Updated: New Mexico Watchdog Catches Vehicle Abuse at Corrections Department
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Update: Following our report, the Department of Corrections has suspended Charlene Knipfing, Director of Probation and Parole, without pay for five days–according to Rod Green of KOAT-TV Channel 7. Here’s the link to the KOAT-TV news broadcast.
OFF THE LEASH, CHASING CARS
The tip arrived over the weekend from a vigilant state employee. Plans were afoot by high level officials at the Corrections Department to violate state law on public vehicle use. The plan: Charlene Knipfing, Director of the Probation and Parole Division loves Angelina’s restaurant in Espanola. It’s her fave. And it’s her birthday. Meet at 11 a.m. and drive all the way to Espanola to celebrate the boss’s birthday.
Charlene Knipfing
Birthday lunches don’t fall within the reasons why taxpayers buy cars for high-level state employees. Nor is taking a dozen state employees out of the office for three hours or so to cheer the boss on her special day exactly serving the public interest.
“This was not an appropriate use of the Department’s vehicles,” Tia Bland, the Public Information Officer for the Corrections Department told us after we gave her the license plate numbers of the vehicles used for mid-day frolic and told about the tip that had us staking out an Espanola restaurant. “Basically, I can’t say a lot because this is a personnel matter now.” She added, “Proper steps will be taken to ensure compliance with the Department’s vehicle policy.”
Such frolics are not only against Department policy, they are against the law. New Mexico Administrative Code 1.5.3.20 prohibits any private use of state vehicles. We were pointed to that section by the people who run the General Services Department hot line for reporting state vehicle abuse. They also got everything we learned when we followed up an e-mail from a vigilant state employee.
The Whistleblower’s Tip
“NMCD PPD waste of state time and improper vehicle use.”
That was heading on the anonymous e-mail that came through our tips line, the same line that led to exposing Rail Runner employees stopping the train to grab some Lotaburgers in Santa Fe.
The message:
“This was sent out for a Birthday lunch on State time
utilizing State Vehicles to PPD in Santa Fe, Central Office.
1 of 2 e-mails
From: Petty, Rhonda, NMCD Sent: Tue 4/13/2010 3:31 PM
To: PPD, Central Office
Cc: Petty, Rhonda, NMCD
Subject: Charlene’s Birthday
Charlene’s birthday is this Sunday. She’s requested lunch at her
favorite restaurant, Angelina’s (1226 Fairview Lane, Espanola
505-753-8543). Anyone wishing to join Charlene for a birthday
celebration at Angelina’s on Monday should RSVP to me & plan to
carpool from Central Office no later than 11 a.m. on Monday April
19th. Anyone wishing to contribute towards a birthday gift should
give submit it to me no later than noon on Friday.
Rhonda W. Petty
Administrative Assistant
Probation & Parole Division
New Mexico Corrections Department
P: (505) 827-8830 F: (505) 827-8831
Rhonda.Petty@state.nm.us”
The “Charlene” of the message is Charlene Knipfing, Director of the Probation and Parole Division. Salary: $93,593.14 (thanks Albuquerque Journal Watchdog).
The whistleblower also gave us the second of two e-mails, which reminded recipients who hadn’t RSVP’d to let Knipfing’s assistant know if they’d be attending and to give them a chance to contribute towards a birthday present for the boss, deadline noon Monday, 4/19/10.
Bingo
We hopped in a car Monday morning as soon as we confirmed details with the whistleblower. We had no time to waste. It was past 10:30 a.m. in Albuquerque and 90 miles to Angelina’s.
Just as I found a parking space behind the restaurant and turned off the ignition, three Chevy Impalas with state license plates turned into the same lot. (The tipster had said they would be driving Impalas. They even got the color right). Two of the cars had multiple occupants. One vehicle had only the driver, a man who immediately recognized me. He had parked next to me and, when our eyes met, he turned his face away. When he got out of the car, he turned his back to me and put his chin on his hands on the car’s roof–just standing there like that in the middle of the parking lot. Not until I started walking to the restaurant did he leave his vehicle to follow.
I checked in the restaurant and found that some of the party was already there, seated in a back room. I then went outside to photograph the empty state vehicles. But a woman on a cell phone who was with the group stepped out of the restaurant and saw me snapping shots of the license plates.
Moments later, a middle-aged man approached. The woman on the phone had pointed me out to him.
“Something wrong with our cars?” he asked. “Why are you taking photographs of our cars?”
“Are these Department of Corrections vehicles?” I answered after a second’s pause. The woman on the phone stood at a distance watching.
He repeated his question. I repeated mine.
“Who are you?” he asked. I identified myself and gave the name of this site. Then I asked, “Are these Department of Corrections vehicles here for a birthday celebration?
“You’ll have to talk to Tia Bland,” he said, turned on his heel and walked briskly back into the restaurant. That answered my question. I knew Bland was the Correction Deparment’s PIO. I had Ms. Bland’s phone number in my pocket and called her. I left a message, saying I was at Angelina’s and describing what I was observing.
I needed to eat, so I asked for a table. The waitress sat me where I could see the birthday party across the restaurant. There were at least a dozen Corrections Department employees around the table in Espanola. I watched the group order and eat, pay for their meals (separate checks), and then wait in line at the cash register to pay. Charlene Knipfing made a point of waving to me across the restaurant. I waved back and smiled. After all, it was her birthday.
The group departed at 1:15. It’s forty miles back to their office, through Espanola traffic, past the casinos, then down the Santa Fe bypass and across I-25. A grey Impala, driven by the man who had recognized me, pulled out of Angelina’s lot, but did not follow the others. He drove into a dirt lot across the street, then turned around, so from his windshield he could watch Angelina’s parking lot exit–perhaps to see if I followed the group or to follow me. I was watching him from inside the restaurant. He turned his head in my direction, apparently saw me watching through the window, then drove off.
I finished my meal, drained my coffee, and headed back to Albuquerque to print out the pertinent section of the New Mexico Administrative Code on vehicle abuse, an obvious law one would expect the highly paid Director of the Probation and Parole Division of the New Mexico Corrections Department would know and want her employees to follow. I think she’s been recently reminded of that law, thanks to a vigilant state employee who knows abuse of the public trust when they see it.
Posted under News.
Tags: Angelina's, Charlene Knipfing, KOAT-TV, New Mexico Corrections Department, NM Department of Corrections, Probation and Parole Division, Rod Green
22 Comments For This Post So Far
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11:11 am on April 21st, 2010
Gottem again. Great follow-up, Inspector.
Seriously thank you for this.
11:49 am on April 21st, 2010
Great Job stay with and don’t be intimidated
12:54 pm on April 21st, 2010
Great work. We are in a recession, right? We’re running a deficit. And we’re trying to find ways to cut back in state government, right?
I think Jim just found a few places to save the state some money.
1:38 pm on April 21st, 2010
What? They couldn’t have the lunch on Sunday? If they’re M-F workers, that would have entailed the use of their own vehcles. At least some carpooled. But, I agree that this is an imprudent use of state vehicles — they must not have any respect for the taxpayers. It would be less offensive if they’d had lunch somewhere closer to their headquarters in Santa Fe. Glad to know Charlene is friendly enough to wave. Que Sinverguenza! It also doesn’t seem appropriate that the employees “contribute” for a gift if she’s their superior. I would think that personnel laws would discourage such practices. Well-managed corporations and federal employers discourage, if not outright disallow, such actions.
10:35 pm on April 21st, 2010
That was great. I’m glad someone is watching these people. I am so disappointed in this state.
11:48 pm on April 21st, 2010
If you only knew the amount of this kind of thing that went on in Corrections and state government in general. I am glad that there is someone to report it to. It has never helped to report it to anyone else. Thanks for a job well done. I hope many will utilize your service. No wonder our state government is in the toilet.
12:21 pm on April 22nd, 2010
Good reporting, Jim. Thanks! “The Devil’s Buchershop ” book by Roger Morris about the 1980 state prison riots is a real eye-opener about corruption that we refuse to acknowledge. The book is still available in bookstores and the public libraries. “A modern horror story told in graphic detail. Morris’s meticulous documentation traces prison corruption . . . proving the tragedy could have been avoided. I recommend this book without reservation.”—Jack Anderson
1:34 pm on April 22nd, 2010
It was just a matter of time when state employees would get tired of the trickle effect Billy has created here in New Mexico. They hear and see his Lt Governor using stimulus money to fly in our state owned jet on private and personal matters. Lunch in Espanola is just as bad as flying to Roswell for lunch.
I’m sure this will not be the last of it, already people in high end state jobs are ripping the state off. It has created a culture, longer lunches, pilfered office supplies in general a lack of accountability to the residents of our fair state, a stigma that will ensure ours is one of the last to escape the current economic ruin created by such fraudulent waste of public funds.
7:02 pm on April 22nd, 2010
Apparently Charlene Knipfing’s attitude is a way of life a few years ago she was attending acorrections conference in Ruidoso it was at the height of the drought and the entire city was under a non smoking ban out doors she simply didn’t think that the rules applied to her.If I had not been working and had a camera I would have snapped photos and sent them to the media I would bet that she breaks more rules than she follows. I found her to have a very arrogant attitude. This really doesn’t surprise me. Why are people like her in charge of state offices is this what my taxes pay for? I’ll be she not even sorry.
8:10 pm on April 22nd, 2010
I am glad to see that this was brought to everyones attention as a state employee at the bottom of the barrel getting the raw end of the stick thanks to our govenor and people like Charlene playing their games thinking that they are above everybody. I just hope that people realize that we are not all like them there are many state employees that work very hard. I hope you stay on top of Billy’s appointed jerks that are taking advantage of us all and call them out on their negligance way to go keep up the good work.
8:44 pm on April 22nd, 2010
the next 5 days will be filled with her deputy director and staff snooping around to trying to figure out who it was that told on them. I think Mrs. Knipfing should apologize to ALL of the employees of the probation parole department for her behavior. I also think that the other “classified” employees involved in this should also be named, so all will know who from the corrections department was there. I bet that if it were a lower level employee of the probation parole department, they’d be FORCED out of their job for doing something like this, why shouldn’t Mrs. Knipfing and the other people involved be held to the same standard? Mr. Scarantiono, you should do an investigative report on the probation parole dept. statewide, I think you’d find out some interesting things that occur in the department that the public and maybe even the governor’s office would find interesting.
7:17 am on April 23rd, 2010
She is corrupt and protected by her husband’s status. No rules apply to her and NM watchdog so link this story up to the other corruption related to the Defensive Tactics Course. Employees were intentionally injured and there s now a state OSHA report filed with vioations regarding probation officer safety. She was unqualified to serve in juvenile probation and has demonstrated even greater ineptness with the Corrections Dept. Another example of Richardson putting unqualified people in charge. She doesn’t even havce a college degree and could even be hired as line probation officer. Yet, she provides direction to all of adult probation? She should have been fired because if a line probation officer had done this and been caught they would have. Did Charlene have to take a polygraph? That’s what her employees have to do before a harassment complaint is accepted.
Dig some below the surface and ask around. There’s lots to find out!
5:39 pm on April 29th, 2010
Knipfing should be ashamed for herself! I am very disappointed with this administration. Look at the CD Policy Code of Ethics, on DOC Website.
Is it not in violation of the code of ethics to bring bad light upon our department? How Many violations occurred? She should have been terminated! She is an appointed employee if she had any ethics or integrity at all she would resign and hope for a position as a Wal-Mart greeter. I believe that is all she is qualified for. If Secretary Williams had any integrity at all he would ask for her resignation… or maybe he doesn’t have a choice maybe she is close to the governor or a family member?
Our state needs new leadership, it is time we knock all of those people off their high horse, I will be watching, I will be spreding the word to all everyone I know and ask them to spread the word to everone they know….. Every time you conduct your personal business on state time you better believe someone will be watching you…. I will turn anyone and everyone in!
Kudos to whomever the state employee is that took the first step!
Probation and Parole/ Prisons…… we are watching you!
12:18 am on April 30th, 2010
Good job on this new development……DO NOT forget the going on’s in the southern part of the state in probation and parole. There are MAJOR abuses happening there to also involving the abuse of state vehicles by having family members in the state vehicle and certain managment personnel using the state vehicles to take their children to school. There is a lot more happening than just this and the department has no idea what is going on in the southern part of the state.
10:58 pm on April 30th, 2010
This is not the first time or the last in which the citizens of the State of New Mexico should be afraid of the Department of Corrections and its practice of giving positions of authority and civil trust to people who have no experience and no history in corrections.
Not only that this is not the first time that things have gone badly in Probation and Parole. In recent months they have used Supervisors who filed a complaint of misconduct on an employee be assigned to investigate the claim and make a finding of guilt based on their investigation. They have allowed their staff to be beaten and injured in what can only be described as a gang like “jumping in” and call it defensive tactics training. We even have employees who are suspended without pay for 10 days for a violation of policy while Ms. Charlene Knipfing violates state laws and policies and only gets 5 days off? When will the citizens of New Mexico wake up and demand accountability of its government?
6:37 pm on May 15th, 2010
When Ms. Knipfing came back from her five day suspension, the first thing she SHOULD have done was to apologize to the Central Office Executive Staff that meets first thing every Monday at 8:00. She should have said that she was sorry for putting everyone in a bad light. Well, she didn’t. If she had, and really meant it, her reputation might be saved–but to my knowledge of knowing her over her time at Corrections, she has NEVER apologized for anything.
It’s so true that she tries to discredit, by rumors and innuendo anyone who does not agree with her. She is a terrible gossip and never has anything good to say about anyone who doesn’t follow her lead 100%.
I can not imagine a more inappropriate person in a position of authority–sorry–there are others who were appointed by the Governor who we wish would leave, who are the same–Joe Williams (who is still paying back –(getting even)–people who worked with him during the Johnson administration), Jolene Gonzales, not qualified for her position,–although that isn’t new in this administration, Elona Cruz–what an embarrassment, Willie Marquez, the 94,000 dollar appointee who lost all of his responsibilities, yet pulls down almost 8k a month, and Tony Marquez–cousin to the Governor’s Chief of Staff, who has not handled one money matter for eight years, even though his job says he is in charge…
I think everyone is finally sick of it all. Good.
12:39 pm on January 20th, 2011
This is great. I remember working for her at the Juvenile Parole Board. Her and Emily Jon used to smoke inside of our office when the weather was bad. They would rent a car, charge it to the state, go shopping in Ruidoso when they should have been at the juvenile facility conducting hearings. They used to leave at any time they wanted to, and I was wrote up for leaving early one day. Karma works!