An internal investigation has revealed that Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina intentionally turned off his body camera after crashing into another driver earlier this year. The incident occurred on February 17 when Medina and his wife were in an unmarked police pickup truck on their way to a press conference.
Medina claimed that he stopped at a red light and witnessed a confrontation between two individuals, one of whom fired a gun. Subsequently, surveillance footage showed Medina accelerating through a red light, colliding with another vehicle and causing severe injuries to the other driver.
Despite initially turning on his body camera to show he had it with him, Medina admitted to intentionally not recording the crash, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. This decision has raised concerns among legal experts and the public.
Albuquerque Police Department rules explicitly state that officers cannot avoid recording incidents that may be relevant to criminal investigations. As a result, Medina faced disciplinary action, accepting reprimands for unsafe driving and failing to record the crash.
Legal analysts have pointed out that Medina's actions may violate New Mexico state law, which mandates the activation of body-worn cameras during law enforcement encounters with the public and prohibits deactivation until the conclusion of such encounters.
The Albuquerque Police Department has not provided a comment on the Internal Affairs report, leaving questions about accountability and adherence to regulations unanswered.
