Copyright © 2015 Albuquerque Journal

A review of multiple city contracts worth nearly half a million dollars held by Albuquerque Police Department psychologist Troy Rodgers has found “the appearance of potential wrongdoing and questionable business practices” by APD and Rodgers, according to a report by the Office of Internal Audit.

RODGERS: Has done contract work for the city since 2005

Notably, Rodgers, who for about five years had been the acting director of the department’s Behavioral Sciences Division, was in charge of signing off on expenses incurred by his own companies – Forensic Behavioral Health Associates, or FBHA, and Public Safety Psychology Group, or PSPG – while employed by APD and the city.

Some of those contracts were to teach Albuquerque police officers crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques, according to Albuquerque’s Office of Internal Audit.

Rodgers was submitting invoices as the owner of those companies, then signing off on the expenses as the director of the Behavioral Sciences Division, according to the review.

“The various issues identified indicate an overall breakdown in administrative oversight and controls by city departments over APD contracts,” auditors said in the report.

Rob Perry, the city’s chief administrative officer, said in an interview that Rodgers is no longer the department’s acting director of behavioral sciences, which gave him the ability to approve invoices he submitted on behalf of his companies.

“That shouldn’t have happened,” Perry said.

Rodgers is still providing psychology services for the police department, he said.

Police officials didn’t respond to calls for comment.

Rodgers, in an email, said even though he was contracted to be the director of the Behavioral Sciences Division, he wasn’t making policy decisions and always was operating under the supervision of a deputy chief or assistant chief. He also disputed the assertion that he was a “city official” because he wasn’t being paid benefits.

The city of Albuquerque already has started to move forward with some contract and policy adjustments in order to address and remedy a number of the potential issues and recommendations presented, Perry said.

Rodgers said there were some “learning points” in the auditor’s report.

“I am of the belief that any time we can learn from an event and make improvements we are progressing in the right direction,” Rodgers said.

Auditors said the total amount of contracts for counselors, psychologists and crisis intervention training at the police department in effect during the 2015 fiscal year was almost $500,000 – though that figure includes contracts that were started or will end outside of the fiscal year.

About $92,000 of that was never spent and $141,000 went directly to contracted counselors and psychologists, most of whom were current or former PSPG employees, said Director of Internal Audit Debra Yoshimura. Rodgers and his companies were paid $265,000 last fiscal year, she said.

Began in 2005

Rodgers has entered into regular contracts with the city of Albuquerque since 2005, and his duties expanded when the police department worked to get all officers crisis intervention training in the wake of an increase in officer-involved shootings and other cases in which force was used against people dealing with a mental illness, Perry said.

City officials believe the training and services Rodgers and his businesses provide the police department have been effective, he said.

“Dr. Rodgers has actually done a pretty good job,” Perry said. “He’s one of the leaders in the state.”

Police officials said earlier this year that Rodgers and his companies obtained contracts with the city without opening the contracts up for a bid, which police officials said was in line with city rules due to the nature and amount of the contracts.

The Behavioral Sciences Division does pre-employment psychological screenings, consults during SWAT activations and provides support for officers involved in shootings and other critical incidents. As the director of that division, Rodgers also developed the behavioral sciences courses taught at the Police Academy.

The amount and cost of crisis intervention training of Albuquerque police officers has increased in recent years, according to the auditor’s report.

In October 2013, the cost of a training course that the city paid one of Rodgers’ companies to teach increased from $1,500 to $4,500 without an explanation, according to the audit.

As the head of behavioral sciences, another one of Rodgers’ tasks was to evaluate the effectiveness of the department’s CIT training, according to the report.

PSPG employs several current Albuquerque police officers and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies as instructors. The auditor’s report said that of the six Albuquerque police officers who also work for PSPG, only one of the officers had filled out proper and up-to-date “Outside Employment Authorization Forms.”

Yoshimura said auditors couldn’t say for certain if those police officers were paid by the city and PSPG at the same time. Police have said they design officers’ schedules to make sure they are either paid by the city or PSPG for instruction.

Auditors also reported that various Albuquerque police officers have raised concerns that Rodgers could respond alongside officers in crisis situations and then be able to control or retaliate against the officers with fitness for duty, return to work and other psychological evaluations. But Perry said Rodgers wasn’t performing those evaluations.

The audit only focused on Rodgers’ work for the city. He also has several contracts with Bernalillo County for his work at the jail, for the sheriff’s office and for a substance abuse program.

Aaron Williamson, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said Rodgers is still working under contract as the sheriff’s office psychologist.

City Councilor Diane Gibson requested the review after she received several tips from people who had questioned the contracts Rodgers and his businesses had with the city.

“This report doesn’t lead to a lot of confidence in Dr. Rodgers,” she said. “I think we should be looking for other professionals.”

Gibson also said this was the second time city auditors have found violations in city policies after reviewing contracts APD entered into with other businesses.

Earlier this year, city auditors and the state auditor were critical of the department’s contract with Taser International, which supplied the department with on-body cameras.

Gibson suggested having another city department handle some of the police’s finances.

“Maybe alleviating them of that type of work would lead them to focus on public safety,” she said.

Results of Non-Audit Service#15-309 – Psychologist Contract Review – APD