By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — Ten Flock Safety cameras sat stacked in the bed of a Rio Rancho man’s pickup after he admittedly removed them and livestreamed the act online. Now, he faces felony charges and says the removal was a political statement. Deputies stopped Jevon Martinez, 44, yesterday, Sept. 2, in his Ford […]
Courts, Justice & Safety
Posted inCity Desk ABQ
The FBI says ABQ had 75 homicides last year. APD reported only 65. Who is right and why can’t they agree on this big crime stat?
By Jesse Jones, The Paper. — When Burqueños look at local and federal crime reports, they might be surprised to find that Washington and City Hall disagree on exactly how many people were murdered in Albuquerque last year. We wanted to know why that is and we found that even APD isn’t entirely sure why […]
Posted inSandoval County
After 21 years, Sandoval County Fire Captain Farrell hangs up her helmet
By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Sandoval County Fire and Rescue is losing one of its founding members. Commissioners spent part of their Aug. 26 meeting honoring Capt. Shannon Farrell, who retired after 21 years with the department and 34 years total in public safety, closing out a career that shaped how the county trains firefighters, […]
Posted inSandoval County
Ballot battle continues: Sandoval County clerk won’t end legal fight over candidate
By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. A district judge has ordered Sandoval County to place Matthew Wayne Herman’s name on the November ballot for New Mexico House District 23 — and the county says it’s complying, even as it prepares to keep fighting the decision in court. Thirteenth Judicial District Court Judge James A. Noel signed […]
Posted inRio Rancho
Rio Rancho’s bear summer continues: Another animal relocated from neighborhood
By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Rio Rancho’s summer bear surge continued Tuesday when police and state wildlife officers tranquilized and relocated an animal roaming the Cabezon neighborhood. Working alongside the New Mexico Department of Wildlife, RRPD safely tranquilized the animal Tuesday morning and confirmed it will be relocated to Northern New Mexico. Officials say this […]
Posted inRio Rancho
Rio Rancho residents urge city to cut ties with Flock camera network
By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Four Rio Rancho residents pressed the governing body Aug. 27 to pull the plug on the city’s Flock Safety camera network, arguing that 19 cameras logging every passing license plate amounts to warrantless mass surveillance — not the crime-fighting tool police describe. Joaquin Montoya, speaking on behalf of privacy advocacy […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
New Mexico family feud over green chile enchiladas leaves one dead
Albuquerque, The Paper. – New Mexicans are known to be serious about their green chile, but police say a Roswell man took it too far when he shot and killed a cousin in Albuquerque during a dispute over who had the hotter green chile enchiladas. According to court records obtained by The Paper., the suspect, […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Torrez sues feds to obtain records of DEA operation allowing fentanyl to be distributed across New Mexico
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez today filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico against the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, seeking records necessary for the New Mexico Department of Justice’s (NMDOJ) investigation into allegations that DEA agents knowingly allowed large quantities of […]
Posted inRio Rancho
Rio Rancho police credit ALPR cameras with dozens of arrests, vehicle recoveries
By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Rio Rancho’s automated license plate reader network has grown to 19 cameras citywide, and police say the system — all of it run through vendor Flock Safety — is paying off in stolen vehicle recoveries and arrests. Police told councilors during an Aug. 18 work session that the most recent […]
Posted inRio Rancho
Rio Rancho’s speed cameras are racking up tickets — and maybe too much cash
By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper. Rio Rancho drivers are getting caught speeding at a record pace, and the city may soon have more camera-generated cash than it knows what to do with. The city’s newer speed camera network — 10 mobile towers citywide plus three red towers installed on Highway 528 in June — has […]