Nella Domenici

From the Nella Domenici for Senate Campaign:

ALBUQUERQUE — Senatorial candidate Nella Domenici has asked the Attorney General of the United States, Merrick Garland, to quickly review the consent decree that has governed the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) for 10 years and cost taxpayers more than $40 million.

Domenici said she sees no “legitimate reason for the Decree to remain in effect” and wants Garland to immediately ask the court to terminate the Consent Decree.

“The bitter irony is that the Consent Decree is siphoning off and diverting valuable resources away from policing in a community where Albuquerque’s lower income residents are more likely to be the crime victims,” Domenici said in her letter to Garland.

Domenici also pointed out that, “retirements and resignations outpace APD’s ability to recruit and train new officers, which results in a less experienced and overworked police force, further crushing morale”.

She compares Albuquerque’s law enforcement challenges to Rio Rancho, where they maintain a fully staffed police force and have a crime rate that is one-third of Albuquerque’s. The biggest differentiator between the agencies is the Albuquerque Consent Decree.

“I am appalled at estimates that the total costs related to the Consent Decree so far is approaching $40 million, of which one man, the “independent monitor,” has received $12 million in fees,” Domenici told Garland. “I am equally concerned about the number of police officers (estimated to be approximately 50) that are assigned to investigating other police officers when only ten or fifteen officers are assigned to investigating the record-breaking number of homicides taking place in Albuquerque.”

Domenici points out that those significant resources can help New Mexicans more by being used for mental health services.

Domenici concludes her letter by saying, “I am a defender of civil rights and I am against excessive use of force by law enforcement. But there is no justification at this point for the continuation of this Consent Decree. I urge you to immediately ask the court to terminate the Consent Decree, or explain to the people of Albuquerque your justification for millions of dollars in additional taxpayer funds and continued rampant crime.”