out with the elite and powerful. When someone seeks office for the greater good and really does not do it for themselves that is what democracy is all about. After they are elected keeping that sense of greater good is even more important.

When I was elected I started getting invited to the high brow events, meetings with business leaders and others who I believe not only wanted to meet me but try and gain inside access. Maybe they just want the ability to have my phone number and feel that their phone calls would be answered quicker than others. I really have never been asked for unethical or special treatment for some over others. I think maybe its because once someone meets me and talks to me they understand that I will not do such things. As for my phone number, anyone who asks gets it and I try hard to give equal access to all.

Growing up experiencing food stamps, housing assistance, and a mother who worked two and three jobs to feed and raise her four children, I can't say that I am now a poor sheriff. Sometimes my family squeaks by and by no means are we monetarily well off. What I am blessed with is the riches of a great wife, two kids I love, and a family some people only dream of. I think they are the reason I stay grounded, the reason I continue every day to try and be a "good sheriff".

Funny Friday- The Zen State Trooper.

This Maine State Trooper is not only the most calm officer I have ever seen, he also has an amazing ability to not laugh his head off with the over reaction of this speeding violator. The speeding citizen also had high hopes that newly elected President Bill Clinton would not only change the world, he would also help speeders across this country.

(Warning there is some explicit language.)

Officer Deaths Decrease During First Half of 2008

In October of 2007 I blogged about the 54% increase in officer deaths in 2007. I am happy to report that those numbers have decreased dramatically. So much so that the number of deaths have not been so low since 1965 when 55 officers were killed. In the first six months of 2007, 100 officers died in the line of duty as compared to 2008 where in the first six months 59 officers have died in the line of duty. These numbers include all officer on duty deaths including shootings, traffic fatalities and other line of duty deaths.

Preliminary 2008 Law Enforcement Officer Fatality Statistics as of July 22 according to
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

	2008	2007	%Change
Total Fatalities	64	110	-42%
Gunfire	25	43	-42%
Traffic Incidents	32	50	-36%
Other Causes	7	17	-59%

2008 Fatalities - Top 10 States

Texas	7	Ohio	3
California	5	Oklahoma	3
Florida	4	Several	2
Georgia	4
Federal Agencies			4

The last two New Mexico Officers who's names were added to the National Memorial in May of 2008 were: CHRISTOPHER M MIRABAL Patrolman from the New Mexico State Police, and GERMAINE FERRIS CASEY Police Officer from Rio Rancho P.D.. There are now 130 names of Officers from New Mexico listed on the National Memorial in Washington. I have blogged before about the need for officers to pay attention to this statistics if only as a reminder not to become one of the numbers. While Traffic Accidents have been the top killer of officers for a number of years, shooting deaths are not far behind. In the first half of 2008 50 officers have died in traffic accidents and 43 have been shot to death.


Preventing these deaths means a combination of defensive driving and defensive tactics by officers when on the streets. Citizens often do not understand why certain tactics are used when performing tasks which may seem mundane. Simple traffic stops may seem like everyday activities to many citizens, however to an officer it is one of the most dangerous tasks we perform. Officers constantly change and revise how these stops are performed in order to keep one step ahead of the criminals. On the other hand just like when going through security check points at an airport all citizens are subjected to additional scrutiny in order to deal with the few who would do harm.

Officers also need to pay extra attention when going from call to call. Officers spend 10 hours a day, 40 hours a week, not counting over time, driving from one end of the county or city to the other responding to calls for service. Even when it is not a full blown emergency when someone calls the police they expect a quick response. Many times officers end up in too much of a hurry trying to serve the public. I often remind the deputies in the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office that it does not serve the public or your fellow deputies if you never get to the call. Even a minor traffic accident can not only tie up the officer involved for hours it will also tie up other officers and commanders as well. On the other hand when you average out the number of hours officers spend behind the wheel the actual number of accidents officers are in are way below the national average for drivers.

Many of us in law enforcement management are concerned about the economy and its downturn. We are very concerned about the effect it will have on crime across the nation. In bad economic times there are often increases in crime across the board including thefts, robbery's, and homicides which are the result of another crime in progress. Officer deaths could increase during national increases in crime rates as well. I am hoping for the best but at the same time we always prepare for the worst.

A Dad First.

I was going to talk today about the decrease in officer deaths across the nation in this last year. I guess I will leave that for another day. It seems like the whole world knows my son was arrested for his second DWI. If I was not Sheriff it would not be a big news story. At least not one that would make all three TV stations and two days of coverage in one local paper and coverage in the other local paper. My official comment "I'm disappointed in my sons recent arrest" really does not tell the inner turmoil and pain my wife and I feel. I have seen alcoholism since I was a young child. I have seen the worst of what DWI does to peoples lives as a cop since 1988. I have seen the domestic violence, I have seen people die with cirrhosis of the liver as young as 40 and I have lifted their bodies soaked with blood filled vomit into body bags. Worst of all I have been to crash after crash with DWI drivers and innocent victims dying on our streets and highways.

Imagine fighting DWI all these years and seeing your own son arrested for his second DWI. Imagine your son is in the hospital after a suspected DWI related accident, all you know is he has a head injury and at first you are told it should be minor and then you learn he may be admitted to the hospital because doctors are unsure. Because I am Sheriff I tell my wife we can't go to the hospital. My appearance there could be taken as an influence against the officers there to arrest my son. We have to avoid any appearance of influencing the outcome of the arrest. Therefor we don't call anyone for information, we wait. I did not call the state police for information because I did not want anyone saying I called them in an attempt to influence the handling of the case. Any other parent could call the police to find out what was happening with their son, I could not. The hospital had only one nurse on duty for the whole emergency room so when I called just to find out if he was ok it was fruitless.

While I am waiting I can't help but think about what got us to this point. My children have always had extra pressure because of my career. When my son was in high school I was a Juvenile Detective assigned to the Gang Unit. I had to do a lot of work at the high schools during this time when Juvenile Gang activity was at an all time high. My son got a lot of hell from other kids about his "Narc Dad". I always told my kids about how bad it would be if my kids were in trouble. My son struggled through High School but graduated anyway. He could not wait to get out of the house when he turned 18. Was I too hard on him or was he tired of living under my shadow? My whole family has to face life in the public eye. Both my kids had to hear lies, rumors, and some downright awful things said about me over the years. When our family had good times or bad times it was always under the public eye. Even before I was sheriff, when I was a union president my kids would read about and hear about controversy's at my job in the papers and from other kids whose parents were cops who disagreed with decisions I made in the union.

I knew what I was signing up for when I took or ran for each position. My family was just along for the ride. They wanted to support me but did they really know what they were getting into? Early in the morning after my sons accident I called the hospital again to see if he had been released, no the nurse said, a doctor had not been found to see him. Apparently the hospital was short on doctors as well as nurses this morning. The nurse also said the cops had left. The cops had left? This usually means the suspect, my son, was worse than I thought. Many times in a misdemeanor arrest, if the person is going to be in the hospital for a while they leave them there and summons them into court on a later date. Officers can not be tied up waiting in a hospital for a person to be released. Only in felony arrests do officers stay with the patient until they are released. This is standard practice but I knew that if this was the case with my son that it could become a problem. Some people would not believe this was standard practice. Here I was thinking about the politics of the situation.

As my wife and I drove to the hospital praying that he was going to be ok I decided I needed to be a dad first. Stop thinking about my career and think about my son. He has been in counseling for alcohol treatment for about three weeks now. He has really been depressed lately having a hard time making ends meet and providing for his two year old child. No excuses though, no one should Ever, Ever Drink and Drive. Now we are arranging for inpatient treatment if our insurance provider decides through an assessment that he qualifies. My wife and I prepare to try and help him with his bills if he goes into rehab for weeks. He wonders if he will still have a job when he gets out. I guess all parents think their kids are good kids, and deep down I know my son is one of the most caring, loving persons I know. I know he is hurting and we need to do all we can to cure him from the disease that seems to have crept into all our lives. My wife and I thank god no one else was hurt and that my sons life was spared. I am prepared for criticism and press articles about whether or not my son received special treatment. The truth is I know he did not and you know what, ........ I'm a dad first.

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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.

Sheriff Greg Solano Endorses Barack Obama

As those of you who read my blog regularly know, I endorsed Hilary Clinton in the Democratic Primary Election. That election has come and gone and as I stated back in January when I endorsed Hillary, Barack Obama was also an excellent candidate and I would have no problem supporting him should he be the nominee. Well, he is now the nominee and not only do I whole heartily support Barack Obama, I ask each of you to do so as well. We need new effective leadership to undo the pain of the Bush Administration, John McCain is a war hero and has served his country well, I will not deny him that. However, he is not that different in his philosophical beliefs and his ties to the Bush Administration.

This country needs a clean break from the failures of the Bush Administration and no one represents that change more than Barack Obama. My wife and I had a chance to visit with him shortly when he campaigned in Santa Fe just before the June Primary. My wife Antoinette was an early Obama supporter and this was one of the few elections we have ever voted for different candidates. The split between my wife and I was very indicative of the split seen across our entire nation as almost half the nations democrats supported one candidate or the other. When I met him I must say I was struck by his magnetic personality and the presence of greatness I felt when around him. I have met several Presidents and Vice-Presidents and I must say he was different than most in the way he made you feel when you spoke to him. I have no doubt he will continue to have that effect on the public and this will carry him to a landslide victory. Most important is that you get out and vote in November no matter who your candidate is, second to that thought is my hope that you will join with me in electing Barack Obama as our next president.

Barack Obama and Sheriff Greg Solano backstage at the rally in Santa Fe New Mexico.

Antoinette Solano with Barack Obama backstage at a rally in Santa Fe New Mexico

P.S. Be sure and visit my Run for Lieutenant Governor Blog to read about my trip to Las Cruces!

A new post on the Solano for Lt. Governor Blog.

I have put up a new post on the Solano for Lt. Governor blog. It details my trip on Tuesday with about 20 other Sheriff's from throughout New Mexico as we toured the desert along the border between Mexico and Las Cruces. It was very informative and gave me a first hand look at the problems Sheriff's in Counties along the border are having.

Here is a pic with me standing on the back of an ATV with Under Sheriff Robert Garcia at the wheel as we tour the desert between Las Cruces and Mexico in Dona Ana County.

Time to Rally around Democratic Congressional Candidates

I have never made any bones about my devotion to the Democratic Party. Therefor it should come as no surprise that I am supporting the Democratic Candidates for Congress. The nice thing is that we actually have some great candidates for our federal offices and even if you put aside the party affiliation we still have the most qualified and best persons for the job.

I started out my support for the general election by helping Tom Udall who is running for the Senate by appearing in a commercial titled "whats right". While filming took a few hours the portion I appear in is only a few seconds as we walk and talk together at a crime scene. Tom Udall has been effective, attentive to his constituents and has proven himself to be man who votes what he believes and not what the lobbyists want or voting the way the wind blows on any given day. He would come to the senate with experience and knowledge to hit the ground running and we could ask no more from our representative.



I am fully supporting Ben Ray Lujan in his quest to fill the 3rd Congressional District seat in Northern New Mexico. He won a landslide race in a hard fought primary and now will face his Republican Challenger in the November Primary. I have known the Lujan family for years and thier devotion and dedication to New Mexico goes without saying. Look to Ben Ray to carry on his fathers legacy to new heights in congress.

The race which I really did not have a hard decision but was slightly torn up about is the 1st Congressional District Race with Democrat Martin Heinrich facing off against Sheriff Darren White of Bernalillo County. My first thought was that it would be great to have a member of Law Enforcement at the federal level. He should understand the needs of Law Enforcement and should be able to effectively argue from experience what the Bush cuts to Law Enforcement programs have done to decimate community policing and drug enforcement across this nation. Unfortunately Sheriff Darren White has shown to be a Bush foot soldier. He has chaired his New Mexico fundraising and failed to stand up to massive cuts in the COPS programs, the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grants often called (Byrne-JAG funding). Funding has gone from the billions to millions under the Bush Administration. All the While Darren White has carried President Bushes flag high.

Sheriff White has supported the failed Bush war efforts and has shown no inkling that he will not continue in the path of his mentor President George Bush. I am disappointed, I would have loved to see a Law Enforcement officer bring his or her unique experiences into congress. Perhaps another day we will have a Law Enforcement Officer whom I can support run for congress.

On the other hand I believe we have a great candidate in with Democrat Martin Heinrich he has worked to combat crime and graffiti in Albuquerque as a city councilor and worked to pass a local ordinance in Albuquerque on an issue I fully supported which was increasing the minimum wage. On the war in Iraq he wants to undertake creative and genuine diplomatic initiatives with all countries in the region so we can bring our troops home as soon as possible. And, he states we must make sure our returning soldiers receive the quality health care and benefits they deserve.

In the 2nd Congressional District general election race I also support and ask you to support Democrat Harry Teague . This district although predominantly democrat is the district which elected Steve Pierce a republican. We can send another strong message to Washington by electing Harry Teague in this district.

I hope you will all join me in supporting these candidates. We must send a strong message to the Republican Party and the Bush administration that we do not accept failure, not the failures of the war, the failure of the American Economy, and the failure to prevent the gas crisis we are facing. In my next post I will discuss the Presidential Race.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Steps into New Mexico Politics

Sheriff Joe Arpaio from Maricopa County Arizona has decided to step into the New Mexico political scene. An article from Gwyneth Doland in the New Mexican Independent News website describes how the Sheriff who is both hated and revered across this country decided to endorse Aubrey Dunn in his 2cd Congressional District primary race against Ed Tinsley.

I have described in some past blog posts some of Sheriff Arpaio's tactics regarding his tent city jails and lately he has taken to rounding up illegal immigrants in his county. He has begun using deputies to round up immigrants and even started a hot line where citizens can call in information on smugglers and individual immigrants. Using laws designed to arrest smugglers of immigrants he is arresting the immigrants who are smuggled as co-conspirators. He is one of the first and may be the only sheriff in the country who is doing this. Because of Sheriff Arpaio's hard stance on illegal immigration he is supporting Aubrey Dunn who is also taking a hard line on illegal immigrants. Aubrey Dunn has also attracted the support of the Minute Man Civil Defense Corps. The Minute Men are a group of volunteers who's mission it is to patrol the border and catch immigrants crossing over illegally.

Both Sheriff Arpaio and The Minute Men cite Aubrey Dunn's promise to fight any type of amnesty program as the reason they are supporting him. In this blog post I discussed whether Sheriff Arpaio would last a day in Santa Fe. Here are some other posts where I discussed Sheriff Arpaio.

New Mexico is a diverse state, City's like Santa Fe and Albuquerque have proclaimed themselves immigrant friendly, while cities and counties which are along the Mexico, New Mexico border take a hard line with immigration. Problems from illegal immigration are much more pronounced in the cities and counties along the New Mexico border and as such the citizens who live in the area want relief. Some candidates from these areas are positioning themselves to attract the voters who are fed up with the immigration problems in the U.S.. I do feel that immigration reform is needed and while we should strengthen our borders we must make a workable solution available for those who want to come and work here to do so in a legal way. I have often felt that Sheriff Arpaio has a tendency to tip toe if not step on civil rights and often chooses the extreme solution to a problem. This does provide media coverage and can rally the troops which, when you look at his re-election numbers seems to work well in his county. It's not my style and Sheriff Arpaio and myself are on completely opposite sides of the political spectrum.

Has The Tide Turned on Police Recruiting?

Over the past 5 or so years recruiting for Law Enforcement has been trying at best and frustrating at the worst. When I started as a City of Santa Fe Police Officer in 1988 now Captain Gary Johnson and I were among almost 100 applicants who applied for three positions in the city police department. When we were hired we started at $6.50 an hour or approximately $14,000 a year. Wages slowly increased mostly due at the time to the start of police unions. Yet, as wages increased, applicants to the positions rapidly decreased. 100 applicants for three openings no longer was the norm. In the last two years only 1 or 2 applicants would make it through the testing and background process, sometimes no one would survive the vetting process.

This morning I ran across the this article in the Albuquerque Journal (subscription may be required). In the copyrighted article titled "Everybody wants to be a Cop" Author T.J. Wilham describes how

Teachers, mechanics, stockbrokers, contractors and even bartenders are giving up their careers to make big bucks and join Albuquerque's finest— and they are doing so in record numbers. Come July, the Albuquerque Police Department is expected to seat an academy class of up to 100 cadets. It will likely be the largest class in the academy's 60-year history. The largest so far was the class of 1984, with 63 in a year.

According to the article starting pay in Albuquerque has increased 47 percent boosting basic pay above the $58,000 mark. Yet there are still questions about whether or not the department will reach authorized staffing levels after years of being short over 100 officers. I am curious as to how the change from 10 hour shifts to 8 hour shifts will work out. The amount of time officers must spend in court and other day off duties makes it very hard to get by with the traditional 2 days off. With ten hour shifts officers have three days off but many times one or two of those days are spent in court or other overtime duties.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office currently has one vacancy and two individuals completing background checks. One of those two is expected to be hired. Pay has increased at the sheriff's office each year over the last 6 years with increases over 15% happening last year. The City of Santa Fe is currently doing much better at hiring then in previous years and soon could be adding another 45 officers to its current staffing levels. When I first started as an officer most people became officers because they had a burning desire to be one or they did it for the excellent benefits officers have, the pay was not a big incentive. Now traditional careers which once paid more have fallen below officers in pay and when you combine the pay with the benefits Law Enforcement becomes a much more lucrative career. It is still not for everyone. It is often hours of tedious duties, patrols and paperwork uninterrupted by minutes of terror, horror, or emotional stress. However, you can never forget the satisfaction you earn when you help someone.

I am glad to see pay increasing to a respectable level, when I started at $6.50 an hour I literally knew police officers who lived in public housing with their spouse and kids. Not as a community policing effort but because they qualified for the housing and could not afford anything else in Santa Fe. One of the things that has always bothered me was officers who encouraged their children to do anything else but law enforcement. When pay was low and working conditions tough I could see why they did it but still disagreed. Law Enforcement is an honorable and fulfilling career and we should encourage our youth to look at this career. Now that pay and benefits are up to par we should do more to show young people what a great life you can have as an officer.

Public Defender Goes Overboard.

I almost fell off my bed when I read this story. Let me explain, first off I read the papers about 1:30 to 2:00 in the morning before I go to bed. Sometimes not the whole paper but at least the biggest stories and then I will finish the rest in the morning. Enough about my insomnia or odd sleeping habits. I clicked on a story about the opening arguments in the State vs Ivan Atencio trial. Ivan Atencio is a career criminal drug addict. One evening a lady calls police to report that she has observed a stolen car parked at a store parking lot and there is a man inside. Doing what a cop is supposed to do they approach the man and ask him to step out of the car and speak to officers so they can investigate. He refuses to follow commands struggles to escape, and as he tries to drive away he drives straight at an officer making the officer fear he was about to be run over. The officer fires his weapon at the vehicle in order to stop the vehicle from running him over. A chase ensues and all that many other officers hear on the radio during the chaos is "shots fired". apparently some officers may have thought this to mean that the suspect had a gun.

During the high speed dangerous chase the officers finally stop Atencio and surround the car. He again tries to drive away putting officers lives in danger of being struck by the vehicle Mr Attencio is driving at them. Officers fire their weapons once again trying to stop Mr. Attencio from killing someone, primarily the very officers he is driving at. He is shot but not fatally and arrested.

Now, defense attorneys are supposed to mount a rigorous defense on behalf of their client. I have no problem with that. A common defense tactic is to blame the police for what happened. Never mind that the actions of the suspect created the situation that officers had to react to. However, where I nearly fell out of bed was when I read this which was said during opening arguments, "The Santa Fe Police Department, literally in a concerted effort, attempted ... to murder my client," Public Defender Sydney West said. "What you will see in this case is police were the perpetrator and Mr. Atencio was, in fact, the victim."

What!!! Calling our officers attempted murderers! I am disgusted at this public defenders choice of words and her unabashed attempt to make the officers the criminal's in this case. We in law enforcement are used to the tables being turned on us in criminal cases by the defense attorneys. Officers are often accused of incompetence or indifference. When the physical evidence is irrefutable the attorneys try to say it was not collected correctly or that officers somehow wanted to frame someone they never met and would have no motive to do so. When there is no physical evidence then officers are accused of not looking hard enough to find it. It always goes back to a common defense tactic of putting the officer on trial.

Usually the defense attorneys are not so disrespectful and callous about doing so. I hope this backfires, I hope the jury has enough sense to see what is really happening here. Sometimes they do, unfortunately sometimes jury's take the bait.

New York Times Chronicles Heroin Problem in Northern New Mexico

The April 2, 2008 New York Times delved into Northern New Mexico's heroin problem, primarily the use of Narcan and distribution of clean needles. New Mexico distributes Clean needles in a needle exchange program and also distributes nasal spray doses of Narcan which is a drug used to recover and prevent death during an overdose.

According to the article Needle exchanges and Narcan distribution are opposed by federal officials, who say they amount to endorsing addiction. Bertha K. Madras, a deputy director at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, has said that Narcan, the trade name for naloxone, should be administered only by medical professionals and that it could make addicts feel safer and less likely to seek care.

As I read the New York Times article this morning I couldn't help but think about this article which came out this morning in our local paper. While the contents of the article which chronicles the arrest of a man who traded heroin for the sister of an addicted man would shock many, it does not surprise me. Northern New Mexico which includes portions of Northern Santa Fe County is an entirely different world when it comes to drug addiction and death. I have seen grandparents, parents, children and great grandchildren all addicted to heroin in the same family. The family ties of addiction make arrests and undercover operations in these areas extremely hard. Because everyone is related, outsiders are not accepted and can not break into these family drug cartels. This makes law enforcement operations extremely hard in these areas.
I have often defended the drug war and exposed why I feel that legalizing drugs is a bad idea. However I do feel that we as a state and a nation are not spending enough for treatment centers, in particular long term treatment centers. I also feel Narcan is an effective life saving tool. I still have not made up my mind on needle exchange programs. On the one hand I do not want to do anything that promotes continued use of drugs however, I do realize that clean needles prevent the spread of diseases and save lives also.

This issue is not a quick fix issue. We will have to use many different tools in order to combat this problem. The costs to jail someone is as much if not more than treatment. The waiting lists for treatment is long however the jail always has room for one more. The one point I do often make is the fact that many of those who do receive any treatment at all are as a result of an arrest. You really don't find many people who seek out help on their own. Many may not want to believe it but when we arrest someone for drug crimes we would like nothing better than for that person to get help and become a productive member of society.

For more on drugs and legalization click here.

Reaction to feds wreck havoc post.

My phone has been ringing a lot since I posted yesterdays opinion on the way the federal government has handled the City Police Detectives case. So far all the calls have agreed with my take on the issue. The Albuquerque Journal picked the story up off my blog and Vic from the journal added that several officers from the city had already filed complaints with Tom Udall's Office. The congressmen and women from New Mexico are probably gun shy about getting involved in criminal matters after the Robert Vigil and Manny Aragon cases in which Senator Pete Dominici and Congresswoman Heather Wilson were lambasted for contacting then United States Attorney David Iglesias. However I hope they are not too gun shy. This case does not involve political figures and when the F.B.I. and U.S. Attorneys do the amount of damage they have done to a community the only recourse a community has is to file a complaint with our congressional delegation.