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"Several recent, high-profile cases have raised concerns about changes in the way the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy is training cadets, especially regarding the use of deadly force.In December, the academy unanimously voted to cut the curriculum from 22 weeks to 16. Officials said the reason was because there aren't enough officers patrolling communities, and shortened instruction helps get them out onto the streets quicker.Director of Academy Training Angela Byrd said quality would not be compromised.\"I think I can effectively train them, in that amount of time,\" she said. \"So they are going to get the same product, it's just going to be faster.\"But the public was never told exactly what changed when the training time was reduced.Now, the American Civil Liberties Union said it's filed a public records request, after media reports claimed LEA Director Jack Jones refused to release the new curriculum. The group said the rash of police shootings has many New Mexicans calling for action.\"We're very interested in proving accountability and oversight,\" said ACLU spokesman Micah McCoy. \"And one of the ways we do that is we look at public records like this.\"This comes as the Albuquerque Police Department is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice after a string of officer-involved shootings. State police also drew criticism from across the globe last year after video surfaced of an officer firing shots at a minivan filled with kids.Action 7 News reached Jones over the phone Tuesday night, but he could not comment on the matter.A spokesperson for the Department of Public Safety said it always fulfills public records requests and is not holding anything back. State law gives DPS 15 business to respond to ACLU's request.\u00A0VIDEO: ACLU law enforcement training"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.koat.com/article/concerns-over-police-academy-changes-prompt-records-requests/5054841>