Justice Department: Albuquerque police use "excessive force"

[Jazzy]

On Thursday, the Justice Department announced its findings that the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) has engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force.

The investigation, which was launched on Nov. 27, 2012 and was conducted jointly by the department's Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico, examined whether APD engages in an unconstitutional pattern or practice of excessive force, including deadly force, as well as any pattern or practice of a violation of the law.

The Albuquerque Police Department has faced intense criticism for 37 shootings by officers since 2010 -- more than 20 of them deadly. Critics say that's far too many for a department serving a city of about 555,000. Complaints from local advocacy groups helped launch the inquiry.

The findings, which were developed through a review of thousands of materials and hundreds of interviews, were delivered to Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry and Police Chief Gorden Eden Thursday morning.

The results come just weeks after a violent protest ensued following the APD's fatal shooting of a homeless man who had threatened to kill officers. The man was gathering his belongings and turning away when officers opened fire, helmet camera video shows.

A release issued by the DOJ Thursday said the investigation found three patterns of excessive force used by APD officers.

Full article

Off Topix Debate Room Discussion

So, apparently the DOJ found the shooting of the homeless man unjustified.

Comments?

 

[WHO IS SERAFIN]

Glad to hear it!

 

[DrLeftover]

That sort of pattern of abuse speaks more to the competency of the ranking officers and their ability to train and discipline their own patrol officers than making a general statement about the police forces in the rest of the nation.