In Face of Growing Scandal, Darren White Announces Retirement as Albuquerque Public Safety Director

The City of Albuquerque just released the following statement from Darren White, Albuquerque's Public Safety Director, who has in recent days been caught up in a growing controversy about his handling of an incident when his wife was recently involved in a one-car accident and appeared to be "out of it." Rather than permitting his wife to be initially treated and transported by ambulance to an ER, White drove her for care in his own car -- after about 30 minutes on the scene. It appears that, at the very least, some basic standard protocols in handling such an incident were not followed. The question is why.

White, a former police officer who formerly served as Bernalillo County Sheriff, ran as a Republican candidate for Congress in NM-01 and served the administration of former GOP governor of New Mexico, Gary Johnson, as head of Secretary of the Public Safety Department, announced his retirement from his current post with a contentious statement that insists he did nothing wrong:

I am announcing my retirement today in order to end the distraction surrounding my wife’s recent accident and allow Mayor Richard Berry and city leaders to focus on the important issues the people of Albuquerque deserve to have addressed.

However, the investigation must move forward and I intend to work hard to clear my name and stand-up for my wife, whose medical condition was improperly made public through the illegal leaking of confidential medical records.

Getting the truth out is very important to me and I am confident any investigation will show:

• I made it clear to the police officer that he was in charge of conducting any investigation and that I would not interfere.
• Nearly an hour after the accident and when it was clear that the scene investigation was complete, I took my wife to get medical attention. No one at the scene disagreed with that action.
• I did not take my wife to the hospital with lights and sirens on, nor did I violate any policy regarding the use of emergency equipment.
• My wife was diagnosed with a seizure by a neurologist at Presbyterian and was subsequently hospitalized for two days.

• No doctor, including my wife’s own physician, believe that the medical condition that caused the accident had anything to do with the medication she has been taking daily without complication for over a year.
• The speculation in the illegally leaked paramedic report that the symptoms might have been caused by “opiates” was conclusively disproved by a drug test administered at the hospital.
• We never would have released any of my wife’s personal medical history until we learned from the media that someone illegally leaked her confidential, and misleading, medical records to the press.
• The leaking of the paramedic’s report in this case broke federal and state laws.

I am very proud of my lifetime record of public service, beginning as a member of the 82nd Airborne in the US Army, continuing as a police officer, sheriff, and public safety administrator at both the state and local level.

I dedicated my life to public safety and hope I made a positive difference in my community. I feel honored to have worked with some of New Mexico’s finest public servants.  Our challenge is never easy and the circumstances often difficult, but we rise to the task every day. I deeply appreciate having been given the honor to serve.

Yesterday, four City Councilors sent a letter to Mayor Richard J. Berry calling for an independent, outside investigation into the incident that should focus on these main points:

1. Allegations of violating Standard Operating Procedures of the APD

2. Allegations of interference in an investigation

3. Allegations of improper use of city property for private purposes

4. Allegations of abuse of power

The City of Albuquerque has already said it will launch an internal investigation via the Independent Review Office of the Police Oversight Commission, but the councilors said that's not good enough:

The investigation must be conducted without political interference and manipulation from any individual, political party, interests within the City, or closely related associates. To prevent all potential or perceived conflicts of interest, and/or fears of retaliation, we respectfully call for an investigation to be conducted by an independent organization with experience in these types of investigations and in representing government and police misconduct cases.

It's unknown how White's "retirement" will affect his appointment to the New Mexico Judicial Standards Commission by Governor Susana Martinez.