OPINION: Pizza, Public Safety, and a Path Forward

My career has always revolved around pizza. For decades, I’ve obsessed over the details that make Dion’s special — perfecting our dough, ensuring every pizza has the right number of pepperonis, and training our teams to deliver exceptional service. As CEO, my focus has been on food quality, the customer experience, and developing young leaders.

Then the pandemic happened. Like many businesses, we adapted to new challenges, hoping to return to normal. Instead, a troubling reality emerged in New Mexico — one I could not ignore.

In recent years, we’ve seen a rise in loitering and more serious criminal activity at our restaurants. Where we once experienced one or two major incidents a year, we now face multiple occurrences each week, including drug use in restrooms, unhoused individuals setting fires in doorways, aggressive panhandling, stolen copper wire and intentional property damage.

We’ve partnered with law enforcement, but despite their best efforts, they lack the resources to provide adequate support. To keep our employees and customers safe, we’ve had to hire private security at locations facing the most significant challenges, something we never needed but now see as non-negotiable.

The impact of these daily challenges is both psychological and financial. Our employees and customers deserve to feel safe in our restaurants and parking lots, but too often they’re distracted by safety concerns. Meanwhile, the financial burden is growing. In 2019, we spent roughly $150,000 per year on security costs. In 2025, that number will be over $600,000, a 400% increase. These costs take money away from reinvesting in our business, our employees and the community we serve.

Public safety is not my area of expertise, but I’ve made it my business to learn. I’ve listened to experts, engaged with officials and kept an open mind. What is clear to me is that the crisis demands a multifaceted approach.

This legislative session is a pivotal moment for addressing public safety in New Mexico. Lawmakers must adopt a “yes, and” mindset. We need enforcement and increased access to mental health and recovery programs. It’s not one or the other — it’s both.

Enforcement is critical. Many offenders are not being arrested or held accountable for their crimes. Cases, ranging from theft to violent acts, often go unresolved. When arrests do happen, offenders are quickly released, returning to commit new crimes within days.

Through conversations with officials and legal research, I’ve learned many of these individuals struggle with mental health issues or substance abuse. Often, they’re deemed incompetent to stand trial, and without proper treatment facilities, are released to reoffend. This cycle benefits no one. It endangers the public while failing to address the root causes of crime.

This is where the “and” comes in. We must enforce laws and provide resources to treat addiction and mental health disorders.

With nearly a $900 million surplus, the state has the means to act. I support legislation to improve public safety, including:

• Requiring pretrial detention for individuals arrested for violent crimes.
• Reforming competency and commitment laws to ensure individuals receive care.
• Strengthening accountability measures for repeat offenders.
• Increasing funding and access for mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities.
• Establishing a temporary public safety vendor rebate program to offset rising security costs for businesses.

Public safety isn’t just a government issue — it’s a community issue. I urge lawmakers to act with urgency and thoughtfulness, creating policies that address both enforcement and root causes. Together, we can make New Mexico safer for everyone.

Mark Herman is CEO of Dion’s Pizza.