The Abq Journal'S Evidence Room Coverage

Regrettably, I haven't had space for Thin Line in the past couple print editions, and so my sincere applause to the Journal's T.J. Wilham is relegated to Nerdstream. All last week, the Journal chased the story of APD's evidence room fiasco and the seemingly obvious incompetence of APD Chief Gilbert Gallegos, who gives one the impression that he would be a more appropriate dresser if he showed up to work in pajamas instead of cop gear. But it's one thing to be incompetent, it's another to ignore corruption and, by ignornace, allow said corruption to flourish. APD has been held to no account under the Chavez administration and finally the levee has broken and now Marty promises “heads will roll.” We'll see just how sincere he is. I expect Chief Gallegos will bow out with impugnity and his second-in-command officers who seem to be running the department by intimidation will skirt by without notice. Hell, I wouldn't doubt Marty promotes an APD crony to Gallegos' position instead of bringing in an outsider to clean house, which the situation merits if you believe Officers Orr and Miranda. Of course, I really have no clue what will become of this, but if you have ever read a police oversight commission report in the past three years, it is more than obvious that Gallegos and Chavez collectively deserve the nickname “Ol' Blindeye.” As for the Journal, it wrapped up the weeklong coverage with a comprehensive timeline that always serves readers well and it left me with the odd, almost dreamlike, feeling that I was reading an honest, toothy morning daily and not the urinal that I long ago wrote off as a self-indulgent underachievement epitomized by the Doug Copp story. For now, I gotta give it the props, especially Mr. (assuming T.J. is a male) Wilham. Here's to his next toothy installment!