Heinrich Statement On Reform Agreement Between U.S. Justice Department and the City of Albuquerque

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following statement on the agreement announced today between the U.S. Department of Justice and the City of Albuquerque on reforms to the Albuquerque Police Department to resolve a federal investigation into the department's use of force:

"The legally enforceable agreement reached by the Justice Department and the City of Albuquerque is a key step toward rebuilding a relationship of trust between the community and the police. I hope the city will now turn as quickly as possible to the hard, but critical, work of actually putting these reforms into place. All citizens of the city deserve to feel safe and well-protected by the police that serve them, including the most vulnerable, such as the homeless and mentally ill.

"As public servants, we should all always strive to do better to respect and live up to the expectations of the citizens that we serve. This agreement should help keep APD on that track and ensure that the constitutionally-granted rights of every resident are upheld."