Video above: KOAT interviews Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen regarding Mayor Tim Keller’s interview with KOAT following a federal investigation into Albuquerque Police Department’s DWI Unit on Wednesday, Jan. 24.Allen denounces Keller’s comments on the FBI investigation. KOAT has not mentioned names allegedly involved in the case because charges have not been filed.NEW: Target 7: Albuquerque officers being investigated had not shown up to courtThis is a developing story our Target 7 investigation team first brought to you Thursday morning, Jan. 18. Hours later, an APD spokesperson released a statement Thursday night confirming an ongoing federal investigation involving members of the department.MORE: Mayor Tim Keller responds to councilors accusations of withholding APD FBI Investigation details (Full Interview)In an interview with Mayor Keller on Tuesday, Jan. 23, KOAT asked his thoughts on the APD FBI raids. Keller responded, in quote: KOAT: What do you have to say about the APD FBI raids?Mayor Keller: What I am aware of so far, number one, is that this involves a handful of officers, and I think the accusations that I’m hearing about are patently a disgrace to the badge. I hope, if it’s true, these individuals never work at APD or in Albuquerque again. But it is a limited to a handful of individuals to my understanding. APD, I also don’t believe is the only agency that’s being looked at. This has been happening for about a decade, if not longer, so this has been going on long before our team. I’m only grateful we caught it now and we’re going to stop it.Related: Albuquerque officers’ homes raided in FBI investigation KOAT reached out to Keller on Wednesday, Jan. 24, to clarify this specific comment: “APD, I also don’t believe is the only agency that’s being looked at.” As of Wednesday, we have not heard back from Mayor Keller following his statement. Target 7: A look at 159 cases DWI cases dismissed amid federal investigationThe Bernalillo County Sheriff’s office and New Mexico State Police have confirmed with KOAT that its agencies are not a part of the investigation.BCSO Sheriff John Allen weighs in”That’s an irresponsible statement coming from an elected official,” Allen told KOAT.”Pay attention to your own agency when you’re casting shade to someone else’s agency that you have no clue what it’s about and to begin with. If it’s a federal investigation, those comments should not be made to begin with. If you have that information, that’s pertinent to an investigation and keeping the integrity of an investigation,” Allen said. “It’s a tactic for deflection. I can only speak for my agency. I can’t speak for what’s going on over at APD. What I can speak for is our deputies,” Allen told KOAT. “Our culture doesn’t represent what is going on at APD at all. We have two separate and different cultures to begin with.” Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 NewsAllen speaks on importance of transparency”You can’t say that you’re transparent and that you’re responsible and that you hold for accountability when you’re not giving what the public is deserving to know, information. We all know there’s an integrity of investigation, but I believe the public needs to know right away what we’re dealing with, what is specific to this case,” Allen said.”If this is integrated into your agency, is there a trust problem? Do you have a cultural problem? Do you have a systemic problem? I would be completely transparent. You know how I am and tell you how we would be dealing with it. The biggest thing for me, if that was in my agency right now is we deal with individuals right away and this is something I won’t hide. Is it a systemic problem and is it a cultural problem? If it is, which of the snakeheads do I need to cut off? Because I’ll do that immediately. I’m not going to play around with that,” Allen said. “It’s a disservice to my deputies and agency.””To have something of that light come up, I would be apprised of it and an investigation would take place and I would have full cooperation with the feds,” Allen said. “That’s a disservice also to my deputies and my agency. My guys work their butts off and now every deputy that’s in DWI right now is being looked at ‘How did you get this car?’ ‘How did you get this house?'””Those guys work nonstop hours in metro court, district court. They take their job seriously. But what most importantly is irritating to me is everybody is quickly forgetting the victims of DWI and the work that Mothers Against Drunk Driving are doing and are deflecting blame and not putting the focus back into what we should be doing as an agency and as law enforcement to begin with,” Allen said.Related: Frustrations boil over DWI cases being dropped by DA’s office”The only thing that I agree with what the mayor said is it does tarnish the badge. It could be one or two people and it tarnishes just not one agency, it tarnishes all law enforcement. I’ve said we have to bring trust back to this community. This case does not help at all,” Allen told KOAT. Video below: Albuquerque City Councilors express frustration over city’s lack of transparency regarding APD FBI raidsRelated articles on koat.com Federal police presence at home owned by Albuquerque police officer ‘This is going to be a stain on the police department’: Law enforcement expert reacts to FBI raid FBI Investigation could affect appeals of DWI cases’I had no choice but to do this’ Bernalillo County District Attorney speaks on dismissed DWI cases”I can’t speak for all law enforcement. I would hope on the oath that we take when we’re trained, and we take that oath to serve and protect that we take that seriously and that we don’t lose that trust. But when we do, it is very difficult to restore trust. It’s difficult for me as another elected official, as another elected official says, something as irresponsible as that, don’t deflect. Don’t try to pass blame until we know all the facts. Focus on your own agency and what you’re responsible for and I’ll deal with mine,” Allen said.APD Chief Harold MedinaKOAT reached out to APD Chief Harold Medina multiple times since our Target 7 investigation team broke the story Thursday morning, Jan. 18. KOAT asked for time with the chief regarding his reaction to the dismissals. As of Wednesday, Jan. 24, we haven’t heard back from Medina on doing an interview with KOAT.Hours after our interview with Mayor Keller on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 23, APD released a public statement at 5:13 p.m. into the investigation regarding questions our Target 7 investigation team asked prior. This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
Video above: KOAT interviews Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen regarding Mayor Tim Keller’s interview with KOAT following a federal investigation into Albuquerque Police Department’s DWI Unit on Wednesday, Jan. 24.
Allen denounces Keller’s comments on the FBI investigation.
KOAT has not mentioned names allegedly involved in the case because charges have not been filed.
NEW: Target 7: Albuquerque officers being investigated had not shown up to court
This is a developing story our Target 7 investigation team first brought to you Thursday morning, Jan. 18. Hours later, an APD spokesperson released a statement Thursday night confirming an ongoing federal investigation involving members of the department.
MORE: Mayor Tim Keller responds to councilors accusations of withholding APD FBI Investigation details (Full Interview)
In an interview with Mayor Keller on Tuesday, Jan. 23, KOAT asked his thoughts on the APD FBI raids. Keller responded, in quote:
KOAT: What do you have to say about the APD FBI raids?
Mayor Keller: What I am aware of so far, number one, is that this involves a handful of officers, and I think the accusations that I’m hearing about are patently a disgrace to the badge. I hope, if it’s true, these individuals never work at APD or in Albuquerque again. But it is a limited to a handful of individuals to my understanding. APD, I also don’t believe is the only agency that’s being looked at. This has been happening for about a decade, if not longer, so this has been going on long before our team. I’m only grateful we caught it now and we’re going to stop it.
Related: Albuquerque officers’ homes raided in FBI investigation
KOAT reached out to Keller on Wednesday, Jan. 24, to clarify this specific comment: “APD, I also don’t believe is the only agency that’s being looked at.”
As of Wednesday, we have not heard back from Mayor Keller following his statement.
Target 7: A look at 159 cases DWI cases dismissed amid federal investigation
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s office and New Mexico State Police have confirmed with KOAT that its agencies are not a part of the investigation.
BCSO Sheriff John Allen weighs in
“That’s an irresponsible statement coming from an elected official,” Allen told KOAT.
“Pay attention to your own agency when you’re casting shade to someone else’s agency that you have no clue what it’s about and to begin with. If it’s a federal investigation, those comments should not be made to begin with. If you have that information, that’s pertinent to an investigation and keeping the integrity of an investigation,” Allen said.
“It’s a tactic for deflection. I can only speak for my agency. I can’t speak for what’s going on over at APD. What I can speak for is our deputies,” Allen told KOAT. “Our culture doesn’t represent what is going on at APD at all. We have two separate and different cultures to begin with.”
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 News
Allen speaks on importance of transparency
“You can’t say that you’re transparent and that you’re responsible and that you hold for accountability when you’re not giving what the public is deserving to know, information. We all know there’s an integrity of investigation, but I believe the public needs to know right away what we’re dealing with, what is specific to this case,” Allen said.
“If this is integrated into your agency, is there a trust problem? Do you have a cultural problem? Do you have a systemic problem? I would be completely transparent. You know how I am and tell you how we would be dealing with it. The biggest thing for me, if that was in my agency right now is we deal with individuals right away and this is something I won’t hide. Is it a systemic problem and is it a cultural problem? If it is, which of the snakeheads do I need to cut off? Because I’ll do that immediately. I’m not going to play around with that,” Allen said.
“It’s a disservice to my deputies and agency.”
“To have something of that light come up, I would be apprised of it and an investigation would take place and I would have full cooperation with the feds,” Allen said. “That’s a disservice also to my deputies and my agency. My guys work their butts off and now every deputy that’s in DWI right now is being looked at ‘How did you get this car?’ ‘How did you get this house?'”
“Those guys work nonstop hours in metro court, district court. They take their job seriously. But what most importantly is irritating to me is everybody is quickly forgetting the victims of DWI and the work that Mothers Against Drunk Driving are doing and are deflecting blame and not putting the focus back into what we should be doing as an agency and as law enforcement to begin with,” Allen said.
Related: Frustrations boil over DWI cases being dropped by DA’s office
“The only thing that I agree with what the mayor said is it does tarnish the badge. It could be one or two people and it tarnishes just not one agency, it tarnishes all law enforcement. I’ve said we have to bring trust back to this community. This case does not help at all,” Allen told KOAT.
Video below: Albuquerque City Councilors express frustration over city’s lack of transparency regarding APD FBI raids
Related articles on koat.com
“I can’t speak for all law enforcement. I would hope on the oath that we take when we’re trained, and we take that oath to serve and protect that we take that seriously and that we don’t lose that trust. But when we do, it is very difficult to restore trust. It’s difficult for me as another elected official, as another elected official says, something as irresponsible as that, don’t deflect. Don’t try to pass blame until we know all the facts. Focus on your own agency and what you’re responsible for and I’ll deal with mine,” Allen said.
APD Chief Harold Medina
KOAT reached out to APD Chief Harold Medina multiple times since our Target 7 investigation team broke the story Thursday morning, Jan. 18. KOAT asked for time with the chief regarding his reaction to the dismissals. As of Wednesday, Jan. 24, we haven’t heard back from Medina on doing an interview with KOAT.
Hours after our interview with Mayor Keller on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 23, APD released a public statement at 5:13 p.m. into the investigation regarding questions our Target 7 investigation team asked prior.
This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.
Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
