Albuquerque’s TEAM program is starting to have a positive impact on addressing crime in the city’s downtown area.
TEAM stands for Targeted Enforcement and Active Monitoring. Downtown businesses have pitched in an estimated $150,000 to pay the overtime for TEAM police officers, according to a KOB 4 report. In addition, the city is using federal funding to install surveillance cameras and additional lighting downtown.
“I think right now we are seeing early indications that this is helping,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a news conference.
Albuquerque police reported downtown has seen a 6% overall drop in crime since last September. Shootings have decreased by 50%, auto burglaries by 42%, and theft by 34%, according to APD Chief Harold Medina.
The news isn’t all good though. APD said there have been 10 robbery cases to date this year as compared to five in the same period in 2022. Burglaries and shootings without injury also increased slightly.
“We know there is still much work, and we will continue to work the TEAM overtime concept to ensure that we’re putting resources in the proper place,” Medina said.
City officials said 11 downtown businesses chipped in to pay for the overtime. That funding should hold up through 2023. “This is nothing different than Chief’s overtime that we would do at Walmart or Target,” Keller said. “But we said instead of supporting big boxes, we’re going to allocate those resources downtown.”
APD is also enhancing proactive community policing. “They’ve done a wonderful job in building relationships with downtown businesses to ensure that those business owners know that they know the cop on their beat,” Medina said.
TEAM began with pledges of $90,000 with the goal of making downtown safer. "Downtown is the heartbeat of our city and we’re pushing forward to create more opportunities to live, work, and find activities for everyone right here in our core,” Keller said when TEAM was announced. “TEAM brings private partners to the table to help APD target crime where it’s happening and make people feel safe when visiting their businesses.”