Evidently, a man with a high-powered rifle has barricaded himself in his home after firing shots into the air. KRQE is reporting that area schools are not allowing their students to leave.

St. Mike’s is traffic-heavy with detours. Until this is over, take the long way around.

WARNING: Ticket Sale is a Hoax

Santa Fe Public Schools would like to warn the community the 50/50 tickets or raffle tickets which have been recently circulating throughout Santa Fe is a hoax. It has been reported the perpetrators selling these fake tickets around the Santa Fe area and are stating they are from Agua Fria Elementary or Gonzales Community School in order to raise money for these two schools. Be aware these two schools or any other Santa Fe Public Schools are not selling these tickets. Santa Fe Public Schools would like to ask the community if they are approached by these people to call City Police immediately at 428-3710 or Santa Fe County Sheriff at 428-3720.

Wait—does this mean those other kids selling candy bars aren’t really on a basketball team?

This chart is from the Esperanza Shelter for Battered Families in Santa Fe. It shows the dramatic increase in the number of domestic violence victims, both adults and children, they tended to last year, as well as a slight increase in the number of offenders who got some form of counseling through the shelter.

The shelter’s figures don’t give a complete picture, however. Police statistics provided by Santa Fe Domestic & Sexual Violence Liaison Carol Horwitz show fewer 911 calls, but more arrests.

Those stats, and more, after the cut.

It’s difficult to fit these numbers into a larger trend, but there’s little reason to suspect the piles of anecdotal evidence—not just from advocates, but from police, prosecutors and judges—regarding a spike in the severity of violence.

***

A bill to ban convicted wife-beaters from becoming police officers, covered in this week’s SFR, was kicked back to a committee it had already passed, instead of moving forward with a floor vote in the New Mexico House of Representatives. The New Mexico Independent should be following today’s hearing on the bill on its liveblog.

***

Finally, the following recruitment plea comes from Santa Fe Court Watch project director Jenna Yañez. (SFR reported on the program here, before it launched.)

A grandmother from a small fishing village in Alaska was unhappy with the way a judge was handling the domestic violence against her granddaughter. He was not properly enforcing domestic violence statutes. In fact, he didn’t seem to take the issue seriously at all. Determined to do whatever she could to protect her loved one, the grandmother asked four of her elderly friends to accompany her to court. They brought their knitting and sat in the front row, only pausing to peer over their glasses when the judge did something they didn’t like. When the judge asked the women what they wanted, they presented him with a prepared list of domestic violence statutes he was not upholding. The grandmothers reported that within six months they had transformed the practices of the court and only visit now and again to be sure the changes are permanent (taken from Family Violence Court Watches: Improving Services to Victims by Documenting Practices by Sarah M. Buehl). The simple act of exercising the right to observe a public hearing made a marked impact on the way that judge viewed domestic violence.

Every week in Santa Fe, survivors of domestic violence are re-victimized by deficiencies in our judicial system. These deficiencies arise from lack of resources, antiquated administrative practices, and sometimes just plain ignorance about the complexity and seriousness of domestic violence. Cases are dismissed when over-burdened prosecutors do not have the resources to build a case against the perpetrator. People who cannot afford a lawyer are lost in the complexity of the legal system. Survivors are chastised in the courtroom when they can no longer contain their emotions. What can we, everyday citizens, do to combat these injustices? We can take our cue from a grandmother. We can exercise our right as residents of the United States to maintain a public presence in our courtrooms.

The Santa Fe Court Watch Program was developed by Carol Horwitz, the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coordinator for the City of Santa Fe in cooperation with the Santa Fe Coordinated Community Response Council. Court Watch trains volunteer court monitors to observe domestic violence hearings and report their findings. The project director compiles the reports to identify recurring problems in the way domestic violence cases are handled and offer opportunities for personnel training, alternative practices, or useful statistics to the appropriate government entity. With the ear of local judges, attorneys, and law enforcement, a handful of citizens are able to significantly impact the way our community addresses the crime of domestic violence. Similar programs throughout the United States have had remarkable results.

The success of the program is completely dependent on the willingness of individuals to donate at least one day per month to monitor court proceedings. This is a community problem. It spans all cultures, tax-brackets, and generations. Whether we realize it or not, all of us know someone who has been affected by this crime.

If you would like to be a part of this grass roots effort to combat domestic violence, please contact Jenna Yañez at (505)573-4042 or SFCourtWatch@yahoo.com. You need not have any legal background; just a willingness to help make a difference.

You can likely expect to see more about these cases in the dailies tomorrow; SFR is posting the bare-bones details here.

The larger settlement was granted to Frederico Rael involving a 2007 incident on Camino Piedra Lumbre. “Mr Rael suffered significant physical injury as a result of the forced used to unlawfully handcuff him while arresting him for a crime Officer [Flavio] Salazar knew he had not committed,” a summary of Rael’s complaint by attorneys Richard Rosenstock and Jeffrey Haas says.

Rael’s complaint says that on Aug. 18, 2007, he was knocked over, physically abused, handcuffed and arrested without probable cause by Officer Salazar and Sergeant David Holiday. The complaint says that Rael “was dozing in front of the TV alone in his home” at 12:40 am when Officer Salazar, seeking a domestic violence suspect who didn’t live there, rang Rael’s buzzer.

Salazar was not wearing his full uniform (his hat was off and the rest of his body hidden behind a gate) did not identify himself as an officer. Rael, believing Salazar to be an intruder, threatened to pull a gun, the complaint says.

Salazar persisted, and eventually pointed his gun at Rael. Rael went inside and called 911, while Salazar called for backup. Sgt. Holiday and another officer arrived, and Rael was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer. The complaint says Salazar filed a false report claiming Rael had pointed a gun at him.

On Jan. 11, 2010, Arbitrator Woody Smith decided that Salazar—who was fired in May 2009, and then appealed his termination on grounds that he hadn’t been convicted of perjury—had lied to a grand jury about having identified himself as a police officer.

Salazar appeared in this SFR feature last year, as the responding officer at a very fishy domestic violence call.

The other settlement Romero released today, for $15,000, was granted to Brendon Singer, for unspecified reasons. The documents Romero provided mention disciplinary action taken against Officers David Smoker, Robert Hollingsworth and David Rael, Jr. The June 10, 2009 decision by Robert Rothstein upheld Smoker and Hollingsworth’s termination, as well as a 40-day suspension for Officer Rael.

Update Jan. 15: From the Journal North (subscription required):

Rael passed a polygraph test and the charges against him were later dismissed. Salazar, who was named the police department’s 2008 Domestic Violence Advocate of the Year, was fired in May 2009. …

Rael’s settlement was the largest made by the city in 2009. Over the course of the year, the city paid out $778,909 to settle 167 tort claims, lawsuits and threatened litigation, the city documents show…

The Journal filed a public records request for information on the city’s 2009 settlement payouts last month. City officials provided some information in response to the request last week and more details this week, including on Thursday. City Manager Robert Romero also released some of the information requested by the Journal to at least one other newspaper Thursday.

That explains that. Sort of.

OK, I do have something to add. I hope they park this bad boy on Agua Fria.

Update Nov. 6: OK, I have something more to add. The New Mex said yesterday that drivers won’t get auto-tickets unless they’re driving 11 mph or more over the speed limit. Which means the police are admitting the actual speed limit in Santa Fe is whatever the sign says plus 10, right?

First, SFR reported witnesses’ concerns that responding Santa Fe Police Department officers showed little apparent concern as to Roybal’s welfare and may have missed their best chance to find his attacker. Then, we reported the Santa Fe Fire Department’s defense of its own medics’ response, along with one 911 caller’s fears, voiced to emergency personnel, that Roybal may have had a brain injury.

Now we’re posting the audio of the calls related to Roybal received by the Santa Fe Regional Emergency Communications Center. The calls suggest any errors that may have been made by local first responders might have been compounded by triage nurses or doctors at the hospital.

Citing its privacy policies, CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center has refused to explain when and how Roybal was treated after he arrived there. The time stamps on the calls provide a rough timeline of Roybal’s treatment, from witnesses at the scene of his attack to doctors calling the SFRECC to gather more information about what exactly had happened to Roybal.

The first call from the hospital came at 12:54 am—approximately five hours after Roybal was loaded into an ambulance.

There is disagreement within the medical field about the existence of a so-called “golden hour” in which a trauma patient’s life is most likely to be saved, but a long delay in treatment would certainly not have done the injured Roybal any favors.

Here are the emergency calls from the hospital.

Sept. 12, 12:55am — (Original of call unclear)

“Do you know what happened…?”

Sept. 12, 12:54 am — Hospital to SFRCC

“I was told to call one of you guys if you could send an officer over here…”

We’ve posted the rest of the 911 calls in reverse chronological order after the cut.

Sept. 11, 8:57 pm — Roybal acquaintance to SFRCC

“Tonight I was basically physically attacked inside of the Eldorado hotel by a guy by the name of Gilbert Roybal who was just now beat up so severely that they’re taking him to St. Vincent’s Hospital…”

Sept. 11, 8:46 pm — CPR-certified caller to SFRCC

“No paramedics yet… there’s absolutely no movement from that guy, and I’m just concerned about brain damage or bleeding or contusion in the brain or the head.”

Sept. 11, 8:43 pm — Unknown Caller C

“There is a man laying in the ground…”

Sept. 11, 8:41 pm — Unknown Caller B

“Two cops just came up on bikes…”

Sept. 11, 8:41 pm — Unknown Caller A

“Somebody just punched the heck out of somebody and he’s out like a light…”

Sept. 11, 8:41 pm — Reece Carmona to SFRCC

“Somebody maybe got shot, I don’t know…”

** NEWS RELEASE **

Santa Fe Police Detective Sergeant Louis Carlos announces that on Tuesday, September 29, 2009, the Crimes Against Children Unit arrested and charged three (3) juvenile males involved in an incident in which a Santa Fe Public Schools bus driver was assaulted with a handgun.

On Friday September 25, 2009, the adult victim was driving children to school when he observed several juveniles fighting near De Vargas Middle School. The bus driver stopped the bus and told the boys to stop fighting. One of the juvenile males produced a handgun and threatened the bus driver. The bus driver immediately drove away and the juvenile suspects fled the scene.

Through his investigation, Detective John Van Etten arrested and charged the three juvenile males. Charges of Conspiracy, Aggravated Assault on a School Official, Tampering with Evidence, Resisting Arrest and Bringing Contraband to a Place of Imprisonment were filed against the three juveniles. All three are currently detained at the Santa Fe County Youth Detention Center.

Last night, KOB ran that story about how the Albuquerque Police Department has been snooping around the Backpage.com-administrated classified page linked through SFR’s web site.

According to reporter Valerie Castro, APD has made more than 20 arrests related to ads on the site. It should be noted that SFR doesn’t control the ads; we simply contract with Village Voice Media, which operates the site nationwide.

SFR actually started researching prostitution arrests in Santa Fe a few weeks ago. According to the Santa Fe Police Department’s records department, the force hasn’t made a single prostitution-related arrest in the last 12 months. Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano also tells SFR his deputies haven’t made any arrests in the last two years.

However, Solano did disclose that his office has attempted to arrange stings on at least two occasions, neither of which proved fruitful. He says the sheriff’s office maintains a file on prostitution-related ads that run on the site.

Anyone involved in the Santa Fe sex industry (if, indeed, there is one) is welcome to contact SFR’s news staff to share their stories, particularly if it involves legislators. Discretion guaranteed.

Update: KOB viewers unanimously criticize APD for wasting tax dollars on pointless prostitution busts.

Entered Wednesday September 23rd, 2009 :: 01:16 p.m.
Please contact Crime Stoppers if you have info regarding the Gilbert Roybal homicide.

505-955-5050

Santa Fe Police ask for assistance from the public regarding the Gilbert Roybal homicide. Mr. Roybal was struck by another male on Sandoval Street in front of the Hilton Hotel. Both Roybal and the suspect were on foot, the suspect was in his early to mid 20’s, clean cut about 5′9″ to 6′ tall wearing a white shirt with a design on the front. This occurred September 11th which was the Friday during Fiestas. Crime Stoppers is offering up to $1000.00 dollars for information and callers can remain anonymous. If you have information please call Crime Stoppers at 505-955-5050.

Contact Information:
Jason Wagner
Criminal Investigations
505-955-5044
jrwagner@santafenm.gov