APD Chief Schultz will retire

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz has announced he plans to retire in a letter sent to the city’s chief administrative officer earlier this week.

According to the city’s release Schultz sent the letter to Chief Administrative Officer Robert Perry on Wednesday.

In that letter Schultz suggest that he will retire during the summer/fall of this year.

> Read Schultz's Letter

He goes on to say that he will continue to assist the Department of Justice in the “fact finding portion” of their investigation into APD.

Last November the DOJ announced plans to opening up a full investigation into the use of force by APD.  The news came months after they started looking into allegations of systematic civil rights abuses at APD in August 2011.

Earlier this week Albuquerque City Council President Dan Lewis told the Albuquerque Journal that it was time for a change at the top level of APD and that Schultz needed to go.

Schultz responded to Lewis and the article saying he was proud of the work done by his officers and say he’d continue to work hard for Albuquerque residents.

The release quotes Mayor Richard Berry thanking Schultz for his hard work.

“As Mayor, my respect and thanks go out to Chief Schultz for his dedication and service to this community,” said Mayor Berry. “I have enjoyed working with him over the past three years and I have been impressed with his ability as an innovator and as a leader who cares deeply about this city and his department. I will be working with Chief Schultz and Rob Perry over the coming days and weeks to implement a transition plan that continues to keep the citizens of Albuquerque safe while moving the department forward.”

Still, Schultz's time as APD's top cop came with a lot of scrutiny and controversy.  From the 25 police shootings, 18 fatal since 2010, to having the entire department come under an investigation by the Department of Justice, to officers involved in high-profile murder cases and some officers involved in questionable behavior. Many have called for him to step down from his role as chief.

Under Schultz's tenure, the city has had to pay out millions of dollars in court settlements. The most recent case surrounded the shooting death of Kenneth Ellis III in January of 2010.

"Chief Schultz has got blood on his hands," said Ken Ellis II in reaction to Schultz's retirement. "He's been part of the problem, his police department has got us to where we are today and he has ownership in what has happened to my son and what has happened to some of these other young men."

Later on Friday a District Court jury awarded the Ellis family $10 million in damages in the lawsuit they brought against the city and officers involved in the fatal shooting in 2010.

The news release from the city does not give an exact date when Schultz will step down, but at this point it appears it won't happen until the summer or fall. The mayor and Schultz say they will not comment any further until Monday.