Albuquerque police commander under fire for shooting email

From the Santa Fe New Mexican - AP - ALBUQUERQUE — An Albuquerque police commander is under fire after he sent an email to neighborhood leaders blaming two dozen officer-involved shootings on bad parenting, schools and the news media.  Foothills Area Commander Cliff Saylor's email from earlier this month also faulted courts, the mental health profession and the men shot for not following orders, The Albuquerque Journal reported "It is absurd to blame the 23 officer-involved shootings on APD," Saylor wrote on April 13 from his city email account.  Saylor's email was in response to a letter from four City Council Democrats to Mayor Richard Berry in which the councilors called on the mayor to take action to restore trust in the police department, following two dozen officer-involved shootings since the beginning of 2010. Seventeen have been fatal.  Some minority activists are pressing for a U.S. Justice Department probe into the shootings and have held a number of protests outside City Hall.  Police Chief Ray Schultz called the email a "lapse in judgment" and said Saylor received "a verbal counseling" for inappropriate use of his city email account.  "Obviously we believe he had a lapse in judgment," Schultz said. "These were completely his own opinions and, while I know he was frustrated, he should not have made these comments."  Councilor Ken Sanchez, one of the four who signed the letter to Berry, said Saylor's email was out of line. Read more

Albuquerque police commander under fire for shooting email