VIDEO: Raul Bujanda, a former FBI special agent in charge in Albuquerque, has been appointed as the city’s new public safety executive director, overseeing the Albuquerque Police Department, Fire Department, and Albuquerque Community Safety.
Bujanda, who spent 23 years with the FBI, including four years in Albuquerque, expressed his enthusiasm for the new role. “I’m super excited. This is what’s always been under my skin,” he said.
He emphasized his commitment to being active outside his office. “And I hope if I’m doing my job right, I’ll hardly ever be sitting in this chair,” Bujanda said.
During his tenure with the FBI, Bujanda oversaw the DWI enterprise investigation that included APD. Addressing concerns about a potential conflict of interest, he said,
“My job was to make sure that I kept all the departments that were obviously impacted informed on the broad level. So I didn’t actually go and take an interview, those types of things. So there is no conflict of interest.”
Bujanda is the first public safety executive director since 2011. His predecessor, Darren White, advised him to maintain open communication with the city council and the departments he oversees.
