LegalFix

Section 29-14-4 - Investigations of peace officers; requirements.

NM Stat § 29-14-4 (2019) (N/A)
Copy with citation
Copy as parenthetical citation

When any peace officer is under investigation by his employer for alleged actions that could result in administrative sanctions being levied against the officer, the following requirements shall be adhered to:

A. any interrogation of an officer shall be conducted when the officer is on duty or during his normal waking hours, unless the urgency of the investigation requires otherwise;

B. any interrogation of an officer shall be conducted at the employer's facility, unless the urgency of the investigation requires otherwise;

C. prior to commencement of any interrogation session:

(1) an officer shall be informed of the name and rank of the person in charge of the interrogation and all other persons who will be present during the interrogation;

(2) an officer shall be informed of the nature of the investigation, and the names of all known complainants shall be disclosed to the officer unless the chief administrator of the officer's employer determines that the identification of the complainant shall not be disclosed because it is necessary for the protection of an informant or because disclosure would jeopardize or compromise the integrity or security of the investigation; and

(3) a reasonable attempt shall be made to notify the officer's commanding officer of the pending interrogation;

D. during any interrogation session, the following requirements shall be adhered to:

(1) each interrogation session shall not exceed two hours unless the parties mutually consent to continuation of the session;

(2) there shall not be more than two interrogation sessions within a twenty-four hour period, unless the parties mutually consent to additional sessions, provided that there shall be at least a one-hour rest period between the sessions;

(3) the combined duration of an officer's work shift and any interrogation session shall not exceed fourteen hours within a twenty-four hour period, unless the urgency of the investigation requires otherwise;

(4) there shall not be more than two interrogators at any given time;

(5) an officer shall be allowed to attend to physical necessities as they occur in the course of an interrogation session; and

(6) an officer shall not be subjected to offensive language or illegal coercion by his interrogator in the course of an interrogation session;

E. any interrogation of an officer shall be recorded, either mechanically or by a stenographer, and the complete interrogation shall be published as a transcript; provided that any recesses called during the interrogation shall be noted in the transcript; and

F. an accurate copy of the transcript or tape shall be provided to the officer, upon his written request, no later than fifteen working days after the investigation has been completed.

History: Laws 1991, ch. 117, § 4.

LegalFix

Copyright ©2024 LegalFix. All rights reserved. LegalFix is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and does not provide legal advice, services, or representation. The information on this website is an overview of the legal plans you can purchase—or that may be provided by your employer as an employee benefit or by your credit union or other membership group as a membership benefit.

LegalFix provides its members with easy access to affordable legal services through a network of independent law firms. LegalFix, its corporate entity, and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors do not provide legal advice, services, or representation—directly or indirectly.

The articles and information on the site are not legal advice and should not be relied upon—they are for information purposes only. You should become a LegalFix member to get legal services from one of our network law firms.

You should not disclose confidential or potentially incriminating information to LegalFix—you should only communicate such information to your network law firm.

The benefits and legal services described in the LegalFix legal plans are not always available in all states or with all plans. See the legal plan Benefit Overview and the more comprehensive legal plan contract during checkout for coverage details in your state.

Use of this website, the purchase of legal plans, and access to the LegalFix networks of law firms are subject to the LegalFix Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

We have updated our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosures. By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Disclosures.
Section 29-14-4 - Investigations of peace officers; requirements.