APD Police Chief Schultz Ray "the buck stops (anywhere but) here" Schultz

A lawsuit has been settled.

Former Police Officer Sam Costales sued the city over retaliation following his exposure of the misconduct of fellow officers in disregard of the "blue wall of silence", link.

According to the Journal, link, city officials still won't tell the truth about the amount of the settlement of the lawsuit against the city, but those in the know say we probably ponied up nearly a half of a million dollars.

As part of the settlement agreement,
Albuquerque Police Department
Chief Ray Schultz' name has been
removed from the lawsuit;

a common practice.

From now on, if anyone asks him if he
has been found guilty of violating the
civil rights of one of his subordinates,
he can answer, no.

Former Bernalillo County Sheriff, current Public Safety Director, and utterly relentless local TV presence, Darren White saw his name removed from a similar suit against the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department.

In response to a question from a City Councilor during his confirmation hearing, he has already stated that he had not been convicted of a civil rights violation, after his Office settled a companion lawsuit.

"The law", the lowest standard of conduct acceptable among civilized human beings, allows the powerful and the privileged to expunge their records even before they are created.

There are higher standards of conduct. Under those standards, leaders accept responsibility for the conduct of their subordinates, and the atmosphere their leadership creates.

Good leaders accept accountability; great leaders insist upon it.

Schultz and White, it would appear, are neither.




photos Mark Bralley