Community activists hope to bring awareness and change to a police department they believe is too violent. The leaders of Copwatch, Vecinos United and Albuquerque Answer Coalition said this year's 12 shootings involving Albuquerque Police Department officers is too much and might constitute police brutality. They plan to hold a rally outside police headquarters at 4th Street and Roma Avenue NW on Friday at 3:30 p.m. It's part of a nationwide awareness campaign called National Day of Protest Against Police Brutality.
They said they want to send a message to the police department, community leaders and the citizens of Albuquerque. "There are some APD folks who aren't necessarily safe and who the community is scared of and it needs to change," said Derek Minnobloom who heads up Copwatch, a group that videotapes officers at work. "Traditionally if someone's got a camera on and there's five people watching they're going to act a little differently."
APD Chief Ray Schultz said he has no plans to address the rally Friday. He said he respects the activists' right to protest but questions their tactics. "I think they're trying to play on people's emotions," Schultz said. He said he wants the community to keep in mind that his officers have to make a split-second decision about how they're going to defend themselves. And Schultz said that guns are not always the weapon of choice. "Last year in 2009 the Albuquerque Police Department utilized the Taser in 190 applications," he said.
The activists have invited families of the 12 people shot by APD this year to attend the hour-long rally. Some are expected to attend.Later that evening, the group will walk down Central Avenue with their signs. Then Copwatch will hit the streets with their video cameras in hand.
Do you think that APD is becoming too violent? Do you think we should provide police officers with more training? What are your general thoughts on the use of aggression by the police. Do you think that rally is necessary?
-Noriega
Friday, October 22, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Homework Blog #6
In recent news, New Mexico gubernatorial candidates Diane Denish and Susana Martinez were no-shows at a higher-education forum at the University of New Mexico on Wednesday. UNM's student government said both were invited early this summer. Students and faculty said they feel like they were snubbed. "For the candidates not to show was kind of a slap in the face," said student Jakob Schiller."We were very disappointed," said undergraduate student and Associated Students of UNM chief of staff Michael Thorning.
It wasn't just the state legislators who attended or Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Brian Colon students had wanted to speak with.Professor Rich Wood said it was gubernatorial candidates Denish and Martinez who students, faculty, staff and even the UNM Board of Regents wanted to see at Wednesday's higher-education forum.
Wood is also the Faculty Senate President. He said he helped plan the event, along with students in the ASUNM and faculty council."To say to the students, (and) also the citizens of New Mexico, that higher education is not a priority for us to attend and talk about is the wrong message to send," Wood said.
UNM has undergone five budget cuts, a professor shortage, graduate students filling in the teaching gaps and an increase in tuition. With higher education being a large issue this political season, students were left scratching their heads and wondering why neither candidate attended. "For them to sort of shrug us off the way they did, it sort of makes me feel that neither candidate is paying attention to education they way they need to," Schiller said."I think both gubernatorial candidates owe the citizens of this state an explanation of what their real plans for higher education," Thorning said.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Being that in a couple of years, you will be in the same boat, what would you expect from these candidates? Remember that both candidates discussed how education is crucial to their campaign. Please write a short paragraph describing your view on this situation.
-Noriega
It wasn't just the state legislators who attended or Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Brian Colon students had wanted to speak with.Professor Rich Wood said it was gubernatorial candidates Denish and Martinez who students, faculty, staff and even the UNM Board of Regents wanted to see at Wednesday's higher-education forum.
Wood is also the Faculty Senate President. He said he helped plan the event, along with students in the ASUNM and faculty council."To say to the students, (and) also the citizens of New Mexico, that higher education is not a priority for us to attend and talk about is the wrong message to send," Wood said.
UNM has undergone five budget cuts, a professor shortage, graduate students filling in the teaching gaps and an increase in tuition. With higher education being a large issue this political season, students were left scratching their heads and wondering why neither candidate attended. "For them to sort of shrug us off the way they did, it sort of makes me feel that neither candidate is paying attention to education they way they need to," Schiller said."I think both gubernatorial candidates owe the citizens of this state an explanation of what their real plans for higher education," Thorning said.
What are your thoughts on this situation? Being that in a couple of years, you will be in the same boat, what would you expect from these candidates? Remember that both candidates discussed how education is crucial to their campaign. Please write a short paragraph describing your view on this situation.
-Noriega
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