Albuquerque city councilors approved a new social media policy for city employees Monday night after they called out the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) multiple times for controversial social media posts.
The proposal for the new policy, sponsored by Councilor Renée Grout, passed on an 8-1 vote.
YES: Joaquín Baca, Brook Bassan, Dan Champine, Renée Grout, Dan Lewis, Klarissa Peña, Nichole Rogers, Louie Sanchez
NO: Tammy Fiebelkorn
Councilor Louie Sanchez, a frequent critic of APD and Police Chief Harold Medina, offered his support for the bill while taking a jab at APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos, who the city told other news outlets made the posts in question.
“I’m going to support it, but we already know this is the Gilbert Gallegos bill,” Sanchez said. “He’s attacked the victims of family members on X, attorneys, citizens and business owners…there should have been progressive discipline, and we shouldn’t even be dealing with this right now.”
Sanchez argued the bill shows how the administration has failed to address Gallegos’ behavior and that Medina and Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Sengel allowed it to “go on and on.”
“I think we need to be a little stronger and do what’s right for the citizens of Albuquerque, and if that means getting together and getting rid of the police chief, then we need to do that,” Sanchez said.
Sengel countered saying the city’s existing social media policy already addresses professionalism, but that she could not discuss publicly any personnel disciplinary actions or conversations.
“The assumption by this council that there has been nothing done related to the matters that have been discussed is presumptuous, based upon the fact that it would not be discussed with City Council, based upon an employee’s rights to that process being appropriate,” Sengel said.
Sanchez brought up the last time Gallegos’ social media posts caught the council’s attention: when former Council President Pat Davis* threatened to defund the director of communications position as a way to curb inappropriate posts.
Councilor Nichole Rogers asked the council staff if councilors had the authority to defund the position. An attorney for the council said councilors could propose a bill to defund the position, but it would not remove the position because it “is an executive function.” Rogers said she would “love to work with our staff to do that.”
After the City Council blasted APD several weeks ago, for the second time in as many years, over the posts — which were responses made to private citizens — Grout introduced the proposal for the new policy.
Keller could veto Grout’s proposal but the council can override the veto with six votes.
The policy outlines guidelines for defining what posts are appropriate and inappropriate for city social media accounts, potential consequences for misusing accounts and a plan to regularly monitor accounts to ensure they follow the policies.
“Whether or not we think that snapping back at a constituent, a tax-paying citizen, is okay — it’s not,” Grout said. “There’s always a way you can respond and it does not need to be ugly.”
City Desk ABQ has followed the proposal since Grout introduced it in September. Read more about the APD posts and resolution here.
*Pat Davis, who previously served as council president, is the founder and current publisher of City Desk ABQ, but he does not have editorial control.
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