BCSO's use of force, pursuit policies get independent review

Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins and her fellow commissioners asked for the review.

She said the number of pursuits and deputy-involved shootings got her attention.

"Over a period of time, we did see a very significant jump in the number of use of force cases and pursuits, high-speed pursuits, by the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department," she said.

The review was ordered to see if BCSO was following best practices.

"We all hope that our policies, our best practices, the ones that are in place, follow national best practices,” she said. “But if there are suggestions that can make the community safer that can protect both the innocent bystander and our sheriff's deputies we hope those will be implemented."

Despite the review, the commission has no power to change the sheriff's office's policies or procedures. That's up to the sheriff.

"But the Bernalillo County Commission and the Bernalillo County taxpayers do hold the liability for those decisions,” said Hart Stebbins. “And so we have a role when there's litigation. It's the county commission that actually gets sued."

Sheriff Manuel Gonzales will address the results of the finding once they're released, but in the past, he's said he's confident the department already has model policies in place.