Battling ABQ crime

Readers address the subject of crime and how we are choosing to deal with it

Although a recent report in the Albuquerque Journal indicates that local crime appears to be declining (“ABQ crime remains on downward trend,” July 1) our city leaders recognize that crime is still troublesome: “… Mayor Tim Keller and Police Department officials said they know the city still has a significant problem.” Even though crime is declining, we must not rest on our laurels — as concerned citizens, we can remain active in helping local law enforcement officers reduce crime in Albuquerque.

During a recent Albuquerque police department Foothills Area Command neighborhood outreach event, “Coffee with a Cop,” I had the opportunity to speak with APD Lt. Chris Patterson. I asked him, “What can the average citizen do to help police officers?” He responded immediately: “Be a good witness.” I asked him to explain and he said: “It is important that when we conduct a crime investigation, we have as much information as possible; additional details provided by the witness can really help us zero in on the right suspect.”

He went on to explain that when they are trying to identify a suspect from among a group of potential suspects, there may be several people who match an initial description. For example, if they are given a description about the suspect that includes a white shirt and black pants, there may be three people an investigator finds who match that description. But if the description includes a white shirt with a black logo and black pants, that additional detail can help them narrow down the potential suspect pool more quickly.

And since crime investigation is usually limited by time or other constraints, some suspects cannot be pursued for investigation and it is possible that the actual perpetrator can get away. This means that it is very important for APD to obtain a complete and detailed description when a witness is reporting on an investigation. We can really help our APD officers by trying to remember and report as much detail as possible.

Lt. Patterson also suggests that citizens contact their local crime prevention specialist at their local substation who can help them tailor the needs of their community to the various programs the city holds, for example CPTED, or crime prevention through environmental design, which looks at the layout of your local residence and neighborhood for factors that affect crime, such as lighting conditions, shrubbery, location of vehicles and protection measures on houses.

I also spoke with Detective Andrew Jaramillo. He advocates youth crime prevention programs that help police by steering young people in the right direction away from drug use and other crimes so they become responsible adults. These types of programs were more prevalent in the past and should be brought back. To this end, Sgt Jaramillo applauds Mayor Keller’s initiative to keep pools open later in the evening hours for the summer. …

Jaramillo also described communitybased policing and its basic philosophy of empowering police officers to individually address community problems. He emphasized that it is important for citizens to speak with state, city and community leaders, and encourage them to continue to support these kinds of programs that help with crime reduction. Jaramillo also suggested that citizens view the KOMOTV broadcast report “Seattle Is Dying,” which is on Youtube and documents the deterioration of the Emerald City due to poor crime enforcement.

We want to thank our APD officers for meeting with us over coffee and allowing us to become partners with them in keeping our neighborhoods safe. Stop excuses and tackle problems head on

Albuquerque is on overflow with drug trafficking and addiction, violent crimes, problem kids in schools and problem adults in neighborhoods. We rationalize bad behavior by attributing it to a host of social and emotional factors: Poverty, inadequate education, unemployment, bad parenting and untreated mental illness and trauma.

Socioeconomic factors are real, but crime is a selected behavior. Criminal acts are chosen, not forced through circumstances. Our high crime rate doesn’t account for the New Mexicans who experience a wide range of challenges and hardships but never engage in criminal behavior.

Instead of tackling the problem squarely, we blame the guardians and systems that act as barriers to crime. We blame the police for not deterring the criminals we fear; property owners and landlords for not evicting criminal tenants that threaten neighborhoods; human services case workers for ignoring troubled clients who fall through the cracks; and Albuquerque teachers for not offering a quality start for at-risk youth.

Instead of building another prison, courts reduce sentences and release violent offenders with ankle bracelets. While New Mexicans shake their heads and assess the ongoing damage, the criminal element does push-ups, never missing an opportunity to circumvent the law.

We make excuses. We delude ourselves with the romantic version of Albuquerque as an enchanting, special community that outsiders don’t understand. It’s easier to hold that thought looking at a beautiful sunset than to face the harsh realities of embedded cartels, gunshots after dark and crime as a lifestyle. We learn to live in the middle place — between criminals and law-abiding neighbors, counting our blessings when someone else is a victim in another city neighborhood and our family members arrive home safely.

We are endangered every day that criminals have the upper hand. They drain our fiscal resources, goodwill and emotional well-being. They devalue human life and property, making our neighborhoods unsafe. They hold our economy in retrograde motion as businesses that could invest in our communities look elsewhere. Their actions have a continuing ripple effect felt by families, schools, neighborhoods and health care providers.

Albuquerque won’t become safer or more prosperous until we are honest about the problem and commit resources to fixing it. Our police aren’t miracle workers. They’re flesh and blood men and women entrusted to face the dangers we complain about over brunch burritos and coffee.

Since city regulations and state laws are no longer a deterrent to crime, we need to change the laws instead of expecting criminals to respond differently. Modifications must ensure that police, property owners and businesses have increased authority to confront and remove criminals from our communities.

If judges want to placate defense attorneys and felons with reduced sentences, replace them. If we need another prison, build it with ample room. Crime reduction and neighborhood safety should be the top priority of every elected city official. Those without the stamina to deal with city grit, who offer excuses instead of remedies, should be voted out. The consequences of not raising the bar — of drifting, complaining and expecting miracles where there aren’t any — are too great for us and future generations.