ACS Trainees Gain Experience Through Hand-On Service Projects
ALBUQUERQUE - Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) is enhancing the training of future responders through hands-on service projects. As part of their eight-week academy, trainees engage directly with resource providers across the city to offer them firsthand experience. The service projects help future responders build relationships with providers and consumers and helps them gain a deeper understanding of the resources available in the community.
“Service projects at local resource providers are a key component of the ACS Academy, providing trainees with the opportunity to interact with the community and gain insights into the operations of organizations supporting Albuquerque’s diverse population,” said ACS Director Jodie Esquibel. “This immersive experience ensures that trainees are equipped with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for effective community service.”
Current trainees have participated in service projects at the following organizations:
- Storehouse New Mexico
- Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico
- Steelbridge
- Rio Grande Food Project
- Hope Works
- NM Dream Center
- God’s Warehouse
- Roadrunner Food Bank
“The ACS Academy includes eight weeks of instruction, culminating in 40 hours of WeCARE Training during the final week,” said ACS Deputy Director of Field Operations Walter Adams. “This reality-based training features actors in Crisis Intervention and De-escalation scenarios which gives our Responders an excellent perspective into what they will likely see out in the field.”
The ACS Academy also collaborates closely with the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) and Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR). APD enhances the program with its Situational Awareness Training and comprehensive Mental Health and Law overview, while AFR gives crucial responder safety and basic lifesaver training.
Other key trainings include Motivational Interviewing Techniques and Best Communication Practices, delivered by licensed professionals, instruction on Trauma-Informed Care, Vicarious Trauma, and working with victims of sexual assault and human trafficking. The City of Albuquerque’s Office of Equity and Inclusion provides social justice and racial equity training, and the New Mexico Developmental Disabilities Council gives best practices for engaging with individuals with both visible and non-visible disabilities.
Upon completing the ACS Academy, trainees undergo 240 hours of on-the-job training. Throughout their training, responders learn to navigate complex social dynamics and develop greater empathy, preparing them to make a meaningful and positive impact in the community.
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About Albuquerque Community Safety: ACS is the City of Albuquerque’s third branch of public safety. Responders take calls for service involving behavioral health, substance use, and other non-criminal and non-medical issues. Request an ACS Responder by calling 911 for emergencies and 311 for non-emergencies.