Sunday, July 20, 2008

Bernalillo OKs Hiring of Officer

By Rozanna M. Martinez
Journal Staff Writer
       Bernalillo's police department just got stronger after the Town Council approved the hiring of an additional officer last week.
    The council on Monday approved the hiring of John R. Bubbico of Albuquerque. The addition of Bubbico brings the department to 20 officers, including police chief Fred Radosevich.
    According to Bubbico's employment application for the Bernalillo police position, he had been a Corrales police officer since June 2006.
    Prior to working at the Corrales Police Department, he was a police officer with Albuquerque Public Schools from February 2004 through June 2006, the application says.
    According to Radosevich, Bubbico will fill one of two vacant police officer positions.
    The Town Council approved an increase in the police budget this fiscal year to allow for the hiring of two officers to bring the department to 21 officers, according to Radosevich.
    The department is advertising for the other officer position, according to Radosevich. The department will soon be advertising for a police service aide, who will help with minor offenses, traffic control and minor reports, freeing up police officers to handle more serious calls, Radosevich added.
    In December, the department and the Town Council look at the activity and growth of the town and evaluate whether an additional police officer is needed, Radosevich said. The issue is then revisited mid-year.
    "We always say we need more people," Radosevich said of his department. "The council has been good to us by adding positions as we need them. We are up to strength while other departments around the state are hurting for officers."
    Radosevich said the Town Council has also been good at raising police salaries to make the department competitive with other police departments' wages.
    "The council is geared to protecting public safety," he said.