Albuquerque city and law enforcement officials are taking additional measures to combat crime in the uptown area and on public transportation, a June 29 city press release said. The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) is establishing a dedicated transit safety division to make city buses and bus stops safer, the announcement said.
"The safety and well-being of our residents is our top priority, and we know that retail crime is an issue that hurts everyone, from business owners to shoppers and transit riders,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said in the press release. “We are not turning a blind eye to theft in Albuquerque, and we are going to target the individuals committing these crimes and show our community that we have their back.”
The city will install additional surveillance cameras, and operations targeting retail crime will continue, the release said.
APD has been working with ABQ Ride to make city buses and bus stops safer, the release said. The department said it is creating a new transit safety division to focus on curbing crime in the public transportation system. To provide immediate relief, APD is conducting what it calls a "90 operation" targeting violent and retail crime. Since the operation began on June 10, the department has seen 32 felony warrants cleared, 15 misdemeanor warrants cleared, over 20 arrests, including 15 felony arrests, and 19 criminal trespass citations, the release said.
“APD is committed to making our residents feel safe, whether it’s on the bus going to the mall, going to work, or going shopping,” Deputy Chief Mike Smathers said in the release. “We know there is a lot of work to be done, but we are using all of the resources we have to target the folks who are committing crimes in this city.”
The New Mexico Organized Retail Crime Association (NMORCA) said in a statement for the release that recent efforts to curb retail crime are having a positive impact. "We are grateful to APD for their leadership and for their proactive efforts to combat retail crime in our community. The many arrests, warrants, and recoveries made by the Albuquerque Police Department in recent months are proof that APD takes the retail community’s concerns seriously. The relationship between retailers and law enforcement is vital to creating a safer, more prosperous New Mexico for the future, and APD plays a critical role in the mechanism for success,” NMORCA said.
NMORCA is a partnership of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce and law enforcement officials statewide, providing an online digital platform for retailers and law enforcement to share information in real-time to help prevent and prosecute organized retail crime in the state, its website says.