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Video above: It’s been more than a year since Target 7 Investigations raised concerns about the Albuquerque Police Department’s X page, now formerly known as Twitter, in regard to APD Director of Communications Gilbert Gallegos’s X posts. KOAT obtained documents of a complaint sent to the Civilian Police Oversight Agency/Board in December 2021. At the time, the agency determined he violated three policies. We reached out to CPOA Executive Director Diane McDermott, regarding if he violated policies again following social media use on Monday, Sept. 2. McDermott’s statement is below. MORE: Albuquerque Police Department under fire over social media againThe complaint made against Gallegos’s use on an “official department business” account reads “Mr. G. posted a tweet saying, ‘I hear some trolls are butt hurt, because I blocked them. They’re trolls. Nothing to see here.'”Note: Below are recent X postings made on the @ABQPOLICE X page. If youre signed into an X account, you will be able to see the full interaction with each tweet.Why did you resign? to @darrenPwhiteWhy did Darren White resign? To @ThomasRGrover and @darrenPwhiteBit defensive Tom? Why did Darren White resign? To @ThomasRGrover and @darrenPwhiteOh Doug. Nice to hear from you about harassment. To @MrDougPetersonI agree with SilverSurfer to @pwmerkMany are now criticizing the department’s X page following posts from its page in response to X users on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. On Tuesday, Sept. 3, Rebecca Atkins, a spokesperson for APD, confirmed with KOAT the X posts are from Gallegos. Follow-up on Mayor’s office’s statement on their support of APD pushing back on misinformation online, Sept. 5On Tuesday, Sept. 3rd, KOAT reached out to the mayor’s office regarding his take on the handling of his department’s X page following people’s concerns. A spokesperson for his office sent the following statement below:”Were focused on big issues; we dont micromanage twitter banter. We support the department and their ability to push back on misinformation online,” said Ava Montoya, spokesperson for the mayor’s office.Related: Albuquerque police deliver questionable responses to community on social mediaOn Thursday, Sept. 5th, KOAT reached out to Mayor Tim Keller’s spokesperson, Ava Montoya, to specify which postings the office referred to in regard to misinformation. Montoya stated, “that was in reference to APD correcting unverified information that (another local news organization) had shared.”Growing concerns of the department’s use of social media was also raised at the Albuquerque City Council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 4. City councilor Nichole Rogers pressed the issue with the city’s administrative officer, Samantha Sengel. Snippets of the conversation are below: Nichole Rogers: The community deserves a response to what is going to happen moving forward with communication from APD on social media.Samantha Sengel: I don’t have a statement about a personnel matter to be made here and I won’t discuss that portion of it, but I also am not going to sit here and imply that this was a one-sided discussion, that there was only one individual involved and the only person involved worked for the city of Albuquerque. I think we had a lot of individuals engaged and I think there was a lot of misinformation. I’m justifying it by any means. I’m not stating anyone was right. I’m not saying any of those things. I think the public comments that imply that one individual was wrong, in this case, was misguided. Nichole Rogers: I don’t think we’re talking about fact checking and correcting the record. We’re talking about specific tweets that are bullying, that are disrespectful, that are rude, that are condescending.Civilian Police Oversight Agency statementOn Thursday, Sept. 5, KOAT reached out to CPOA executive director, Diane McDermott regarding Gallegos’s X postings above from the department’s account. We asked has there been any form of discipline following Gallegoss use of the departments twitter (X page)? If not. Is there a reason as to why? Also, whats next, in terms of handling the situation? McDermott shared the following statement below over the phone:The Civilian Police Oversight Agency no longer investigates complaints regarding civilian employees. Due to an ordinance change, theyre investigated by the internal affairs within Albuquerque Police Department. We received a complaint, and it was forwarded to Internal Affairs Professional Standard. Diane McDermott (Executive Director) Followed by this statement below via e-mail:The Civilian Police Oversight Agency must receive a citizen complaint to initiate an investigation. Due to an ordinance change in 2023, the CPOA Agency does not generally investigate APD civilian employees. Civilian employees such as operators, administrative personnel, or, in this instance, the PIO are investigated by Internal Affairs Professional Standards. The Council wanted the CPOAs primary focus to be on policing within the community. If a complaint is received regarding a civilian employee, it is transferred to IAPS unless it also involves the activities of sworn personnel, and then the CPOA will retain that investigation. Non-sworn employees will also be investigated by the CPOA performing similar police functions, such as Police Service Aides or APD Transit Safety personnel. Regarding the question of discipline for Mr. Gallegos, the CPOA only recommends discipline, and so the question would have to be directed to the Office of Police Reform to determine if discipline has been imposed. What is next would also be directed to the Department, but if a citizen complaint is received, it will be evaluated and, if it only concerns PIO responsibilities of non-sworn personnel, forwarded to IAPS for investigation.Albuquerque Police Department statement, chief Harold Medina, Sept. 3On Sept. 3, KOAT reached out to APD regarding its take on the handling of its department’s X page following people’s concerns. APD Chief Harold Medina sent the following statement below:”These are not random people. We are pushing back against the same individuals who use their positions to pursue a political agenda against APD. If these men cant be fair and objective, how can KOAT use them over and over to provide opinions about APD?” said Medina.Note: The experts to whom Medina often refers to is Tom Grover and former Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White. Grover is a former APD officer turned attorney who represents dozens of current police officers. White is also the former cabinet secretary for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety and has nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience. White also taught police media relations at Northwestern University.Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.