Ex-APD academy commander files whistleblower lawsuit

Olivier Uyttebrouck, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read

Feb. 4—A former commander of the Albuquerque Police Department's academy alleges in a lawsuit she was fired in 2020 in retaliation for reporting concerns directly to then-chief of police Michael Geier.

Angela Byrd alleges in the 2nd Judicial District Court suit that her actions were protected under the state's Whistleblower Protection Act.

Byrd was hired as commander in July 2018 and fired in October 2020 by then-interim Police Chief Harold Medina, who was subsequently named chief of police.

APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said Wednesday that the city will respond to the lawsuit in court.

Byrd alleges that, in her first two years with APD, she "worked to address the deficiencies with the cultural and historical issues" to bring the academy into compliance with APD's settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Independent monitor James Ginger had identified training as a key reason APD had failed to obtain compliance with APD's Court-Approved Settlement Agreement with the Department of Justice, the suit contends.

Byrd alleges that Medina, then deputy chief of police and Byrd's supervisor, did not agree with Byrd's proposed changes.

Byrd expressed her concerns in a meeting with former chief Geier, who responded by making Byrd a member of his executive staff and having her report directly to Geier instead of Medina.

The move angered Medina, who "often tried to undermine Ms. Byrd's authority," and made disparaging comments about her to APD staff, the suit alleges.

Geier stepped down as chief in September 2020. Then-interim chief Medina fired Byrd on Oct. 20, 2020.

Medina said at the time that Byrd was fired after a lengthy external investigation found that she had retaliated against academy staff and threatened cadets who had filed a formal complaint against her.

Conflicts at the APD academy have led to at least one prior lawsuit and several settlement agreements with the city.

John Sullivan, a former APD commander and Byrd's predecessor at the academy, reached a $550,000 settlement with the city in September 2021. Sullivan alleged in a lawsuit that he was forced to resign in 2018 after he highlighted problems at the academy.

The city also reached pre-litigation settlements in March 2021 with two academy instructors who claimed Geier transferred them out of their jobs as punishment for filing complaints against Byrd.

Each officer received a $175,000 settlement and was reinstated to their academy posts.