Former APD chief refiles whistleblower suit against city

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

Apr. 23—Albuquerque's former police chief has refiled a lawsuit alleging that city officials violated a state law protecting whisleblowers when they fired him in 2020.

The lawsuit is similar to one filed in July 2021 by former Albuquerque Police Department Chief Michael Geier and Paulette Diaz, a former APD administrator.

District Judge Lisa Ortega ruled that Diaz and Geier should file separate actions against the city and approved a motion in January allowing Diaz and Geier to sever the suits. Both filed individual suits April 11 in 2nd Judicial District Court.

Their attorney, Thomas Grover, said the new suits were essentially identical to those filed in July.

Geier served as chief from December 2017 until he was forced to resign in September 2020.

Geier alleges that Mayor Tim Keller and other top officials ignored his concerns and hampered his efforts to investigate possible wrongdoing in the Albuquerque Police Department.

"In short, (the city) retaliated against Chief Geier's whistleblowing communications by firing him from APD," the suit alleges.

Keller's office responded in July that Geier was making "wild accusations" and "turning to the courts to re-litigate false claims."

APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos declined comment last week, saying, "I don't believe there is any new substance for us to respond to."

The suit alleges that Keller and then-Chief Administrative Officer Sarita Nair "micromanaged" APD and undermined his efforts to bring the agency into compliance with mandates required under court-approved settlement with the U.S.

It also alleges that city officials hindered his efforts to increase APD staffing levels and reduce the city's crime rate.

"In all these areas, Chief Geier found his efforts stymied by (Keller's and Nair's) active and passive interference," the suit alleges.