Keller, 43, faces re-election next November and is scrambling to get ahead of his potential challengers. He has rolled out a Violence Intervention Program, a Rapid Accountability Diversion Program and APD’s ShotSpotter Technology. Now he wants to dress up an old idea in new clothes and hire a Chief of Public Safety, a position other Mayors relied on with little success. 

In addition, Keller says the national search for a new police chief to replace interim Chief Harold Medina is for real (although Medina is applying for the permanent posting). It's in that difficult search in which Keller's best hope for a culture change may rest. 

A kick-butt chief who is given the ability to hire his own upper command, who won't tolerate the overtime scandals and other corruption and who understands his civil rights responsibilities may be an unrealizable dream, especially in an election year. But placing another layer of bureaucracy over a rotten corpse isn't going to get the job done. City Councilor Brook Bassan put it this way:

Keller is scurrying as Dem BernCo Sheriff Manny Gonzales weighs a mayoral bid in which crime would be his be-all, end-all (and as State Auditor Colón circles APD). But it remains highly uncertain whether ABQ desires having a lawman as Mayor and one who would essentially double as police chief. And kissing Trump's ring once in a liberal leaning city is excusable. It's the second and third kisses that get you accused of cheating. 

Take APD out of the equation and Mayor Keller has demonstrated a nimbleness in administering the city during this historic pandemic. Of course that's like taking the hamburger out of the bun and still calling it a burger. Still, the failures of past administrations in reining in crime is, in a twist of irony, benefiting Keller somewhat. The shadow of this elephant has been over our city for a very long time. You learn to live with it.

Usually the casting of the state's five electoral votes at the December ceremony following the November presidential election passes with minimal notice. But in this year fraught with charges over the outcome of the election, there is more interest than usual. Today at 11 a.m. the state's five Democratic electors will convene with the Secretary of State to organize and cast their ballots for Joe Biden. The livestream can be viewed here with the actual voting set for the noon hour. The meeting agenda is here.

Biden won the electoral college over Trump 306-232 and those votes from across the nation will all be cast today, but Trump says he won't give in and will continue to fight the results. Next stop: a joint session of Congress Jan 6. to make a final count of the electoral college and certify the election. 

Rep. Madrid

NM House Speaker Brian Egolf and his political team received some early Christmas cheer when a recount gave Dem Rep. Willie Madrid the win over Republican Rick Little for swing House District 53 in Dona Ana and Otero counties. Madrid took a 36 vote re-elect win over Little after a three day recount.

The victory means a 45-25 House majority for the Dems. The D's ended up losing one seat. The Dems picked up one state Senate seat this cycle giving them a 27-15 majority in that chamber.