Gov. slams Albuquerque leaders over results of National Guard help; police say crime fell during deployment 

Six months and $7 million later, the New Mexico National Guard is leaving its "emergency" deployment with the Albuquerque Police Department as city and state officials spar over whether the mission was a success.

The departure of the National Guard, which performed non-law enforcement duties like holding perimeters to assist police, came without fanfare this week and after several months of sharp criticism behind the scenes from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration.

The governor in April agreed to authorize the deployment "in response to ongoing public safety challenges in the city, particularly along the Central Avenue corridor and other specific areas," according to her April 8 order, which was reportedly prompted at the request of APD Chief Harold Medina.

"... The emergency request from APD cites the fentanyl epidemic and rising violent juvenile crime as critical issues requiring immediate intervention. Additional support is needed to maintain momentum in addressing these challenges."

Up to 125 National Guard personnel worked with the APD since June, the $7 million cost of their deployment footed by the state. The operation made national headlines, in part as a contrast to the Trump administration's controversial decision to send uniformed National Guard troops and other federal officers to certain U.S. cities to fight crime.

"Albuquerque residents did not want a militarized presence of National Guard making arrests in the community. We utilized Guard members in a way that freed up APD officers to do proactive policing and continue the decrease in violent crime," said APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos on Friday evening.

He emailed percentages that detailed drops in various crime categories along the Central corridor, and an increase in arrests, from June to September during the deployment.

On Friday, Lujan Grisham's office in response to Journal questions praised the members of the National Guard "who answered the call." 

"But she is disappointed that the mission did not achieve a sustained decrease in crime. This is partially due to lax engagement by local partners and also because New Mexico's criminal justice system too often allows serious offenders back on the streets within days or even hours of an arrest," according to the statement. "The mission could have been more successful if the Keller Administration had engaged in strategy development and shown more initiative in maximizing the governor's deployment of National Guard resources in the community."

A spokesperson for the Governor's Office, referring to a separate state emergency declaration deploying the National Guard to Española, said that mission "is having more success because of intensive collaboration and coordination between local elected officials and law enforcement agencies to capitalize on the deployment." 

Medina said last week that the city thanked the governor for her assistance and added that the issues that led to the National Guard deployment are complex. 

"But did it make Central look better? No, it looks the same. We own that. We know that. But can anybody say it's a lack of effort of law enforcement? Nobody," Medina said.

Medina, in a Dec. 17 letter to National Guard Maj. Gen. Miguel Aguilar, said since the arrival of the National Guard members, "crime has continued to go down significantly, making our community safer." He wrote, "APD, with the National Guard assistance, has been able to divert arrestees from jail to treatment, reducing the administrative strain on APD's resources."

Months earlier, state Development of Workforce Solutions Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair had sent a blistering email to Mayor Tim Keller and city Chief Administrative Officer Samantha Sengel regarding the city's use of the guardsmen.

Nair, who decried the lack of data from APD about the National Guard impact on crime, wrote in the Oct. 10 email obtained by the Journal, "We have no reports on whether the streets are cleaner or safer, or if 311 calls have abated." 

Nair wrote that, without any data, "the State must rely on its own observations."

"Our team regularly travels through the International District. There is not a single street in the focus area that does not have an encampment or hub of illicit activity, as well as litter and other blight," the letter stated. "We have witnessed police cars drive past women who were passed out in the street. We have seen no increased outreach or an additional presence of proactive policing. Adding our personnel to 'business as usual' was never the idea of the National Guard deployment. But without City leadership, nothing more has happened."

Nair wrote, "We are deeply concerned that International District residents will never get the safe streets they deserve if the City cannot address the problems in one quarter of one square mile, even with the investment of significant State resources. The City has simply been unable to articulate a vision for the resources it requested or to implement its side of the operation."

Medina wrote in his letter to the Guard that, while the issues related to drug addiction and the unhoused persist in the Central Avenue corridor, federal drug enforcement is needed to address drug trafficking. Medina also called for the Legislature to build on the governor's efforts to invest in drug and alcohol treatment options.

He added that he didn't see a need for continued deployment, but hoped the National Guard would help the city with humanitarian aid and shelter for the unhoused.

Gallegos, the APD spokesperson, responded to the criticisms late Friday by sending the Journal percentages showing that from June 1 through Dec. 15, 2025, there were 46% fewer homicides in the Southeast Area Command, compared to the same period in 2024.

As far as the deployment in June through September, Gallegos reported a:

• 29% increase in felony arrests

• 39% increase in misdemeanor arrests

• 5% decrease in property crimes within the Central Corridor

• 10% decrease in robbery within the Central Corridor

• 4% decrease in aggravated assaults in the Central Corridor

In her emergency order in April, the governor wrote that the safety of New Mexicans was her top priority.

“By deploying our National Guard to support APD with essential duties, we’re ensuring that trained police officers can focus on what they do best – keeping our communities safe. This partnership represents our commitment to addressing the fentanyl crisis and juvenile crime with every resource at our disposal.”

National Guard personnel weren't armed or in uniform, but wore black polo shirts and brown pants and carried pepper spray. They were deployed to help with crime scene security and traffic control at critical incidents; medical assistance and humanitarian efforts along Central Avenue; increased transit security; and security at Metro Court and the Sunport.

The members also provided support to the APD's drone program.

Nair, who was Keller's chief administrative officer during his first term from 2017 to early 2022, wrote after undergoing training for the assignment, National Guard personnel began work on June 1.

"Since that time, the National Guard has deployed significant resources, the State Police have engaged in stepped-up enforcement, and members of the Governor’s senior staff have personally engaged to try to make the operation a success."

But she added, "Early on, through reports provided by the City, the State learned that, despite some positive movement, the overall impact of the operation did not reflect the substantial investment of State resources."

She referenced a meeting in July during which state officials sought to "discuss the City's lack of commitment to the National Guard deployment" and said Keller didn't show up.

"Despite Mayor Keller’s unexpected absence, the meeting was productive, and our respective teams left with a renewed dedication to the mission. We agreed that a more proactive presence in the streets of the International District was paramount, whether that be through law enforcement or other personnel. The City reiterated its desire to take the lead on planning and requesting resources. Once again, this did not result in better outcomes," she wrote.

At a follow-up meeting in September, state officials met with Medina and CAO Sengel, "to discuss the lack of progress in improving the emergency conditions, particularly in the International District. The State proposed a plan to focus efforts in a more defined geographic region."

The city and state agreed to focus on the area bounded by Louisiana on the west, Pennsylvania on the east, Zuni on the south, and Chico on the north, she stated. The proposed plan was to "saturate the small area in resources, outreach, and services, freeing up law enforcement to do their jobs. The City agreed and stated that it had already begun to use this approach. "

"The City stated that it already planned to have resource tents at the International District Library to provide resources to people experiencing homelessness. The group agreed that after the crime, litter, encampments, and other illicit activities were addressed in this small area, we could gradually expand the footprint of the operation," Nair wrote.

During the recent mayoral election campaign, Keller's challenger, Darren White, often  lobbed criticism at the city's management of the homeless crisis and promised to clear encampments as the top priority. White, a Republican, lost to Keller, who was elected to a third term earlier this month and like Lujan Grisham, is a Democrat.

Medina told the Journal that arresting unhoused individuals isn't a panacea, especially given that not every unhoused person "needs to be in jail." 

"Where they need to be is in treatment. Jail isn't going to kick the problem. And sentences for criminal trespassing and other related misdemeanors last an average 1.4 days and then the individual is released," he said.