APD speeds up shooting reviews after four incidents in two weeks

Four officer-involved shootings in less than two weeks have pushed the Albuquerque Police Department to move faster on a review process it created only three years ago after a record year for shootings. APD leaders are now talking about advancing that six-month review so the department can examine incidents together sooner, instead of waiting for the next scheduled cycle.

The change comes after a burst of cases that has again put police use of force under a spotlight in Bernalillo County. On May 24, officers shot 53-year-old Dwayne Wilson during a domestic violence call after police said he drew a gun. Two days later, police shot and killed 23-year-old Jose Armas after responding to a mental-health-related 911 call; APD said Armas fired at officers from a second-story window after less-lethal tactics failed, while his family said the situation could have been handled differently and that he deserved better treatment. Last Friday, officers shot and killed 35-year-old Robert Salas after police said he charged at them with a knife. On Tuesday, officers shot 37-year-old Benjamin Siegling, who remains in critical condition after police said he was armed with a knife and ignored commands.

APD communications director Gilbert Gallegos said the chief wants the department to move up the review rather than wait six months, so officers’ actions can be examined in a broader context and improvements can be made right away. Chief Cecily Barker said the department wants to remain transparent and will provide information as it becomes available. The current review system, first announced in 2023, was designed to look for patterns across shootings instead of treating each incident in isolation.

That system was built after APD recorded 18 shooting cases in 2022. Its first high-level review covered seven officer-involved shootings from January 1 through June 30, 2023, including three fatal and four nonfatal cases. A second review covered seven more shootings from July 1 through December 2023. APD said then that the process was an extra layer of accountability beyond the court-approved settlement agreement.

The backdrop is APD’s long federal reform history. The U.S. Department of Justice sued the City of Albuquerque in 2014 after finding a pattern or practice of excessive force, and the city entered a court-approved settlement agreement later that year. City and DOJ materials later said APD reached operational compliance in 2024, a major milestone after roughly a decade of reform work. Now, as activists and families press for answers after another cluster of shootings, the central question is whether APD’s faster review will mean more transparency for the public, or only quicker closure for the department.