AFD firefighter arrested for DWI

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An Albuquerque firefighter was arrested for drunken driving and put on administrative duties pending an internal investigation, the department's deputy chief said Wednesday.

Michael Gutierrez, 29, was arrested Tuesday night after he admitted to police he'd been drinking at the strip club TD's.

Police said he failed to stop at a stop sign, performed poorly on several field sobriety tests and blew at least a .08.

He was also cited for not having insurance and using a black marker to change the year on his registration tabs from 2007 to 2009, according to police records.

It's the fifth time an Albuquerque firefighter has gotten nailed for DWI in the past year. It's also the second time in less than a month that

AFD leaders have announced that one of their own has been arrested.

"It's obviously disappointing," Deputy Chief Craig Sadberry said. "It reflects poorly on the fire department."

Last month Pojoaque police said Lt. Martin Salazar assaulted an officer with a beer bottle.

In the past year there have been more than a half a dozen arrests within the department, many of them for drunken driving.

"The numbers speak for themselves and we need to make some changes," Public Safety Director Darren White said.

He said the current off-duty behavior policies aren't working.

Right now, firefighters who admit they've gotten into trouble can be demoted, but they can go back to their original position within a year if they stay out of trouble and get back pay, White said.

"It's been a miserable failure," he said. "I don't think that's much of a punishment for bad behavior."

White is working with Fire Chief James Breen and the mayor on stricter policies, but wouldn't go into detail.

The revised policies should be completed within a week.

"There will be people losing their job if they continue to get arrested," White said.

Gutierrez has been suspended before. Once after an arrest in Tempe, AZ for what the deputy chief called an "altercation."

Another time he'd been suspended for using vacation that hadn't been accrued yet, said Sadberry.

For now Gutierrez will be taken off the streets. He'll work for animal welfare where Salazar remains until the investigation into his charges are also over.

"It's an honor and a privilege to wear this uniform and again I think it gives us all a black eye when someone does something like this," Sadberry said.