ANOTHER ROUND OF CONTRACT TALKS ARE UNDERWAY BETWEEN ALBUQUERQUE CITY HALL AND THE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION. UNION PRESIDENT STEPHANIE LOPEZ TELLS US MAYOR BERRY HAS ALREADY SET THE TONE FOR NEGOTIATIONS AFTER GOING PUBLIC WITH HIS BUDGET PLAN LAST WEEK THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE RAISES FOR OFFICERS.
SHE SAYS THE UNION WILL DO ITS BEST TO NEGOTIATE A DECENT DEAL … HOWEVER … SHE SAYS THE MAYOR AND THE COMMUNITY NEED TO REALIZE THAT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IS MANDATING, PER COURT ORDER, CERTAIN THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE AT APD, AND IT’LL BE COSTLY. THE D-O-J WAS CALLED IN TO REVIEW THE DEPARTMENT AFTER NUMEROUS OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS.
LOPEZ TELLS US THE DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY LOST MID-LEVEL OFFICERS IN THE PAST YEAR TO DEPARTMENTS OUTSIDE NEW MEXICO THAT OFFER HIGHER PAY. SHE SAYS APD COULD ALSO LOSE NEW RECRUITS WITH THE COLLEGE REQUIREMENT.
