ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Monday night, Albuquerque city councilors discussed some hot topics during their meeting. 

Some councilors were calling for a more in-depth investigation into Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina’s car crash. 

Councilor Louie Sanchez wanted other agencies besides just APD to investigate. Sanchez told KOB 4 he wants transparency. But it seems other councilors don’t agree Monday night, his resolution failed in a 5-4 vote.

We spoke to him right after the meeting, he believes because it failed, we won’t get transparency in this investigation. He even added that it’s sad his fellow council members don’t want transparency.

Two weeks ago, APD Chief Harold Medina was on his way to a news conference in his unmarked APD car with his wife when he says he saw a homeless encampment taking over the sidewalk on Central. 

He then says two men started to fight, one of them took out a gun and fired a shot. 

Medina then ran a red light to avoid the gunfire and crashed into another car, seriously hurting the driver. 

APD said Internal Affairs will be conducting an investigation at the chief’s request. 

Medina admitted he did not turn on his lapel camera during the incident, which is one of the thing Internal Affairs will be looking into. 

Medina also said he did not turn on his emergency lights when he drove through the intersection. 

In response, Councilor Louie Sanchez is calling for more transparency. 

“Well, it’s really important that you have transparency. If I was the chief of police, I would immediately call for a multi-agency investigation at the scene. Because it is an important issue. You have to make sure that you have as much transparency as you can, especially when you’re a police chief that’s in the middle of a DOJ investigation and now a DWI corruption scandal,” said Sanchez. 

Sanchez also pointed to the mayor, saying Tim Keller should have been the first person to ask for transparency.

“This falls back on the mayor and if you look at the mayor should be saying ‘Hey are things working the way they’re supposed to be working? If not, then maybe I need a new police chief,” said Sanchez. 

In Monday night’s resolution, Sanchez is calling for at least New Mexico State Police, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico Department of Justice to conduct a joint investigation into the crash. He also mentioned including APD representatives.

Councilor Dan Champine also backed the resolution before it was brought forward Monday night. 

During the meeting, Sanchez spoke to his past experience in law enforcement.

Councilor Brook Bassan also spoke up during tonight’s meeting asking the mayor’s administration for more information, and asked if an internal investigation within APD would hold Medina to the highest standard.

The city said it would and that the investigation would be thorough.

It’s worth noting that Sanchez has filed at least two votes of no confidence against Medina.

A spokesperson for the mayor’s office sent KOB 4 a statement Monday night, saying:

“When we created the Office of the Superintendent of Police Reform, we made it independent from the Chief of Police for situations like this, and it is the proper authority to determine if APD’s policies were followed.”