By Rodd Cayton
City officials Tuesday applauded the reversal of a $1.4 million jury award to a former Albuquerque police detective.
Teresa Romero alleged that the Albuquerque Police Department failed to address post-traumatic stress disorder or accommodate her disability in a way that would allow her to keep working.
Romero was placed on administrative leave after experiencing PTSD symptoms. Her lawsuit alleged that she was declared unfit for duty and that the city never informed her of a path she could take to return to work.
Romero told the trial court she was afraid to speak up about her mental health because of the stigma attached to that in the law enforcement field.
The New Mexico Court of Appeals ruled the city neither discriminated nor retaliated against Romero. She then took the case to the New Mexico Supreme Court, which declined to review the appellate court’s decision, leaving the appeals court’s ruling in place.
As a result, the city will not be required to pay any damages.
“The city will fight against unjust rulings and efforts to impose liability where none is warranted,” City Attorney Lauren Keefe said in a statement issued Tuesday. “In this case, the city took the appropriate action to protect public safety. There was never any basis to penalize the city, and we are grateful the courts ultimately recognized that.”
District Court Judge Nancy Franchini in 2022 ruled in Romero’s favor.
“APD did not provide Romero with modification or adaptation of her work environment, work rules or job responsibilities or explore less restrictive alternatives to enable Romero to perform the essential functions of the job, as defined by the [Human Rights Act],” Franchini wrote in her ruling. “APD did not have a legitimate business reason for failing to reasonably accommodate Romero and provide her with support and options to return to work.”