As incumbent Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller prepares to fend off a challenge from Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales in the mayoral race on Nov. 2, crime in the city remains a hot topic among voters.
As both candidates vie for the job, the New Mexico Business Coalition put them to the test during a recent Business and Social Hour (BASH), during which both men were put through job interviews by a “hiring committee,” discussing a range of topics that ultimately contrasted the candidates’ views on how to handle crime in the city.
During his interview, Keller, who has served as mayor since 2017, outlined his plan to make the city safer, citing that during his term, the city has made more than $30 million in technology investments, including radios that allow the Albuquerque Police Department to communicate with other departments.
“While I know and understand violent crime is up, property crime is down in the city of Albuquerque,” he said. “So is auto theft. I believe this is because of the work the department has done and the leadership I have put in place.”
Gonzales, who is in his second term as Bernalillo County Sheriff, told the interview panel that he would make the city safer by changing the leadership of the Albuquerque Police Department, depoliticizing the department and ultimately by changing the culture of the department.
“There are other cities that have similar problems, and all of those departments are over-politicized,” Gonzales said. “Their job in government is to remain neutral. When they are doing their services, they are making sure that all of your rights are being protected.”
The candidates also must address some underlying issues related to crime, including homelessness and drugs. By Aug. 8, the city had already matched the yearly record for homicides with 81, U.S. News reported.
Gilbert Gallegos, director of communications and community outreach for the Albuquerque Police Department, told the station that many homicides have occurred in hotels and motels, likely the result of a drug deal turned sour.
“Young people are getting together — usually through social media — to sell a small amount of drugs or guns,” Gallegos told KRQE. “They meet up somewhere and the one party robs the other party and then it turns into a shooting or homicide.”
Moreover, KRQE reported that FBI statistics show violent crime and homicide rates in the state have exceeded the national average for the last several years. The Albuquerque Police Department reports its annual statistics using the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). According to this data, crimes against a person were at 15,262 in 2020, up from 14,971 the previous year. These crimes include aggravated assault, simple assault, sex offenses, kidnapping/abduction and several other offenses.
Crimes against society also have increased, with 3,868 reports in 2020, up from 3,711 the previous year, according to the department’s NIBRS report. According to the report, crimes against society include drug offenses, weapons violations, pornography, prostitution and animal cruelty.
The department’s NIBRS report also indicates that crimes against property have dropped 10 percent in each of the last two years. According to data, those reports stood at 57,328 in 2018, dropping to 51,541 in 2019 and 46,373 in 2020. These crimes, according to the report, include motor vehicle theft, larceny/theft offenses, burglary/breaking and entering, destruction/damage/vandalism, robbery, fraud and stolen property.
