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ALBUQUERQUE – The Albuquerque House of Representatives has released a proposed comprehensive package of crime laws to tackle growing crime in the city and state.
The 17 members urge their legislative peers to support the package, which provides both immediate and long-term solutions to keep criminals off the streets, increase law enforcement recruitment and retention, reform pre-trial detention and oversight, and the Continue investing in families and communities to stop crime at its roots.
“This is a comprehensive deck crime-fighting package to reduce the worrying levels of violent crime that plague our streets,” said Moe Maestas MP, who represents Albuquerque’s west side. “We know from decades of tried and tested and failed policies led by both parties that this problem is bigger than bumper sticker solutions or simply adding longer penalties. We need to address the crime crisis on multiple levels, from our courts and law enforcement agencies to policies that have been successful in rehabilitation and preventing New Mexicans from becoming criminals in the first place. “
The Albuquerque House of Representatives Democratic representatives campaigning for this package include Majority Floor Chairperson Rep. Javier Martínez, Chairperson of the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Gail Chasey, Rep. Elizabeth “Liz” Thomson, Rep. Moe Maestas, Rep. Dayan Hochman Vigil, Rep. Daymon Ely, Rep. Meredith Dixon, Rep. Joy Garratt, Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, Rep. Pamelya Herndon, Rep. Brittney Barreras, Rep. Deborah Armstrong, Rep. Debbie Sarinana, Rep. Christine Trujillo, Rep. Andres Romero, Rep. Natalie Figueroa, Rep. Georgene Louis, and Rep. Marian Matthews.
The legislation within the package includes:
REDUCING ARMS VIOLENCE
- Protect our children by punishing those who do not store firearms safely or who fail to prevent children from easily accessing firearms.
- Cut down on high capacity magazines that injured four APD law enforcement officers in August.
- Establishment of the Office for the Prevention of Armed Violence.
INVESTMENT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Providing law enforcement hiring and retention guidelines, competitive salaries and bonuses.
- Use penalties for filing false reports about a police officer.
PREVENTION
- Fund the crime-fighting grant program for local communities.
- Increase in behavioral medicine workforce in New Mexico.
- Support the physical and mental wellbeing of young people through expanded community schools and school health centers.
- Increase measures to ensure a safe community environment, such as street lights, that have been shown to deter crime.
INTERVENTION
- Establish a nationwide program for the violence intervention program.
- Fund a 24/7 residential teen detox and treatment center, including services for teen sex trafficking survivors.
CHANGES BEFORE THE TRIAL VERSION
- Work with the governor and the courts to strengthen pre-trial detention so dangerous criminals remain incarcerated while they await trial.
- Increase in funding for stronger pre-judicial oversight.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES
- Extending the statute of limitations and increasing penalties for second-degree murder.
- Taking action against those who own or operate an illegal “chop shop” to stop the black market for stolen vehicles.
- Criminalizing property damage through theft of copper, catalytic converters, and other valuable materials.
“This package takes a multi-faceted approach to tackling violent crime in our communities,” said Gail Chasey, chairwoman of the House of Representatives and the House Judiciary Committee. “It shows that while we have increased our investment in long-term solutions such as education, families, and mental and behavioral health, much more needs to be done to combat the violence that is taking place today. This crime-fighting package includes both permanent and immediate solutions at many levels to ensure that our law enforcement agencies, courts, schools and communities work together to make our roads safer. “
LONG TERM GOALS
Over the past three years, the New Mexico House Democrats have made unprecedented and historic investments helping tackle the root causes of crime in our state – from early childhood and K-12 education to rebuilding New’s dismantled behavioral health system Mexico to promoting economic development. As the next step in long-term investment, House Democrats are fighting to continue these tried and tested crime prevention measures by investing in affordable housing to keep families safe and secure.
In addition, House Democrats have heard calls from local law enforcement agencies for more support in the form of grant letters for access to federal funds and greater coordination between district attorneys, police departments and courts to increase the efficiency of the arrest and detention of criminals. The Albuquerque House Democrats will also work with community groups and local leaders to help ensure that behavioral health services and pre-trial surveillance are available 24/7 in their communities.
These long-term investments will help reduce poverty in New Mexico and support families, youth and communities while providing law enforcement with the resources and tools they need to keep our roads safe.
After reaching consensus, these Democratic members of Albuquerque House will work bipartisan with their House and Senate counterparts and urge Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to include these critical points in the call for the upcoming 30-day session.
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