APD Shooting Divides Opinion

It is with great sadness that I write in response to your lead story of Saturday’s Journal, “Police Union Lashes Out Over Mayor’s Proposal.”

I was dumbfounded as I read Jeff Proctor’s story and the response of the Albuquerque police union.

The remarks attributed to the police union are horrific, utterly reprehensible and an embarrassment to anyone who is or who has ever been a law enforcement officer.

It quickly brought to mind another incident where offensive remarks in defense of a police officer were made by a past chief of police of the Albuquerque Police Department in the killing of a citizen. To his credit the chief realized the offensive nature of his remarks, and he met with the family of the deceased and apologized for his insensitive remarks.

Understand, I was once not only a member of this same police union, but I sat on its executive board and I routinely defended officers who were facing disciplinary action by the Albuquerque Police Department.

I was no stranger to controversy and defending the officers of the department. I spoke on radio shows, we had our own regular TV program, and I even recall paying an advertisement fee of $1,700 to the Albuquerque Journal to run my response to one of their negative editorials because they would not run my rebuttal in its entirety.

Every law enforcement officer knows that every action they take as an officer will be scrutinized by the criminal justice system and the public, especially those incidents that result in injury, or death.

I always cringe when an agency head rushes to the defense of their officers. Every police officer knows that the official investigation will take time to complete, it must then be reviewed by the district attorney’s office, and in some instances it will be presented to the grand jury.

It is months later before an officer will know if his actions will subject him to criminal prosecution. Officers are taught all this in the basic academy. They understand this is how the system works, and they don’t need or want anyone rushing to their defense.

Unlike the chief’s remarks, which were spoken spontaneously in response to a reporter’s question, the union’s response was prepared and deliberate — and this is what makes the union’s remarks unconscionable and lacking in any integrity and human decency.

The anger wells up in me, and I can only imagine how the Torres family must feel. A noble profession does not need this kind of despicable, ignorant and profane defense.

As a former member of the Albuquerque Police Department I worked with some of the greatest human beings one could wish to be associated with, and I worked with officers who were arrested for everything from shoplifting to homicide.

Despite this, I would have bet my life that never would the law enforcement principles that I was taught to uphold and defend, even unto death, be breached by someone that wears the same uniform I wore in such a callous, cold and heartless manner.

The police union without even committing a criminal act has breached these law enforcement standards and trampled the core beliefs of the profession that I love.

The Albuquerque police union not only needs to reflect on what it has done, but it must look deeply within itself and in the best interests of the profession and community root out those responsible for these remarks and convince them to resign and leave the profession.

No one with sentiments such as were expressed in this story can be allowed to continue to serve in law enforcement.

Gilbert Najar served with the Albuquerque Police Department for almost 23 years, five of those as a sergeant and 13 as a lieutenant and division commander.

— This article appeared on page 18 of the Albuquerque Journal

Photo Credit – RUSS BALL/JOURNAL