Metro Beat: City Council narrowly votes down resolution to dig deeper into Medina crash

The Albuquerque City Council late Monday voted 5-4 against a resolution calling for a multi-agency investigation into Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina’s Feb. 17 car crash.

Medina’s truck crashed into another car as he fled gunfire in Southeast Albuquerque, injuring the car’s driver.

The resolution asked city administration to request that the New Mexico Department of Justice, New Mexico State Police, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and APD look into the incident. Councilors Dan Lewis, Dan Champine, Louie Sanchez and Renee Grout voted in favor.

Resolution co-sponsor Champine said the move could help improve public perception of the department after the incident. He also said it could be difficult for sworn officers to “investigate their boss.”

“The citizens of Albuquerque need to … regain their trust in their police department,” said Councilor Louie Sanchez, the other sponsor of the resolution.

Councilor Brook Bassan asked city staff if there was “a reason to believe that APD is not capable of holding the chief to the highest standards.”

Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Sengel said there was an on-the-scene investigation, “which is beyond what would have been required in this situation,” but was requested by Medina. An Internal Affairs investigation related to standard operating procedures and department policy is underway.

Earlier Monday, the Superintendent of Police Reform Eric Garcia gave a presentation about the city’s monitoring team, which is part of Internal Affairs. He emphasized the group is independent from APD.

Garcia said he believed the investigation would be fair and he has had to discipline others before.

“I do not like doing that,” Garcia said. “But it’s something that has to be done.”

DASH TO wEMOLITION: The City Council voted 7-2 on a measure that the city’s director of planning said could speed up the process of knocking down dilapidated properties.

In the past, the City Council voted to allow demolition. Now, that decision will be up to an independent hearing officer.

Residents of the Pueblo Alto neighborhood spoke during public comment about a boarded up property in their neighborhood that made some residents feel unsafe.

“The process just takes too long,” said Tyler Richter of the Pueblo Alto Neighborhood Association. “The public loses its faith.”

Demolishing properties is a monthslong process that requires notification to property owners and potentially pursuing remedies.

Director of Planning Alan Varela said it’s a “last resort.”

“How many properties that we end up demolishing, when it does come through the traditional process, would you say could be sold to a different property owner to be refurbished and rebuilt without razing it to the ground?” Bassan asked.

“Zero,” Varela said.

KNOCKOUTS KNOCKED OUT FOR 30 DAYS: A Downtown strip club will close for 30 days after failing its December inspection.

The city announced in January it was seeking to temporarily suspend Knockouts’ business license.

According to a letter sent to the club’s registered agent, an ID couldn’t be found for one dancer — a violation of the sexually oriented business license provisions.

The business had a chance to appeal, but on Monday a hearing officer rejected its appeal.

The state is also looking at potential violations of the business’s liquor license. The charges included {span}allowing a minor on licensed premises, distributing alcohol to a minor, selling liquor to someone who already was intoxicated, and having insufficient lighting.{/span} Last week, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department said the case is still pending.

“Upon the receipt of the recording of the hearing (which is expected to be this Friday), each party has 30 days to submit their findings of facts and conclusions of law to the hearing officer for review and consideration,” said Andrea Brown in an email to the Journal.

Next, the hearing officer will send findings and recommendations to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Division director before a final decision is made.

Alaina Mencinger covers city and county government for the Albuquerque Journal. She can be reached at amencinger@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3864.