Tellez investigation by BCSD will continue indefinitely

I have made contact with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Dept spokesman Sergeant Aaron Williamson.  I asked for an update on the investigation the Sheriff's Department is conducting into allegations that former APS Chief of Police Steve Tellez stole ammunition from the APS and taxpayers.

It was my understanding that Williamson had indicated in a TV interview, that the investigation would be complete by the "end of the week" last week.

The end of the week came and went without notice by the BCSD, so I emailed Williamson and asked for an update.  He has replied;

Media update was put out last week that the investigation has not been completed. Once complete an update will be provided.

It's fair to wonder how much time and energy Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston and his department will put into the Tellez investigation.

On the one hand, the people would probably rather Houston assign his detectives to catching violent felons than assigning them to investigating the theft of around a thousand dollars worth of ammo.

On the other hand, former APS Chief of Police Steve Tellez was a highly placed public servant; a member of the innermost circle of the leadership of one of the largest school districts in the country.

Houston doesn't have a record of placing a high priority, link, on investigation corruption and incompetence in the leadership of APS' publicly funded private police force even though it is he who gives APS police officers their only real authority; authority they are often asked to abuse at the behest of administrators and school board members.

I have asked to be put on Williamson's media update list.  He indicated he would forward my request to the "City of Albuquerque who maintains our media list."

That particular response causes puzzlement and concern.  Puzzlement that the City of Albuquerque decides who will get Sheriff's Department media releases and, concern because the City of Albuquerque has a record of "media" bias.

The City of Albuquerque by and through Mayor Richard Berry, has a long and ongoing history of discrimination against certain members of press, link.  All of them in fact, who don't work for the Journal, KRQE, KOAT, KOB TV and other owners of "printing presses and broadcast licenses"

I'm guessing I won't be added to the list of those Berry (and the Sheriff's Department) believe are entitled to Constitutional protection of their human right to be "the press".




photos Mark Bralley