[NM] Law prohibiting those convicted of domestic violence from being law enforcement officers goes forward

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BILL CLEARS SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
The New Mexico Independent
Patricia Sauthoff
2/15/10 8:57 PM
[Excerpts]  Monday evening the Senate Judiciary Committee brought one step closer to law a bill that would prevent domestic violence offenders from working as law enforcement officers. HB 17 would remove a current officer’s certification for three years or prohibit a person from obtaining certification within three years of conviction for a domestic violence crime. Federal regulations already prohibit a person convicted of a felony domestic violence crime from owning a firearm, and HB 17 hopes to add other crimes such as stalking, aggravated stalking and misdemeanor assault to the list of offenses that prohibit a person from becoming a law enforcement officer. Currently, misdemeanors such as DWI already prohibit people from becoming or continuing to be police officers... [The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Nathan] Cote clarified saying that the law, “does not require law enforcement convicted to be automatically kicked off the force.” Instead it takes the matter to the law enforcement board, which reviews the facts and circumstances of each individual case before a decision about licensure is made. [Full article here]
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