OIR semiannual audit: 20 cases reviewed, 63 of 88 allegations sustained; department updates taser policy and supervisor training

The OIR Group presented its seventh semiannual audit of the Las Cruces Police Department to the City Council work session on Monday, Feb. 24, reporting that auditors reviewed 20 internal affairs cases that were investigated and closed between July 1 and Dec. 30, 2024.

Theresa Magula of the OIR Group summarized the audit’s principal findings: the audit covered 20 cases that generated 88 total framed allegations and that “63 of the 88 were sustained,” meaning investigators found policy violations supported by the evidence. Magula said 17 of the 20 cases were internally generated by the department and three were external complaints from members of the public.

Steve Conley, also with OIR, said the cases covered a range of issues including multiple uses of a conducted-energy device (taser), a response to a mental-health crisis call, and integrity issues that included academic cheating at the department academy. Conley said the department had made “a concerted effort to complete cases in a more timely manner” after a backlog, and OIR found timeliness improving.

Magula and Conley detailed outcomes and follow-up actions. OIR said 33 named Las Cruces Police Department employees were involved across the cases reviewed; the report noted 20 were sworn officers (two incidents involved the same officer, who no longer works for LCPD).…