By Peter Simonson, ACLU-NM Executive Director
You may have heard about the APD’s sting scheme: plant a daypack by the ATM at 4th and Gold, wait for someone to take it, then follow and arrest the person for theft. The APD has nabbed at least five people with the plot, including one person who has spent 14 days in jail. Presumably those individuals are facing 3rd degree felony charges–and the possibility of a permanent criminal record–because the APD reportedly filled the daypack with $2,500 worth of valuables, including a laptop.
Yesterday, Public Safety Director Darren White notified the ACLU that he and APD Chief Ray Schultz had decided to shut down the operation.
Stopping the sting scheme was the right thing to do, but troubling questions remain. Didn’t the officers worry about false arrests? They couldn’t know that a person’s motives for taking the daypack were criminal. What if they arrested someone who thought the daypack was abandoned, or someone who intended to turn it over to the police?
Doesn’t APD have enough crime to investigate without manufacturing new crimes? And baiting otherwise innocent people into turning criminal?
KOAT-TV reported that APD devised the scheme “after several reports of backpacks and purses being stolen in the University area.” But the University area is miles away from the sting location and lies on the opposite side of the freeway. Did officers truly think a sting in downtown Albuquerque was going to dampen crime in the University area? Or was that just a feeble cover for a misguided operation?
The ACLU has learned of a similar entrapment scheme where APD officers set out an expensive bicycle in public and wait for someone to steal it. Did Mr. White and Chief Schultz shut down this program as well?
The community deserves answers to these questions—some reassurance that APD officers aren’t abusing their authority. The ACLU has contacted both Darren White’s office and that of the Police Chief to request a meeting and await their response.
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Michelle Brown-Yazzie
Hi I was issued a criminal trespass notification-order not to return and a citation for feeding the metrocampers of albuquerque this past sunday. I have been doing this for the past 4yrs without insident. I feel the rights and freedoms of the volunnteers and that of the metrocampers as well as mine have been violated. please help! (505)***-****.
PS also wonder if the backpack issue is is somehow related to the campers since they are allways in need of backpacks and I give them out for free on Sundays.
Thank you.
I am glad ACLU opposes this PR try by APD. It would be very interesting to set up a sting for APD officers-tell them where there is money and drugs and wait for the stampede. It is gratifying to watch corruption out itself. My son was murdered because of such behavior.