Former SFPD officer files another records lawsuit against the department

Phaedra Haywood, The Santa Fe New Mexican
·1 min read

May 11—Retired Santa Fe police Officer Michele Williams has refiled a lawsuit accusing several city officials of violating the state Inspection of Public Records Act by failing to produce documents regarding internal affairs complaints filed against city police officers in 2018 and 2019.

The complaint was filed May 5 in state District Court against city records custodian Cynthia Whiting, Santa Fe Police Department public information officer Greg Gurule and city paralegal Julie Kenny.

District Court Judge Maria Sanchez-Gagne dismissed a previous version of the complaint last month on the grounds the lawsuit didn't specify the names of the records custodians responsible for the city's partial denial of Williams' request, Williams' attorney Thomas Grover said Monday.

Williams also has a pending Whistleblower lawsuit against the city, claiming she was forced out of the department for reporting alleged timecard fraud and missing weapons following a gun-buyback event.

In March, District Judge Bryan Biedscheid ordered the city to pay Williams about $15,000 in damages and legal fees in connection with another records lawsuit.