Crackdown aimed at probation violators

Governor says 25 of 50 targets caught

About five people in handcuffs were loaded into a prisoner transport vehicle on the grounds of Expo New Mexico on Tuesday evening, and Gov. Susana Martinez told reporters they represented just a fraction of the violent convicts who are being tracked by authorities as part of “Operation Spearpoint.”

Martinez said local and federal authorities have worked to identify 50 people who have been convicted of a violent crime and are now wanted for violating the terms of their probation or parole.

The Albuquerque Police Department, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service and New Mexico State Police are now tracking the people down to make arrests, she said.

Since the operation got underway July 31, Martinez said 25 of the 50 people on that list have been arrested.

“They are causing havoc in the community, and we want the community to feel safe,” Martinez said. “I want the message to these individuals to know, you won’t know when we are coming. But we are coming. And we are going to find a cell for you at the county jail.”

Martinez and law enforcement officials didn’t identify any of the men and women who are being targeted as part of the operation, including those who were hauled off to jail in front of the media.

They also didn’t say where the individuals originally committed the crimes that landed them on probation or parole in the first place.

Martinez said the suspects all had some sort of violent crime conviction, such as for domestic violence or armed robbery, and then violated their probation or parole in some way.

Albuquerque Police Chief Gorden Eden said a crackdown on probation and parole violators could ultimately reduce violent crime in Albuquerque, as suspects in violent crimes often have multiple felony warrants and arrests, he said.

“Some people might say, ‘Well, they were on probation for this (type of) crime.’ It doesn’t matter. They are fleeing from justice,” Eden said. “They demonstrated they can’t comply with a lawful order from a judge.”

THEY ARE CAUSING HAVOC IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO FEEL SAFE. I WANT THE MESSAGE TO THESE INDIVIDUALS TO KNOW, YOU WON’T KNOW WHEN WE ARE COMING. BUT WE ARE COMING. AND WE ARE GOING TO FIND A CELL FOR YOU AT THE COUNTY JAIL. GOV. SUSANA MARTINEZ