City of Albuquerque Announces State Public Safety Assistance
The City of Albuquerque has announced a pilot collaboration with the State National Guard, aimed at freeing up local public safety resources. This initiative has been in development for several months as part of the city’s effort to ‘civilianize’ non law enforcement aspects of APD and free up officers to focus on fighting crime, similar to the increased use of Public Service Aides (PSAs) and Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) responders.
The New Mexico National Guard offered to help, so APD requested civilian, “PSA-like” support to help maintain momentum in the fight against crime as it prepares for the seasonal uptick in activity. This effort also includes humanitarian aid to address the opioid crisis in New Mexico. Depending on funding at risk from federal cuts and the City Council budget, similar resources maybe called upon in the future. Around 60 to 70 National Guard personnel will be deployed to Albuquerque starting in mid-May.
The New Mexico National Guard (NMNG) will assist with a variety of tasks including facility security, traffic control, humanitarian efforts, hospital duty, and support for the Prisoner Transport Unit. Guardsmen will be easily identifiable by their polo shirts, not fatigues, will be unarmed, and will not be involved in community interaction or use military vehicles. This pilot program is designed to evaluate whether the National Guard's support enhances our crime-fighting efforts. If it is not helpful, they will be reassigned. APD has assigned a Special Acting Major, Luke Languit, to be responsible for managing the collaboration.
“We’re finally seeing a sustained positive shift in most crime trends for the first time in decades, and now is the time to build on that momentum. We appreciate the Governor and National Guard's offer to help,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “Given fiscal uncertainty from possible federal cuts to law enforcement, and local government challenges around the opioid funding, we will continue to push for every available resource for Albuquerque. This type of civilian support has worked in other cities, and if it proves effective here, we’ll continue it—if not, we’ll send them back.”
Chief of Police Harold Medina also voiced support for the collaboration, emphasizing the importance of additional resources to sustain APD’s progress. “This partnership with the National Guard will allow our officers to focus on what matters most, fighting crime and keeping our community safe. Their support in areas like scene security and prisoner transport, facility security will help our officers respond quicker to critical incidents and build on the progress we’ve made.”
The following areas will benefit from NMNG assistance:
Scene Security and Traffic Control at Critical Incidents: Providing security and managing traffic at crime scenes, accident sites, and other critical locations.
Medical Assistance and Humanitarian Efforts: Guardsmen can distribute food, water, report problems and essential supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness and vulnerable populations.
Prisoner Transport Unit (PTU): The PTU manages the detention and transport of individuals arrested by APD and surrounding jurisdictions. NMNG personnel could assist in intake and transport processes to the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), allowing PTU personnel to deploy mobile transport units and retrieve prisoners directly from officers.
Transit Security: NMNG personnel would significantly bolster transit security, increasing visibility and deterring criminal activity.
Metro Court Security: NMNG support would supplement non-sworn personnel, enabling sworn officers to focus on patrol duties.
Aviation: NMNG personnel could support airport security by monitoring restricted areas, securing perimeters, and assisting with non-critical patrol functions. Their immediate deployment would enhance public safety and reduce resource strain.