Bleeding slows; NM must keep up pressure on crime

For the first time in a long time, crime is on a downward trajectory in New Mexico’s largest city.

And it’s down, in part, because Second Judicial District Attorney Raúl Torrez and the Albuquerque Police Department’s new leadership have determined the good guys need to work smarter, not just harder, when it comes to fighting crime. APD has doubled down on constitutional community policing, and Torrez has embraced the data analytics being run under former Mayor Richard Berry that show a core group of individuals have been responsible for much of the mayhem in Albuquerque. The 2018 Legislature appropriated a generous, albeit one-time, $4.3 million from its $6.3 billion state budget spending plan to advance Torrez’s efforts. Torrez then re-deployed his still limited forces to charge and prosecute the so-called worst of the worst with the intent of getting the most bang for every taxpayer buck. And he began building his own data-crunching team to capitalize on the positive momentum.

Just months later, the number of crimes reported is down by around 1,000 a month; automobile burglary and robberies are down 31 percent for the first half of 2018 compared to the first half of 2017; auto theft and commercial burglaries are down 16 percent compared to the same time period. Compare that to the 26 percent increase in violent and property crime from 2014-’16. And while homicides remain up — 18 percent in the first half of 2018 compared with ’17 — the metro area appears to be becoming a safer place. And that needs to continue. In addition to the data-driven approach that focuses on repeat and multiple offenders, Torrez’s office is following through on those cases and sending a loud-and-clear message that crime doesn’t pay. His office found the same 111 people had committed about 800 felonies; 76 percent have been sentenced or are pending sentencing and the remainder are still being prosecuted. And now his prosecutors start cases in court in fewer than 20 days (in 2015-’16 it would take longer than 100 days).