In a narrow vote, councilors determined there is no need for a multi-agency investigation into the events surrounding Chief Harold Medina running a red light and crashing into another vehicle to avoid gunfire while on the way to a press conference with his wife. It was last on the agenda at the end of the March 4 hour-long City Council meeting.

More Eyes? No.

Councilor Louie Sanchez’ resolution — which failed in a 5 to 4 vote — asks the city administration to call in a multi-agency investigation to look into a Feb. 17 crash involving Medina and his wife in an unmarked vehicle. 

Medina was on his way to a press conference when gunshots rang out near his vehicle. He says he accelerated to get out of the way of gunfire and crashed into another vehicle critically injuring the other driver. Sanchez’ resolution says there should be at a minimum representatives from New Mexico State Police, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico Department of Justice and Albuquerque Police investigating the incident to see if any laws or policies were violated. 

“The citizens of Albuquerque need to regain their trust in their police department, and that trust begins with the number one person in charge of that. And that’s the purpose of this resolution,” Sanchez said during the meeting. 

Councilor Sanchez has unsuccessfully tried to pass bills asking for the police chief’s resignation during the last couple of months.

Councilor Brook Bassan asked the Mayor’s administration if there is reason to believe that APD is incapable of holding the Chief to the highest standards.

Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Samantha Sengel answered that they did more than would typically be done by implementing an investigation by the motor vehicles division of the scene. This step, she said, is beyond what would have been required based on this situation.

She went on to say that Medina requested that the city do the highest level of investigation and additionally that there be an internal investigation related to standard operating procedures and policy within the department be performed.

Councilor Joaquín Baca chimed in before the vote saying, “I’m very much a believer that everyone should be held accountable to the highest standard possible. If the chief has done something wrong, then the process will show that and he’ll be held to whatever standard or whatever the outcome is.”

Councilors Sanchez, Daniel Champine, Renée Grout and Dan Lewis voted for the resolution while Councilors Bassan, Baca, Klarissa Peña, Tammy Feibelkorn and Nichole Rogers voted to allow the process in place to continue. 

Take It Down Faster

In a 7 to 2 vote, councilors approved a proposal, put forth by Councilor Bassan, to set a 60-day time limit after a property has been administratively deemed substandard to get the required permits in place to clean it up. 

Councilors amended the resolution to include collecting data on race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status of the property owners. Councilor Rogers said this was a way to ease people’s minds that the process is not being abused since this often happens predominantly to poor and people of color. 

The city’s Building and Safety Division of the Planning Department would declare a property a fire hazard, structurally inadequate or dangerous. 

Councilors Lewis and Peña voted against the measure, with Lewis saying during the debate that he feels the current process is working and doesn’t necessarily need to be changed to a faster process.

In other business:

• Councilors approved a plan to be kept informed on a quarterly basis about what various departments are doing to prepare for the Route 66 Centennial Celebration in 2026. The resolution says that the police, community safety, and planning departments along with the transit, waste management and arts and culture departments will maintain landscaping, streetscaping, signage and transit facilities along Central Ave/Route 66 throughout the city limits and report back on the progress to the city council.
• Councilors postponed a measure until the March 18 regular meeting for an emergency purchase of migrant sheltering services to avoid an interruption in services while Federal Emergency Management Administration grants funds are being competitively procured.
• During public comment Antoinette Suina and her daughter Ariana said they were there because they were concerned about Chief Medina’s recent auto crash. They spoke about the forever pain of a family being hit by a police officer in an auto accident. In April 2017, Officer Johnathan McDowell crashed into a car driven by Suina and killed her 6-year-old son and critically injured Ariana. McDowell was allegedly driving 80 mph to a call about a man with a machete at a northeast Heights grocery store. Antioinette said the higher-ups in the department should be held to a higher standard. Ariana said they donated a driving simulator to APD for officers to train on so that this type of accident doesn’t happen again. Ariana said she hopes the department utilizes the simulator so her “brother’s death won’t be in vain.” Councilor Sanchez asked where the simulator was located and a representative from administration said it was at the academy.

How to participate 
The next City Council meeting is set for Monday, March 18 at 5 p.m. in the Vincent E. Griego Chambers, on the basement level of the Albuquerque Government Center. The meetings are broadcast on GOV-TV or on the city council’s YouTube channel. The full council agenda can be found here.