ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
Agency: Independent Review Office (IRO) of the Police Oversight Commission (Current as of September, 2013)
Contact Information:
Robin S. Hammer, Esq., Independent Review Officer
Independent Review Office
City of Albuquerque
P.O. Box 1293
Albuquerque, NM 87103
P 505-924-3770
F 505-924-3775
Agency website: www.cabq.gov/iro
Type of oversight mechanism: Hybrid, Investigative and Audit
Oversight of: Albuquerque Police Department (APD) (Municipal police agency)
Number of sworn officers: 980
Population of City: 553,000 (2012 estimate)
Enabling legislation: City Ordinance Section 9-4-1-4, et seq. (1998 -- see Attachment 1)
Staff: 6 Full Time Employees (Total budgeted staff, 2013 – 2014)
- 1 Independent Review Officer (See Attachment 2, Independent Review Officer Employment Agreement)
- 1 Assistant Lead Investigator (See Attachment 3, IRO Assistant Lead Investigator Job Description)
- 2 Line Investigators (See Attachment 4, IRO Investigator Job Description)
- 1 Analyst
- 1 Executive Secretary.
Budget: $482,555 (FY 2013-2014)
Authority/function/jurisdiction of the agency
- Receives citizen complaints, has exclusive jurisdiction over civilian-initiated complaints
- Investigates citizen complaints using civilian investigators
- Makes findings on citizen complaints investigated by civilian investigators
- Makes policy recommendations
- Monitors and audits all APD Internal Affairs Investigations
- Makes findings on all Officer Involved Shootings Has no authority to impose discipline to officers
Scope of agency’s authority:
- Can compel production of police agency records.
- Can compel production of records from other city/county/government agencies.
- Can compel statements from officers.
- Can subpoena documents, evidence & witnesses.
Mediation:
The IRO offers mediation as an alternative means of resolving citizen complaints about police conduct. The IRO has a mediation program that enables complainants to resolve their issues with the accused officer in a face-to-face dispute resolution process involving trained APD Supervisors who act as mediators. The goal of the program is to bring together the involved parties in an effort to achieve mutual understanding. Mediation is limited to cases determined eligible by the IRO and must be agreed to by both the complainant and the accused officer. Cases that are successfully mediated are not considered disciplinary proceedings in an officer's record..
Volunteer Board:
The Independent Review Office (IRO) reports to the Police Oversight Commission (Commission). The Commission is comprised of nine volunteer members, one from each of the nine City Council Districts. Each City Councilor nominates two persons to be the volunteer appointee; the Mayor selects one of these two persons to be forward to the City Council for approval. The Independent Review Officer is one of three persons selected by the Police Oversight Commission, then appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. The Independent Review Officer is an attorney who serves on a two-year renewable contract.
The Commission oversees the operations of IRO and approves all findings of the IRO. The Commission hears citizen's appeals of the IRO's findings. The Commission reviews the IRO's findings on all Officer Involved Shooting matters.
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Office of the Independent Review Office (IRO) of the Police Oversight Commission is to:
- Provide independent oversight and instill confidence in the complaint process through comprehensive and impartial investigations of citizen complaints of police misconduct;
- Strengthen the relationship between Albuquerque Police Department and the community it serves;
- Propose meaningful policy recommendations to the Albuquerque Police Department;
- Review all Officer Involved Shooting cases; and
- Conduct outreach to the Albuquerque community.
Performance Reviews or Studies & Audits:
MGT Report (November 2011)
http://cabq.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=1010559&GUID=050F4BE4-8186-4373-A660-2611F485E464&Options=ID|Text|&Search=mgt+report
PERF Report: Review of Use of Force in the Albuquerque Police Department (June 2011)
http://media2.krqe.com/_local/pdf/APD_PERF_report_20110624.pdf
Links:
- Independent Review Office of the Police Oversight Commission: http://www.cabq.gov/iro
- Independent Review Office Reports: http://www.cabq.gov/iro/reports.html
- Albuquerque Police Department: http://www.cabq.gov/police
- Albuquerque Police Department Standard Operating Procedures (Policies and procedures and rules governing conduct): http://www.cabq.gov/police/our-department/standard-operating-procedures
Attachments:
1) Albuquerque City Ordinance Section 9-4-1-4 (1998)
2) Independent Review Officer Job Description
3) IRO Assistant Lead Investigator Job Description
4) IRO Investigator Job Description
5) IRO Brochure
6) MGT Report: Evaluation of the Police Oversight Ordinance and Police Oversight System, November 2011
7) PERF Report Review of Use of Force in the Albuquerque Police Department, June 2011