Albuquerque City Councilor Nichole Rogers is demanding answers after learning that Jayvon Givan’s family wasn’t told of his death for more than a year, even though police ruled it a suicide. Givan, a 28-year-old homeless Black man from Kansas City, Missouri, was found dead Sept. 17, 2024 outside a Westside business closed for renovations. His […]
Category: Courts, Justice & Safety
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Community questions prompt APD to revisit investigation into Black teen found hanging last year
Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina announced Tuesday that his department will seek an outside review of APD’s investigation into the death of Jayvon Givan, a young Black man found hanging from a chain outside a closed business a year ago on Albuquerque’s Westside. Social media posts — many incorrectly claiming Givan was found hanging from […]
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Albuquerque opens New Mexico’s first Trauma Recovery Center
Albuquerque opened New Mexico’s first Trauma Recovery Center on Sunday, creating a centralized hub for violence intervention and trauma-informed services that city officials say represents a new approach to public safety. The facility, operated by the city’s Albuquerque Community Safety Department, serves as headquarters for the Violence Intervention Program division and offers services including peer […]
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Albuquerque police drone program draws privacy concerns after reporting four arrests in first month
The Albuquerque Police Department’s new drone surveillance program has assisted in four arrests during its first month of operation, but civil liberties advocates are raising concerns about privacy protections and community input in the program’s deployment. The program, which launched in August, has conducted more than 200 flights using drones housed in strategically placed “hives” […]
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Federal judge orders DACA recipient detained by ICE released from New Mexico detention center
A federal judge has ruled that a DACA recipient whose detention has been challenged in court must be released from custody. Late Wednesday, U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson of the U.S. District Court of New Mexico granted a petition for a writ of habeas corpus directing the federal government to immediately release 28-year-old Paulo […]
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State Rep. Eleanor Chávez: “I’m gonna call it what it is… ICE is acting like the KKK”
A New Mexico state representative didn’t mince words when a state legislative committee overseeing courts and justice policy opened the floor for remarks on Wednesday. During the two-day meeting of the legislature’s Court, Corrections and Justice Committee State Representative Eleanor Chávez, a Democrat from Bernalillo County’s South Valley, recalled stories the committee had been told […]
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Albuquerque mayoral candidate charged for inappropriate touching of former campaign staffer
An Albuquerque police officer investigating an incident between mayoral candidate Daniel Chavez and his former staffer found probable cause to charge him with battery, according to court documents filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court and obtained by City Desk ABQ. The criminal complaint, filed in July, alleges that Daniel Chavez inappropriately touched a person without […]
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Bernalillo County to offer free overdose response training Wednesday
Bernalillo County will host a free overdose recognition and response training this week as part of ongoing efforts to address the community’s drug overdose crisis. The Behavioral Health Education and Awareness Council will conduct the training Wednesday, Sept. 24, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the CARE Campus, 5901 Zuni Rd. SE. The session […]
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Española police chief addresses unease over National Guard deployment
New Mexico National Guard troops could soon be deployed to Española and Rio Arriba County to address a surge in crime and public safety concerns. Española Police Chief Mizel Garcia told members of the Courts, Corrections, and Justice Committee of the New Mexico Legislature that his department and the New Mexico National Guard have been […]
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Albuquerque police deploy drone program, report four arrests in first month
The Albuquerque Police Department has officially launched a drone program that has already assisted in four arrests and conducted more than 200 flights in its first month of operation, city officials announced Thursday. The program, which began in August, features drones housed in strategically placed “hives” on rooftops and city facilities throughout Albuquerque that can […]