The arrest of Sgt. Steve Altonji and Detective Danny Ramirez shocked many in the Santa Fe Police Department as well as prosecutors, defense attorneys and others who work in the area's criminal justice system.

Not only that, the federal law enforcement spotlight spooked many Santa Fe police officers, Johnson said. "Some officers were afraid to work narcotics," he said.

Others didn't have the know-how, Johnson said. So when the chief called off narcotics investigations after Altonji went on leave in November 2006 and shunted responsibility for them to the sparsely manned Region III Narcotics Task Force, residential burglaries began to spike and drug arrests plummeted.

In fact, the residential burglary rate started to climb almost as soon as Altonji was placed on leave, though the increase started slowly.

The total number of residential burglaries in November 2006 — 37 — was only two higher than the month before.

However, burglars hit 46 homes in December 2006 — the second-highest total of the year, according to department statistics.

The total residential burglary rate was up 30 percent in November and December 2006 over November and December 2005, statistics show.

The new year did not improve the situation.

The residential burglary rate shot up 91 percent in the first three months of 2007 compared to the first quarter of 2006, while the second quarter showed a 30 percent increase and the third quarter logged another 91 percent increase. Residential burglaries were up 63 percent this past October over October 2006, according to the latest police department numbers.

Department statistics also show an immediate drop in the number of drug arrests after Altonji took leave.

City officers — often detectives — arrested 88 people for drug trafficking between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2006. Four people were arrested for trafficking in November and December of that year, according to statistics.

Total drug arrests also fell during those two months. The 24 drug-related arrests in November 2006 were the fewest of any month that year, while the 29 people arrested for drug-related offenses in December was the second fewest of the year, the statistics show.

Again, the trend continued as the new year began.

Drug trafficking arrests in the first quarter of 2007 fell 92 percent over the first quarter of 2006, 80 percent in the second quarter and 71 percent during the third quarter. The total number of drug arrests in the city was down 42 percent in the first quarter as compared to the first quarter of 2006, 23 percent in the second quarter and 9 percent in the third quarter.

Fewer trafficking arrests likely means more drugs on the streets, Johnson said. "It's a definite possibility," he said. "But it's hard to judge."

Of late, officers have noticed a significant rise in the amount of crack cocaine on Santa Fe's streets, he said.

Several patrol officers, who all requested anonymity, said drugs were more readily available during the last year than in previous years. One officer compared the situation to a "free zone" for drugs.