New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) has declared a state of emergency for Albuquerque, ordering the National Guard to help combat crime in the state’s largest city.
“The safety of New Mexicans is my top priority,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement. “This partnership represents our commitment to addressing the fentanyl crisis and juvenile crime with every resource at our disposal.”
Lujan Grisham, a former member of Congress who is term limited, said the New Mexico National Guard will assist Albuquerque police with essential duties so the city’s law enforcement officers “can focus on what they do best — keeping our communities safe.”
Harold Medina, chief of the Albuquerque Police Department (APD), sent the governor a request for assistance last month.
“When we pool our resources, the impact on crime is dramatic,” he wrote. “This partnership is vital for efficient incident response and reinforcing community trust through visible and professional engagement.”
He cited the department’s need to focus more of its efforts on the city’s Central Avenue Corridor, which has been plagued by the dangerous fentanyl crisis and crime in recent years. The city has also faced escalating violent crime among youths.
“Unfortunately, every arrest made by APD officers and every welfare check conducted by APD personnel on the Central Avenue corridor depletes resources necessary to achieve success,” Medina wrote in his request.
National Guard members will primarily back up APD with scene security and traffic control at critical incidents; medical assistance and humanitarian efforts along Central Avenue; the department’s prisoner transportation, court security, aviation and drone operations efforts; and the APD’s Shield Unit, which helps prepare cases for criminal prosecution, according to officials.
Lujan Grisham’s office signaled that up to 70 members of the state’s National Guard will be deployed to Albuquerque starting in mid-May. They are currently receiving additional training ahead of the mission, with assistance from the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security, Department of Public Safety, State Police and the APD.
“The initiative aims to improve public safety and quality of life for Albuquerque residents by addressing immediate needs while working toward long-term solutions to the city’s most pressing public safety challenges,” the governor’s office said in a news release announcing the effort Tuesday.
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