New information released by the city of Santa Fe shows police officers whizzed past their own photo enforcement speed van far more often than other city workers, including those at the Fire Department, and many did so multiple times.
Police officers were photographed by the speed van about 115 times between October 2009 and December 2010. Just seven incidents were deemed ticket-worthy, however, and only five officers were identified and cited.
Police Chief Aric Wheeler was among those captured on camera by the speed van, as was Capt. Anthony Robbin, who runs the photo enforcement program. Neither was cited.
The Journal has previously reported that 38 city of Santa Fe vehicles were ticketed in the past year after being photographed going over the speed limit.
The number is a relatively small percentage of the nearly 180 city cars actually caught by the speed van.
Police officials have said most of the cases were dismissed before they became tickets, because police were able to verify the speeding was for a good reason - usually public safety vehicles rushing to an emergency.
More detailed information provided to the Journal this week through a public records request reveals that at least 65 police officers were caught on camera, or about 40 percent of the 160-odd squad.
At least 27 officers were caught speeding twice. Ten were photographed at least three times.
Officer Chris McCord found himself on camera the most often, racking up six notices, none of which were deemed ticket-worthy.
Jon Lopez, Elizabeth Brewer, Dan Parsons and Roger Jimenez were each filmed at least four times over the 15-month period. Their cases were all dismissed.
In fact, it's been nearly a year since a Santa Fe police officer was issued a ticket. The last one dates to May 2010.
Robbin has said the handful of police officers given citations were subjected to internal corrective action but didn't have to pay the ticket fines, which are about $100.
Wheeler did not return a message Friday afternoon seeking comment.
City officials have been unable to say how many, if any, of the city workers caught speeding had to pay a fine or go through the legal process. About 30 workers not in public safety who were driving city vehicles were caught by the speed van last year. In every case, they received a ticket, according to information provided by the city.
The Transit Division racked up eight violations, followed by the Parks Division with six. Other multiple offenders included drivers from Santa Fe's Water and Senior Services Divisions. No workers not in public safety were captured on camera more than once.
Santa Fe Fire Department workers were caught by the speed van 27 times last year, though only one vehicle was slapped with a ticket. The situation is under investigation, partly to ascertain who was driving the ambulance in question, Fire Chief Barbara Salas said Friday.
If either of the ambulance's occupants, Dominic Gallegos and Rollin Jones, are found guilty, they'll be reprimanded and have to deal with the ticket, Salas said.
Gallegos and Jones were each involved in one other speed van incident. They, along with Michael Flores, were the Fire Department's only repeat speeders.
Salas said the Fire Department's number of speeding incidents is low, "but we are going to strive to have zero."
Santa Fe city workers aren't the only government employees caught by the speed van in their "company" cars. The van has caught on camera 267 vehicles from 22 local and state government agencies over the past year or so.
About 90 tickets have been issued.
