Civilian Police Oversight Advisory Board (CPOAB) Appointment Process

Introduction

This page describes the process by which the Albuquerque City Council accepts applications, evaluates candidates, and appoints members to the Civilian Police Oversight Advisory Board (CPOAB). The authorizing legislation for the Board is § 9-4-1-5 of the Police Oversight Ordinance and the relevant ordinance text supporting this process is provided in the Legislative Authority section at the end of this document.

Step 1: Application Submitted

The City Council maintains a well-publicized, fair, and equitable application process for appointment to the CPOAB and for filling vacancies. Applications are accepted by Council staff on a rolling basis, whether or not a current vacancy exists, to ensure a ready pool of qualified candidates when vacancies occur.

If a sitting member is eligible for reappointment, that member may request reappointment without a formal application process, and the City Council may reappoint accordingly.

Separately, the Civilian Police Oversight Agency (CPOA) Director notifies the President of the City Council of a forthcoming vacancy at least 60 days prior to the expiration of a Board member’s term, and within five days of the resignation of a CPOAB member. The City Council must act on an appointment to fill the vacancy within 60 days of the Council President’s receipt of notice.

Step 2: Staff Evaluates Application Against Qualification Criteria

City Council staff evaluate each application against the composition standards and minimum qualifications established by the ordinance:

• Composition: diversity and demographics of the city, including cultural, gender, and geographic diversity; representation of stakeholders of the police oversight process; residency within the City of Albuquerque.
• Minimum qualifications: no APD employment within 3 years prior to appointment / no other law enforcement employment within 1 year prior to appointment; successful background check; personal history lacking any pattern of unsubstantiated complaints against APD; demonstrated ability to engage in mature, impartial decision-making; commitment to transparency and impartial decision-making; residency within the City of Albuquerque.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum qualification threshold are not selected.

Step 3: Interview Committee Scores Application

Each member of the Interview Committee independently scores the application against the qualification criteria using the CPOAB Applicant Review Sheet. The review sheet uses a 75-point scale across seven categories (six scored categories at 10 points each, plus one weighted category on understanding of the role and responsibilities of the Board at 15 points).

To advance to the background check, an applicant must receive a minimum score of 38 out of 75 (approximately 50%). The Interview Committee may also advance a borderline applicant by consensus if members identify qualifications or attributes not fully captured by the numeric score. Applicants who do not meet the minimum score and are not advanced by consensus are not selected.

Step 4: Background Check

Applicants who pass the Interview Committee’s scoring undergo a background check. Applicants who do not pass the background check are not selected.

Step 5: Meet with Interview Committee

Applicants who pass the background check meet with the Interview Committee. The interview is intended to assess the applicant’s qualifications, readiness, and commitment to serving on the CPOAB.

In preparation for the interview, applicants are sent the following email:

Thank you again for your interest in serving on the Civilian Police Oversight Advisory Board.

As you prepare for your interview, we recommend reviewing a few background materials to better understand the role of the Board and the broader oversight system:

The Civilian Police Oversight Ordinance 

The Civilian Police Oversight Advisory Board (CPOAB)

Civilian Police Oversight Agency (CPOA)

The Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) — while the CASA has concluded, it provides important context for reforms within the Albuquerque Police Department and the restructuring of the City’s police oversight system, including the creation of the Civilian Police Oversight Agency. 

Skim these websites:

• • NACOLE 
  • USAO NM APD Investigation

The materials above will give you a strong foundation going into the interview.

Applicants who do not pass the interview are not selected.

Step 6: Vacancy Check

Because applications are accepted on a rolling basis, qualified candidates who have passed the scoring, background check, and interview may or may not have an immediate vacancy to fill.

• If no current vacancy exists, the applicant is placed in the Qualified Candidate Pool and remains eligible for consideration when a vacancy opens.
• If a vacancy exists (or opens), the applicant advances to Councilor interviews.

Step 7: Councilor Interviews

Applicants being considered for an open seat are interviewed by three to five City Councilors. Applicants who do not pass the Councilor interviews are not selected.

Step 8: Staff Submits Recommendation to City Council

Following the Councilor interviews, staff formulate and submit recommendations for appointment to the City Council for its approval.

Step 9: City Council Vote

The City Council votes on the appointment. If the Council does not approve the appointment, the applicant is not selected.

Step 10: Appointment to CPOAB

Upon an affirmative vote of the City Council, the nominee is appointed to the CPOAB.

Post-Appointment Requirements

The following requirements apply after appointment and are not part of the selection process, but are relevant to an appointee’s continued service.

Required Orientation

Prior to participation in any Board meeting, a newly appointed member must:

• Be trained by the CPOA staff or CPOA legal counsel on CPOA policies and procedures; and
• Attend at least one Board meeting as an observer (reappointed members are exempt from the observation requirement).

Required Initial Training

Each Board member must complete the following initial training within six months of appointment, unless a different deadline is stated. The APD Civilian Police Academy portions must be completed within one year of appointment.

Training Topic	Approximate Hours
APD Civilian Police Academy — Recruiting	1 hour
APD Civilian Police Academy — Basic Training	1 hour
APD Civilian Police Academy — Field Training and Evaluation (FTEP)	1 hour
APD Civilian Police Academy — Field Services	1 hour
APD Civilian Police Academy — Response to Resistance	3 hours
APD Civilian Police Academy — Crisis Intervention / COAST	3 hours
APD Civilian Police Academy — Community Policing	1 hour
APD Civilian Police Academy — Impact Investigations	1 hour
APD Civilian Police Academy — Active Listening and De-Escalation	3 hours
APD Civilian Police Academy — SWAT	1.5 hours
APD Civilian Police Academy — Less Lethal Options	3 hours
APD Civilian Police Academy — Reality Based Training Part 1	3 hours
APD Civilian Police Academy — Reality Based Training Part 2	3 hours
APD Civilian Police Academy — Subtotal	25.5 hours
APD ride-alongs (at least two; minimum 4 hours each, longer preferred)	8+ hours total
2014 DOJ Settlement Agreement and Findings Letter of April 10, 2014 (historical — CASA concluded 2025)	30 min – 1 hour
Police Oversight Ordinance and member/CPOA duties, obligations, and responsibilities	30 min – 1 hour
State and local laws on public meetings and conduct of public officials (inspection of public records, governmental transparency, ethics)	30 min – 1 hour
Civil rights, including the Fourth Amendment (video plus test)	~30 min
APD use-of-force policies, including internal review of force incidents	Self-paced
Training provided to APD officers on use of force (in-person)	3 - 4 hours
Internal Affairs training	Self-paced
Briefing on APD officer training curriculum (current and anticipated)	Self-paced
Professionalism training	Self-paced

Required Ongoing Training

CPOAB members must complete eight hours of annual training, which may include updates on law, policy, or training in the areas listed above. Training on the 2014 DOJ Settlement Agreement remains a required component; however, because the Court Approved Settlement Agreement (CASA) has concluded, this training now covers the Agreement as historical context and the reforms that resulted from it, rather than ongoing implementation developments.

• NACOLE Conference: If a Board member elects to attend the annual conference of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE), attendance may satisfy no more than 4 hours of a member’s on-going annual training requirement.
• Police ride-alongs: Board members must also participate in at least two police ride-alongs for every six months of service on the Board.

About NACOLE

The National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) is a non-profit organization established in 1995 that works to enhance accountability and transparency in policing and to build community trust through civilian oversight. NACOLE creates a community of support for independent civilian oversight entities that seek to make local law enforcement agencies, jails, and prisons more transparent, accountable, and responsive to the communities they serve.

NACOLE provides training, education, technical assistance, and professional standards for civilian oversight practitioners across the United States. Its programs include an annual conference, regional trainings, webinars, an academic symposium, and the Certified Practitioner of Oversight (CPO) credential program. For CPOAB members, NACOLE is the leading national resource for best practices in police oversight, and attendance at its annual conference is explicitly recognized in the Police Oversight Ordinance as a means of satisfying a portion of the required annual ongoing training.

Recommended Training

Board members are encouraged to attend conferences and workshops relating to police oversight at city expense, depending on budget availability. The CPOA Director, in collaboration with the city and APD, maintains training opportunities that include:

• Annual Firearm Simulation Training
• Equity and Cultural Sensitivity Training

Training Honoraria

Each Board member receives a $500 honorarium upon completion of initial orientation and training, and a $250 honorarium upon completion of annual on-going training.

Membership Terms

Board members serve a maximum of two three-year terms on a staggered basis so that no more than three members are eligible for reappointment or replacement each year. An unexpired term of one year or less does not count toward this limitation.

Legislative Authority

The process described in this document is grounded in § 9-4-1-5 of the Albuquerque Code of Ordinances (the Police Oversight Ordinance). The relevant ordinance text is reproduced below, grouped by the section of this document it supports. Where the practical process exceeds what the ordinance strictly prescribes, the City Council is exercising its authority under § 9-4-1-5(C) to “establish written policies and procedures for its administration of this process.”

Appointment Process

§ 9-4-1-5(A) — Composition

The Board shall be composed of five at-large members who broadly represent the diversity and demographics of the city by way of, including but not limited to, cultural, gender and geographic diversity; and who are representative of the stakeholders of the police oversight process, and who reside within the City of Albuquerque.

§ 9-4-1-5(B) — Qualifications

(1) Have not been employed by APD for at least three years prior to appointment, or have not been employed by other law enforcement departments for at least one year prior to appointment; and

(2) Successfully pass a background check; and

(3) Personal history lacking any pattern of unsubstantiated complaints against APD; and

(4) A demonstrated ability to engage in mature, impartial decision making; and

(5) A commitment to transparency and impartial decision making; and

(6) Residency within the City of Albuquerque.

§ 9-4-1-5(C) — Appointment of Members

The City Council shall establish a well-publicized, fair and equitable application process for appointment to the Board, and for filling vacancies. The City Council, through its staff, shall accept applications from prospective Board members. Staff shall formulate recommendations for appointments based on evaluation of the qualification criteria listed in subsections (A) and (B) above and submit recommendations for appointment(s) to the City Council for its approval. Staff shall establish written policies and procedures for its administration of this process. If a member is eligible for reappointment, that member may request reappointment without a formal application process and the City Council may reappoint accordingly.

§ 9-4-1-5(D) — Timeline for Filling of Vacancies

The Director shall notify the President of the City Council of a forthcoming vacancy on the Board at least 60 days prior to the expiration of a Board member’s term, and within five days of the resignation of a Board member. The City Council shall act on an appointment to fill the vacancy within 60 days of the Council President’s receipt of notice from the Director.

Post-Appointment Requirements

§ 9-4-1-5(E) — Membership Term

Board members shall serve a maximum of two three-year terms on a staggered basis so that no more than three of the members are eligible for reappointment or replacement each year. (1) If a member is appointed to fill an unexpired term of another person, that term shall not be considered a term for the purpose of this limitation if the time remaining in the term at the time of the appointment is one year or less.

§ 9-4-1-5(G)(1) — Required Orientation

Prior to participation in any meeting of the Board, a newly appointed member must first: (a) Be trained by the CPOA staff or CPOA legal counsel on CPOA policies, and procedures; and (b) Attend at least one Board meeting as an observer (except for reappointed members).

§ 9-4-1-5(G)(2) — Required Training

The city shall provide, and each Board member shall complete, a training program within the first six months of the member’s initial appointment, unless a different deadline is stated, that consists, at a minimum, of the following: (a) Training on the 2014 DOJ Settlement Agreement with the City of Albuquerque (or any subsequent agreements), and Findings Letter of April 10, 2014 (or any subsequent findings letters); (b) Training on this ordinance and the duties, obligations, and responsibilities that it imposes on Board members and the CPOA; (c) Training on State and local laws regarding public meetings and the conduct of public officials, including but not limited to inspection of public records, governmental transparency, ethics; (d) Training on civil rights, including the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, including unreasonable uses of force; (e) Training on all APD policies related to use of force, including policies related to APD’s internal review of force incidents; (f) Training provided to APD officers on use of force; (g) Completion of the following portions of the APD Civilian Police Academy […]; (h) At least two APD ride-alongs; (i) Internal Affairs training; (j) A briefing that identifies and explains the curriculum of all training currently received or anticipated to be received by APD officers, including any outside training not provided by the city; and (k) Professionalism training.

§ 9-4-1-5(G)(3) — Required On-Going Training

Board members shall receive eight hours of annual training to include but not be limited to: (a) any changes in law, policy, or training in the areas outlined under subsection (G)(2) above, as well as developments in the implementation of the 2014 DOJ Settlement Agreement (or any subsequent agreements) until such time as the terms of the agreement are satisfied; or (b) If a Board member elects to attend the annual NACOLE conference, attendance may satisfy no more than four hours of a Board member’s on-going annual training requirements. (c) In addition to the eight hours of on-going annual training, Board members shall also participate in at least two police ride-alongs for every six months of service on the Board.

§ 9-4-1-5(G)(4) — Recommended Training

Board members are encouraged to attend conferences and workshops relating to police oversight at city expense depending on budget availability. The Director, in collaboration with the city and APD, shall maintain training opportunities for members that include, but are not limited to: (a) Annual firearms simulation training; and (b) Equity and Cultural Sensitivity training.

§ 9-4-1-5(G)(7) — Training Honoraria

Each member of the Board shall be paid a $500 honorarium upon completion of their Initial Orientation and Training as outlined in § 9-4-1-5(G)(1) – (2). Each member of the Board shall be compensated $250 upon completion of their annual Required On-Going Training as outlined in § 9-4-1-5(G)(3).