City of ABQ fires hearing officer

KRQE TV

Updated: May 2, 2012 8:18 AM

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) — The city of Albuquerque confirmed to KRQE News 13, hearing officer Zane Reeves was fired Tuesday.

The mayor and police chief wanted that hearing officer gone last month but the city’s personnel board did not feel it had the authority to get rid of him.

The mayor and chief thought Zane Reeves was biased and too political in recent cases, particularly in the case of Russell Perea.

Perea, a former Albuquerque Police Officer was fired last year for lying about what he and his partner Levi Chavez were doing the night Levi’s wife Tera was killed with her husband’s police-issued gun.

In February Reeves ruled Perea should get his job back because there was no proof he lied, Reeves also said APD mishandled the firing.

Reeves also ruled longtime detective Mark Wilson should get his job back too.

Wilson was fired after his girlfriend claimed he hit her, those charges were later dropped though.

On Tuesday the city asked a district court judge to keep Reeves from hearing any more cases.

The judge said no so the city fired Reeves for cause.

“We think its basically in the city's best interest this time to terminate the contract and proceed with future personnel hearings with a different personnel officer,” said Chief Administrative Officer Rob Perry.

Reeves’ contract was set to expire in October.

The Mayor’s office says it does not know if Reeves plans to sue.

Reeves has claimed all along he has done nothing wrong calling it all sour grapes on the city’s part.

As for Perea and Wilson they are still fired.

The city’s legal department is trying to figure out how to keep it that way which could mean a court appeal.

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