Exploring Sheriff’s Office Oversight, Albuquerque Air Quality & Transit Equity

This week on New Mexico in Focus, Executive Producer Jeff Proctor speaks with Matthew Reisen from the Albuquerque Journal about a recent indictment alleging a multi-state machine gun scheme. It names but doesn’t charge former Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales and former Laguna Pueblo Police Chief Rudy Mora. Reisen explains the indictment, including what both Gonzales and Mora are accused of doing to further the scheme.   

Then, Jeff speaks with Dianne Layden, a member of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Advisory Review Board, to understand why there aren’t any checks and balances in place to watch over sheriffs like Gonzales. Layden explains the role of the advisory board, why it was created and how the new sheriff has taken a more active role with the board.  

Our Land’s Laura Paskus sat down with the New Mexico Environmental Law Center’s Eric Jantz to understand how two bills passed by the Albuquerque City Council will affect efforts by a South Valley community to protect itself from pollution. The two also talked about how industry and many lawmakers claim environmental regulations harm economic development—but how the history of environmental protections in the U.S. doesn’t support that claim.  

Christopher Ramírez and Althea Atherton with Together for Brothers talk with Laura about the City of Albuquerque’s Zero Fares Pilot Program and why transit equity doesn’t just benefit those who need to take advantage of free fares on the city’s buses.

Host: Lou DiVizio 

Segments: 
NM Lawmen Mentioned in Machine Gun Scheme Indictment 
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor 
Guest: Matthew Reisen, staff writer, Albuquerque Journal 

Exploring Oversight: NM Lawmen Mentioned in Machine Gun Scheme Indictment 
Correspondent: Jeff Proctor 
Guest: Dianne Layden, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Advisory & Review Board 

Albuquerque City Council Targets Air Quality Rulemaking 
Correspondent: Laura Paskus 
Guest: Eric Jantz, legal director, New Mexico Environmental Law Center 

Transit Equity in Albuquerque 
Correspondent: Laura Paskus 
Guests: Christopher Ramírez, executive director, Together for Brothers  
Althea Atherton, bus rider organizer, Together for Brothers