County Commission Dist. 5 GOP candidates

What is the top priority in your district and how would you address it as a county commissioner? EUSTICE: Crime is the top priority and the solution is through our law enforcement and behavioral health programs. YEVOLI: My top priority in the county is crime prevention, which is bleeding from the city into unincorporated Bernalillo County. We need more deputy sheriffs on the streets with ongoing support from the county commission. YOUNG: Push back hard on crime by: 1. Supporting all law enforcement fully. 2. Engaging all law enforcement to work cooperatively. 3. Ending drug and criminal sanctuary status by implementing tough Metropolitan Detention Center policy. 4. Implementing policy to protect the lawful and imposing consequences for the unlawful.

What specific strategies do you have for reducing homelessness? EUSTICE: Integrating specialized law enforcement officers with behavioral health officers to help get our homeless outreach in the community, adopting ordinances that worked in other similar sized metro areas. YEVOLI: A. The county needs to work together to tackle mental health needs through a team approach of consensus with city councilors, the mayor, legislators and county commissioners; and B. Jobs and benefits need to be addressed to help transition homeless people off the streets into productive engagement in society. YOUNG: Care for the homeless, while protecting neighborhood integrity. Triage the homeless and deal with each category accordingly: 1. Criminals hiding in plain sight. 2. Mentally ill; 3. Substance addicted; 4. Criminally mentally ill; 5. Situational (the only category that is truly homeless by definition); 6. Dual diagnosis (mentally ill and self-medicating through substance abuse).