City launches domestic violence training program for employees

Albuquerque Police Department instructor Julie Jaramillo said she was 18 years old when she was in an abusive relationship.

Her boyfriend not only hit her, but once held a gun to her side while trying to drive them both off the road, she said in a YouTube video.

Jaramillo eventually got out of the relationship, but “to this day, I wish I could take that pain away from her, my dad, my brother, my family and the friends that helplessly watched me deteriorate literally one punch at a time,” she said.

On Tuesday, she spoke at the city of Albuquerque’s launch of S.A.F.E. (Support, Awareness, Freedom and Empowerment) At Work, a citywide domestic violence awareness campaign requiring city employees to get trained in the matter.

“Every one of us has an opportunity to lighten some of that load for these victims,” Jaramillo said during Tuesday’s news conference in the Albuquerque Family Advocacy Center. “For many, their guilt and embarrassment are enough to silence them.”

One in four people are affected by domestic violence, Mayor Tim Keller said. In 2024, there were close to 17,000 calls related to domestic violence, according to police.

“So, the question is, ‘Where is the safest place for people to get help, to report what’s happening, to share their stories?’ And we know there are certainly places like the Family Advocacy Center, but where else can they do that without fear of retribution?” Keller said.

The initiative is designed to offer resources, education and support to potential victims, APD spokesperson Franchesca Perdue said in a news release. It’s a way to challenge the domestic violence stigma, this notion that somehow people feel guilty when it happens to them, or they feel guilty about talking about it, Keller said.

“One of the things we can do socially at work is reverse that and make sure that it’s OK to talk about that and that it is never your fault,” he said.

As part of the S.A.F.E. initiative, the city will not only raise awareness about domestic violence, the mayor said, but also require its estimated 7,000 employees to get training on “what to do if you know someone who is experiencing that, what to do if it’s happening to you.”

In addition to victim resources, the campaign includes stress and anger management support through the city’s employee assistance program, targeting intervention for those who may be at risk.

Domestic violence “can have different looks to them,” APD Deputy Chief George Vega said.

“They’re not always the traditional romantic relationships that we’ve seen in the past,” he said. “... And I think it’s important to consider the many shapes that domestic violence can take on, and that we adjust our resources and adjust our look on how we’re approaching these instances, and that’s why we’re coming forward with this campaign.”