THE CITY OF ALBUQUERQUE HAS YET TO SELECT ITS NEW POLICE CHIEF. BUT WE NOW KNOW WHO IT WON'T BE. INTERIM CHIEF ALLEN BANKS HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT THAT HE'S RETIRING FROM THE DEPARTMENT AT THE END OF FEBRUARY AND HAS ACCEPTED AN OFFER TO BE POLICE CHIEF FOR ANOTHER L AW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. CONSEQUENTLY, BANKS SAYS HE WILL NOT APPLY FOR THE CHIEF'S POSITION AT APD.
STEPHANIE LOPEZ, PRESIDENT OF THE ALBUQUERQUE POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, TELLS 770 KKOB SHE THINKS BANKS ACCEPT3ED ANOTHER POLICE CHIEF'S POSITION BECAUSE OF THE LENGTH OF TIME IT WAS TAKING THE CITY TO HIRE A NEW CHIEF.
BANKS SAYS IT WAS A HARD DECISION AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY GOOD BYE TO THE CITY WHERE HE GREW UP AND WENT TO SCHOOL. HE TOOK ON THE INTERIM CHIEF'S JOB SIX MONTHS AGO AFTER FORMER CHIEF RAY SCHULTZ RETIRED.
BANKS GAVE MAYOR RICHARD BERRY HIS RESIGNATION ON MONDAY. HE SAYS HE'LL WORK WITH MAYOR BERRY THROUGH FEBRUARY TO TRANSITION IN THE NEW LEADERSHIP.
