Cecily Barker takes charge of APD amid reform challenges
Cecily Barker became APD’s first woman chief after a $55,000 search, inheriting a department still measured by reform compliance, public trust and the DWI scandal.
Cecily Barker took charge of the Albuquerque Police Department as the first woman to lead it, inheriting a force still judged by whether it can keep reform gains, rebuild trust and avoid the scandals that shook Bernalillo County. Barker has spent 22 years inside APD, a background city leaders say gives her an intimate view of the department’s culture and the demands on officers and residents alike.
Mayor Tim Keller named Barker chief in March 2026 after she had served as interim chief, following a national search that the Albuquerque Journal reported cost the city $55,000. The Albuquerque City Council confirmed her appointment on April 20, 2026. City materials say Barker was born and raised in Albuquerque and joined APD in 2004, then worked in Field Services from 2004 to 2012 while also serving in roles that included Gang Suppression Officer, Crisis Intervention Officer and Field Training Officer.
Her rise comes as APD tries to move beyond a long federal oversight era. The U.S. Department of Justice opened its investigation in November 2012 over a pattern of excessive force, and the court-approved settlement agreement followed in 2014. On May 9, 2025, the city and the Justice Department filed a joint motion to end the consent decree, saying APD had sustained compliance with significant provisions for two years and, in some areas, reached 99% compliance with the decree’s terms.
That record will now be Barker’s benchmark. In the next 6 to 12 months, her leadership will be measured by whether APD can hold onto that compliance, show steadier accountability in discipline cases, communicate more clearly with the public and keep service levels from slipping as officers answer calls across Albuquerque. The department’s performance will also be watched for signs that reform has become routine practice rather than court-imposed pressure.
The scrutiny is sharper because of the DWI corruption scandal that has widened beyond APD. KRQE reported that 10 officers from APD and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office have pleaded guilty so far, with other officers and at least one New Mexico State Police officer implicated. City Desk reported 2,404 DWI filings in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court in 2025, a multiyear high.
The city has also reorganized its public safety leadership around Barker. Albuquerque created a Public Safety Executive Director post and appointed former FBI official Raul Bujanda to coordinate police, fire and community safety work. For Barker, the first test is not symbolism. It is whether APD can prove, in measurable ways, that it is safer, more transparent and more credible than the department she inherited.
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