Hello Neighbors!
Recently, the APD hosted a Neighborhood Watch Block Captains Conference. Our very own Lucille Long, who has served on your Board and supported our community for many years, attended the event.
She was kind enough to provide a summary for all of us to review — it’s full of great information! We truly appreciate her dedication and effort in sharing these insights.
Thank you, Lucille!
Staffing & Communication:
APD currently has 896 officers. They’ve upgraded their radio system for seamless communication across city, county, and state law enforcement agencies.
Technology Improvements:
Automated License Readers: Every patrol car now has a reader that detects stolen vehicles using a “Hot List.” These solar-powered readers—developed with Sandia National Labs using “Genetech Cloud Runners” algorithms—are installed on freeway light poles.
Drones: The city purchased 8 drones for incident response. For privacy reasons, cameras are fixed on the horizon and record only at the site. All flights are FAA-logged.
Data Ownership: APD now owns all collected data to prevent third-party sales.
Noise Cameras: A pilot program is testing cameras to reduce noisy vehicles.
NESS System: A new record management system, E-Trace, manages crime data statewide.
Response Times: Improved, though still limited by staffing. Police Service Assistants (PSAs) now handle non-urgent calls like accidents and property loss.
Crime Trends:
Homicides: Down by about 20 cases from last year.
Auto Theft: Includes stolen scooters, inflating insurance rates—residents are encouraged to contact legislators to address this.
ICE Cooperation: APD does not work with ICE unless there’s a clear public safety threat (e.g., violent or drug-related crimes).
Scam Statistics:
206 million fraud reports nationwide.
$12.5 billion in losses (~$1,500 average per victim).
$1.9 billion in losses tied to social media, especially among younger users.
Email fraud remains the most common scam vector.
Recommendation: Use Guardio Browser Protection for cybersecurity.
Lucy encourages neighbors to:
Stay alert and kind.
Celebrate neighborhood diversity and unity.
Participate in the annual Luminarias event on December 24 to honor community spirit and New Mexico traditions.