Ken Miyagishima, former mayor of Las Cruces and Democratic candidate for New Mexico governor, said in a public announcement that deploying National Guard members as military police to assist law enforcement statewide is necessary. He emphasized the importance of compensating them for extra service hours.
"This partnership would provide vital support to law enforcement agencies across New Mexico," said Ken Miyagashima. "I am dedicated to finding funding within the state budget to compensate these officers for their extra hours of service during weekends and evenings, in addition to their National Guard duties. I would like for all New Mexicans to remember the brave police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty over the past decade."
Miyagishima's comments come in response to public safety concerns following the death of Bloomfield Police Officer Timothy Ontiveros. Ontiveros was shot on May 26, 2025, and died from his injuries on June 1, 2025. This incident marked the tenth law enforcement officer in New Mexico to die in the line of duty over the past decade. Miyagishima proposed partnering National Guard military police with local officers to support under-resourced agencies.
According to NM News, New Mexico's "Operation Zia Shield," launched in mid-May 2025, mobilized between 60 and 71 National Guard personnel—volunteers from both the Army and Air Guard—to support the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) by performing essential non-law enforcement functions. These roles included securing crime scenes, managing traffic at critical incidents, operating drones, assisting with prisoner transport and administrative tasks, and providing humanitarian aid such as distributing food, water, and Narcan to vulnerable populations. This initiative allowed APD officers to refocus on core patrol and investigative duties. Reports from both nm.news and the Albuquerque Police Department indicated that these efforts helped free up officers to "respond quicker to critical incidents."
Miyagishima has served four consecutive terms as Mayor of Las Cruces since 2007. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Real Estate from New Mexico State University and an MBA from the University of Texas at El Paso. Additionally, he has been a businessman, adjunct finance professor, and Doña Ana County Commissioner.
