Albuquerque Police Department Interim Chief Cecily Barker announced a reorganization that includes new executive appointments and the elimination of 12 command staff positions, expected to save the city about $2.4 million.
Three officers were promoted to interim executive roles: Luke Languit as Deputy Chief of the Field Services Bureau, Mike Hernandez as Deputy Chief of Support Services, and Aaron Jones as interim Chief of Staff.
“Many of these executive positions were created to help manage important initiatives as we navigated the final push to complete the settlement agreement,” Barker said. “We no longer need the same level of management. We need to prioritize our resources to maintain the city’s reduction in crime.”
The 12 eliminated positions include sworn personnel, such as deputy commanders for Internal Affairs, and professional staff, including the director of analytics.
Despite the cuts, APD is continuing to recruit. The department has 47 people in training, and the next cadet class is scheduled to start in March. APD currently has 913 sworn officers and 93 police service aides.
Barker said the changes will help the department transition “into a new era of public safety in Albuquerque” and address “new challenges in law enforcement.”
