National Guard quietly “winding down” APD aid this week

Six months after National Guard troops began assisting the Albuquerque Police Department in an unprecedented move, the city confirmed Tuesday the program is winding down this week — though officials never publicly announced the conclusion of the more than $2 million effort.

Asked by City Desk, APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos confirmed in an email late Tuesday afternoon it is his understanding “the National Guard is winding down its duties in Albuquerque this week.” He did not provide specifics on when operations would end or the deployment’s total cost.

The response came after City Desk contacted APD, the governor’s office and the National Guard on Monday seeking confirmation on the deployment’s status.

ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz reported Sunday on “This Week” that the Albuquerque National Guard deployment was “set to expire today,” noting differences between New Mexico’s collaborative approach and President Trump’s federal deployments in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. 

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham authorized the deployment April 7 after APD Chief Harold Medina requested “immediate assistance” in a March 31 letter that cited the fentanyl epidemic and violent juvenile crime. About 60 to 70 National Guard members began field operations in late May under “Operation Zia Shield,” taking on non-law enforcement roles such as scene security, prisoner transport and drone operations.

The executive order sets no fixed end date, stating it “shall remain in effect until all authorized funds are expended or no longer necessary to provide emergency assistance.” However, National Guard Adjutant General Miguel Aguilar said at a May news conference the mission would “likely last around six months,” which would have put an end date in late November or early December.

The initial order authorized $750,000 and declared a state of emergency in Albuquerque. By May, before most guardsmen were visible on the streets, two additional executive orders had pushed total funding above $2.25 million. 

The New York Times reported the operation was expected to cost about $750,000 per month.

Guard members were integrated into city operations with their own radio call signs and badges identifying them as CERT, short for Community Emergency Response Team. 

Twelve were assigned to APD’s Real Time Crime Center, which provides real-time information to officers on high-risk calls, boosting situational awareness and safety for both officers and the public. Other Guard members supported the city’s newly launched drone program, filling roles that would have otherwise required sworn officers. The drone program officially launched in August and has since completed more than 200 flights.

In recent years, the Guard has stepped in during emergencies across New Mexico, including serving as substitute teachers during the 2022 COVID-19 pandemic, when about 73 National Guard members filled in at schools statewide, and responding to wildfires.

Albuquerque has reported notable crime reductions in 2025, with homicides down 33%, robberies down 24% and aggravated assaults down 10% compared to the previous year. APD reported 62 homicides year-to-date through November versus 92 in the same period in 2024. 

APD’s website still lists the National Guard partnership under current programs, saying the department “is currently in a successful partnership with the New Mexico National Guard.” The page does not indicate when it was last updated.

In November, Chief Medina said the National Guard “did a great job in assisting us to clear up officers, I think somewhere near 8,000 hours.” He added the Guard would likely be redeployed to assist other New Mexico cities.

 Gov. Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency in Española and Rio Arriba County in August, authorizing National Guard deployments there as well.

The executive order’s open-ended language means officials must actively decide to end the mission or announce when funds are exhausted, making the lack of public communication a transparency concern for a multi-million-dollar taxpayer expense.

The governor’s office and the New Mexico National Guard had not responded to requests for comment as of press time.

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