ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The feds in Albuquerque are asking for your help as they continue to investigate cases of public corruption.

KOB 4 spoke to the special agent in charge Monday about why are they turning to the public.

“When it comes to public corruption, that is the top tier of criminal threats to the FBI,” said Raul Bujanda, a special agent in charge at Albuquerque FBI Field Office.

While Bujanda couldn’t talk about the ongoing investigation into APD’s DWI Unit, he says any time the FBI investigates a case of corruption, they want to exhaust any and all leads. 

So, they are asking the public to come forward with any information you may have when it comes to corruption. They say cases of corruption can come in many forms.

“When we think public corruption, people tend to think of elected officials, which is part of it. But the other part is anyone that has a job working for the government, state, local, or federal. They could fall into that definition of what public corruption is, it’s a misuse of that position,” said Bujanda. 

Multiple APD DWI officers are facing accusations of misusing their power. So far, five have resigned, but the investigation into their alleged scheme continues.

Spencer Schacht: “When talking about the DWI issue at APD, have you had folks from the community come forward and say, ‘I’ve had this happen to me, here is my story?’”

Raul Bujanda: “I can’t comment specifically on that investigation, but when it comes to other happening – you have done some great reporting on some other public corruption issues, whether it’s the DWI or other instances. So people do reach out to us, and part of the reason I’m here today is asking we need them to reach out more often.”

Bujanda wants to reassure potential witnesses that the FBI will protect them if they come forward and report corruption.

“In those situations, it doesn’t matter what the crime was initially committed. To me, personally, the FBI’s point is we are more concerned with that public officials who made the decision to misuse their public position to try and get some sort of personal gain,” said Bujanda. 

Spencer Schacht: “What if a scheme goes on to a point where it is a generational issue and folks who might have initiated this scheme no longer work at that department?”

Raul Bujanda: “Maybe unfortunately that individual moved up the ranks if we are talking about a department. Regardless, that is someone who should have never been in that position because who knows what they did up to that point. They might have started here and got away with this small crime, what’s to say they will continue or stop if they move up the ranks, and that turns into a generational or systemic issue within the department.”

We also asked how long he expects this investigation to last, and Bujanda says these cases can take years to fully investigate.

Anyone who wants to go to the FBI with a story of corruption can call 1-(800)-CALL-FBI, or you can go to tips.fbi.gov.