Doug Majewski Downtown Transformation BIG Chair Hartman+Majewski Design Group | Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce
Over the coming weeks, the National Guard will join efforts with the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) to aid in crime-fighting initiatives. This collaboration aims to enable sworn officers to focus on addressing and investigating serious crime incidents within the city.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has exercised her executive authority to declare an emergency concerning crime in Albuquerque. This decision allows the National Guard to provide support following a request from APD Chief Harold Medina for assistance with law enforcement tasks that consume significant time from sworn officers.
In his communication with Governor Lujan Grisham, Chief Medina stated, “We envision the NMNG as a visible, trusted presence supporting non-law enforcement duties, akin to the Guard’s role in responding to critical incidents nationwide.”
The National Guard has previously supported state and federal officials in New Mexico during wildfire responses by facilitating evacuations and enforcing traffic regulations. In Albuquerque, two National Guard members will be assigned to each city district alongside police service aides (PSAs). They will be unarmed and dressed in khaki pants and black shirts while assisting with traffic control, property crime report writing, and other PSA duties.
Chief Medina anticipates that “assistance from the National Guard will have an immediate impact and allow our officers to do more proactive policing.” He emphasized finding creative solutions so that officers can focus on fighting crime rather than administrative tasks.
Terri Cole, President and CEO of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, expressed cautious optimism about this initiative. “We believe this effort could prove to be very helpful, but time will tell whether it’s effective – at an appreciable scale – in freeing up more officers for assistance to businesses and residents,” she said. She stressed the importance of closely monitoring results.
Del Esparza, Board Chairman of GACC and CEO of Esparza Advertising, appreciated these collaborative efforts against pervasive crime but highlighted the need for long-term solutions. "Long-term, hiring additional police service aides and officers will likely need to be the permanent solution; in the meantime, we’ll take all the help we can get,” he remarked.
