New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has issued an emergency public health order temporarily suspending the right to carry firearms in public across Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County.

  • Pisodeuorrior@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    “Albuquerque police Chief Harold Medina said he won’t enforce it”.

    I’m not American, what prevents the governor to say “cool, you’re fired motherfucker”?

      • EvilColeslaw@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        It really depends on what legal/administrative framework the state has. I’m pretty sure in my state the governor can remove any officer for things like malfeasance, absenteeism, and neglect of duty.

        Unlike the split in authority between Federal and State governments, counties and municipalities are simple political subdivisions of the states, and so the state is much more free legally to intervene in their affairs.

    • Izzgo@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Oddly, our police forces have a lot of discretion in which laws they enforce. For instance, the speed limit may be 35 but the cops may not pull you over unless you’re doing 55. Marijuana laws are not always enforced. Etc.

    • HarkMahlberg@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      In addition to the other comments, there are also sheriffs who are usually elected officials. Depending on the state or country, a governor can or cannot fire sheriffs for not doing their jobs.

      Of the 50 U.S. states, 48 have sheriffs. The two exceptions are Alaska, which does not have counties, and Connecticut, which replaced its county sheriff system with the state and judicial marshals in 2000. Sheriffs are elected to four-year terms in 43 states, two-year terms in New Hampshire, three-year terms in New Jersey, and six-year terms in Massachusetts. Sheriffs are appointed instead of elected in Hawaii, Rhode Island and a small number of counties elsewhere