New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency in Albuquerque on Tuesday, citing a significant rise in crime and authorizing the deployment of the New Mexico National Guard to assist local law enforcement, The AP reports.
The executive order allows for the deployment of several dozen troops along the historic Route 66 corridor starting in mid-May and allocates state funds to support the effort. Training is already underway for an estimated 60 to 70 National Guard personnel.
While governors often activate the National Guard for natural disasters, recent years have seen deployments to address border security and, as in the case of New York City, to assist with crime patrols on the subway.
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina welcomed the move, stating that the National Guard’s support will free up officers to focus on street patrols and crime prevention.
During a news conference, Medina and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller presented data indicating a decline in most crime categories since the beginning of the year, attributing this progress to the work of the police force.
Officials emphasized that the National Guard will not directly engage with the public but will instead take on tasks that divert sworn officers’ time, such as traffic control, securing crime scenes, distributing food and supplies to the homeless, transporting prisoners, providing courthouse security, and operating drone surveillance for suspect location and incident assessment.
Concerns have been raised by watchdog groups regarding the potential for civil rights violations associated with militarizing civilian law enforcement.
This is not Lujan Grisham’s first attempt to utilize state resources to address crime in Albuquerque. In 2021, she temporarily assigned state police officers to the area to assist with vehicle thefts, drug trafficking, aggressive driving, and apprehending violent criminals. Similarly, in 2020, then-President Donald Trump deployed federal agents to Albuquerque as part of a broader effort to combat violent crime in several U.S. cities.
Lujan Grisham’s emergency declaration follows a March 31 request from Police Chief Medina, citing the fentanyl epidemic and an increase in violent juvenile crime. Medina noted progress in reducing shootings and aggravated assaults along Central Avenue but emphasized the need for additional resources.
The New Mexico Legislature recently adjourned without passing measures deemed sufficient to bolster public safety in Albuquerque and other communities, drawing criticism from law enforcement leaders, prosecutors, and the governor herself.
According to Albuquerque Police Department statistics released in February, aggravated assaults decreased by 11% in 2024 compared to the previous year, and homicides have decreased for the second consecutive year.
The latest news in your social feeds
Subscribe to our social media platforms to stay tuned