New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency in Albuquerque, mobilizing the National Guard to combat rising juvenile crime and the fentanyl epidemic. Around 60-70 troops will begin operations along the city’s Central Avenue corridor starting mid-May following specialized training.
The emergency declaration follows a March 31 request from Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina, who cited growing concerns about juvenile crime despite recent overall decreases in violent offenses, according to Associated Press.
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Supporting Police Without Direct Enforcement
National Guard troops will not engage in law enforcement activities nor carry weapons. Instead, personnel will wear polo shirts rather than military uniforms while performing support duties that free up sworn officers for crime-fighting operations.
These auxiliary tasks include securing crime scenes, directing traffic, transporting prisoners, providing courthouse security, and operating drones for suspect location, allowing police officers to focus on patrol and enforcement activities.
Recent High-Profile Juvenile Cases
The deployment comes in the wake of several shocking juvenile crime incidents, including a case in March where Albuquerque police arrested a 13-year-old boy for allegedly murdering a bicyclist with a stolen vehicle. Two other minors, aged 11 and 15, were also implicated in the fatal incident, as reported by Fox News…