OIR Group presents ninth semi‑annual police audit; OIR commends quicker reviews but urges broader force‑review coverage

The Las Cruces City Council on Feb. 23 heard the ninth semi‑annual police audit from the OIR Group, which described internal‑investigation outcomes and recommended procedural improvements.

Teresa Magula and Steve Conley of OIR Group summarized the firm’s review work: they examined completed internal‑affairs investigations and supporting evidence (body‑worn video, reports and interviews) to determine whether departmental investigations were objective, thorough and evidence‑based. OIR said it reviewed 15 cases during the period containing 49 distinct allegations; 12 of those cases were internally generated by the department and 3 originated as external complaints from members of the public.

Magula said the largest class of allegations related to the department’s code of conduct (professionalism, courtesy and report quality); OIR also reviewed use‑of‑force incidents, vehicle pursuits, off‑duty conduct and administrative report deficiencies. She reported outcomes of 35 sustained allegations, 7 exonerations, 6 not sustained and 1 unfounded finding. Discipline ranged from verbal counseling to suspension and included one termination during the review period.

OIR praised the department for improving critical‑incident timelines, noting administrative reviews that previously took years were being completed in about six months. OIR recommended stronger routine use of the Force Review Cadre — a subject‑matter expert group that provides holistic analyses of critical incidents — and suggested the city resource that cadre so it can review every critical incident when appropriate.

On vehicle pursuits, OIR described two cases that were referred to internal affairs; one case produced mixed findings (an exoneration on a particular point after further evidence and sustained findings for body‑camera activation and unauthorized joining), and the other involved a supervisor who initiated a pursuit without following evolving policy and was subject to corrective measures.

OIR also reported an increase in the department’s practice of investigating off‑duty conduct and urged pairing accountability with support measures, such as training and counseling. The firm said it is expanding its contract scope to include lower‑level complaint classifications so the council and public see a broader set of review outcomes.

During council Q&A, members praised the department’s cooperation with OIR and asked for more comparative data (year‑over‑year trends, mapping by patrol area or council district rather than ZIP code). Councilors expressed concerns about consistency of discipline across cases and asked whether AI‑assisted report‑writing tools could obscure facts; OIR said supervisors must apply strict guardrails and close review to ensure report integrity. OIR also said it will pilot virtual community‑outreach sessions to increase public engagement.