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A fourth Albuquerque police officer has resigned from the department amid a federal investigation into the dismissals of DWI cases in recent years.
Nelson Ortiz, an eight-year veteran of Albuquerque Police Department, submitted his resignation Thursday, said APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos. He was the second to resign this week.
Ortiz opted to resign before he could be interviewed as part of APD’s separate internal investigation into the matter.
Ortiz served on the DWI unit from 2018 to 2021, and went on to work in the APD’s Motors Unit in 2021.
APD launched the administrative investigation in January into allegations of wrong-doing by officers who currently work for, or who have worked for the DWI Unit in the past. Five officers were notified that they were targets of the investigation.
Other officers have resigned during the APD investigation:
- Justin Hunt, who started at APD in 2000 and resigned on Feb. 7.
- Honorio Alba, who started at APD in 2014 and resigned on Feb. 29.
- Harvey Johnson, who started at APD in 2014, resigned on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the federal investigation into interactions between APD officers in the DWI unit and an Albuquerque defense lawyer and his paralegal has yet to result in the filing of criminal charges. Nearly two months ago, federal agents executed search warrants at several residences and a law office, but the affidavits setting out the reasons for the searches remain sealed.
