sa国际传媒官网网页入口

The fired CEO of a New Mexico office responsible for investigating police misconduct filed a whistleblower lawsuit Wednesday alleging that the Department of Public Safety illegally tried to assert control over the board鈥檚 authority to investigate complaints.

Joshua Calder filed the suit against both DPS and the New Mexico Law Enforcement Certification Board (LECB) 鈥� the office Calder headed until he was fired in March 2025, less than a year after he was hired as the board's first-ever CEO.

The lawsuit, filed in 1st Judicial District Court, stems from a long and complex dispute between Calder and DPS Secretary Jason Bowie, who urged the board to fire Calder and accused him of "a lack of moral character."

The suit alleges that the LECB and "high ranking DPS officials retaliated against Calder after he repeatedly resisted efforts by DPS to assume control over LECB's independent regulatory functions," according to a statement issued by Calder's attorney.

Calder is seeking unspecified damages for emotional and reputational harms, including lost wages and "double back pay" allowed under the state鈥檚 Whistleblower Protection Act.

Department of Public Safety spokesman John Heil said the agency has not been served with the lawsuit and can't discuss pending litigation.

Calder was fired less than a month after he included Bowie's name on the board's agenda in February 2025 under "disciplinary and litigation matters." Bowie said the complaint was improperly filed by a civilian and provided him with no formal notice or details about the complaint. Bowie argued at the time that complaints can only be filed by sworn law enforcement officers and that hearing a complaint filed by a civilian would "set a dangerous precedent."

The lawsuit contends Calder was attempting to defend the independence of the LECB as intended by the Legislature when it created the board in 2023.

鈥淢r. Calder devoted himself to maintaining the independence of the LECB in accordance with the Legislature鈥檚 intent, and high-ranking law enforcement officials across the state devoted themselves to his termination as a result,鈥� Calder's attorney, Levi Monagle, said Wednesday in a statement.

鈥淲hen Mr. Calder resisted DPS efforts at agency capture, DPS openly attacked Mr. Calder鈥檚 credibility with the (LECB) and lobbied for his termination,鈥� Monagle said.

Calder also rattled law enforcement leaders by arguing that the LECB could hear complaints filed by civilians against sworn law officers.

"There was no rule against the board receiving, reviewing, adjudicating citizen complaints," Monagle said Monday in a phone interview. "And I think a lot of heads of law enforcement around the state took pretty sharp issue with that."

Friction developed soon after Calder was hired when former sa国际传媒官网网页入口 City Councilor Louie Sanchez filed a complaint in August 2024 alleging then-sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Police Department Chief  Harold Medina violated state law in February 2024 when he crashed into another vehicle as he tried to avoid gunfire on East Central. Medina ultimately received a written reprimand for the incident.

鈥淒PS leaders and various chiefs of police were clearly concerned that Mr. Calder would hold them to the same standards as they held for their 鈥榬ank-and-file鈥� officers,鈥� Monagle said.