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Saturday, February 26, 2011
Do a 'Human Waste' Self-Evaluation
By Moises Venegas
Quinto Sol
This last week I have stopped worrying about protests around the world, poverty and economic development and jobs in New Mexico. Instead I am asking citizens of Albuquerque, do you look suspicious?
Do an assessment, for you might become "human waste" at the hands of law enforcement.
I do not want to say that the job of law enforcement is an easy one. Difficult decisions must be made on the spot with little time to analyze the situation. And the majority of our law enforcement officers in Albuquerque are good, law-abiding individuals who provide safety for all of us.
But now, my worry is not only the Albuquerque Police Department but also the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department.
Sheriff Dan Houston is getting a new gun — a really big, powerful new gun. The department is getting 12 AR15 assault rifles. The plan is to secure AR15s for all 270 deputies. Of the original 12 rifles, one will be an extra just in case the sheriff needs one. Ten of the rifles will be used by a newly organized team that targets dangerous, high-risk repeat offenders. Are you one? Do you look suspicious?
Here are some tips for these times.
Location, location, location as they say in the real estate business. Unless you have to live in the "war zone" — oh, I am sorry, it is the International District in Southeast Albuquerque — you might want stay out. You might look suspicious.
The color of your skin also might look suspicious, or at least project suspicious behavior.
So be especially careful about mixing color and neighborhood. Review the demographics for the city and think about the time of day or night you want to be seen strolling in certain areas.
At this time of national focus on undocumented aliens, brown people should be careful in general. Learn English without an accent — but an Okie/Texas accent is fine. If you doubt this brown-is-suspicious outlook, visit the Metropolitan Detention Center or any prison in the state. At the Metropolitan Detention Center, the vast majority of its residents are brown "suspicious persons" and a good number are black or Native American.
If you are "human waste" consider how you dress. Wear a suit and tie if you can. The "cholo" look will be of no help. Tattoos used to be a problem, but not anymore — unless you have la Virgen de Guadalupe all over your body.
Finally when you are driving with your spouse or female friend, let them drive. They do not get pulled over as much as men do, and if they do get pulled over a warning is more likely.
As a professional in the field and having worked with law enforcement in Albuquerque and Colorado for 30 years, here are some suggestions for local police:
• Put into practice, not only in name, community policing.
• Albuquerque reflects a diverse community. Learn how to work in the Northeast Heights as well as in Martineztown and the South Valley.
• Provide very specific knowledge to future law enforcement officers of the various neighborhoods in Albuquerque. Community/neighborhood health varies around the city. In the drive-up liquor era of the 90s a research document found that 76.7 percent of the drive-up windows were on or south of Central! The current drive-by liquor stores, known as gas stations, are concentrated in the same areas of town. Do you have one near you at Tanoan?
• Impose zero tolerance for egregious behavior by officers. Officer Trey Economidy may be a nice guy who made a poor judgment, but "human waste" should not be part of law enforcement in Albuquerque. Fire the man.
• Hire a better trained and educated workforce.
My final question for reflection: Did Doug Vaughn or Bernie Madoff have a suspicious look or behavior?
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