Haaland outlines public safety plans

Compassion, a behavioral health department that mimics Albuquerque Community Safety and a total overhaul of the Children, Youth and Families Department.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland said those, among other initiatives, are at the forefront of her public safety plans if she were elected governor.

Haaland stood outside of Redlands Park on a sunny Thursday afternoon to discuss how she plans to address public safety.

Directly behind her was Desert Hills of New Mexico, a former juvenile behavioral health treatment center that was shut down in 2019 following allegations of abuse, neglect and safety violations.

“This plan is not a one-size-fits-all agenda,” Haaland said. “It recognizes the complexities of the issues and the geography of our state.”

Beside her stood former state Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, former New Mexico State Police Chief Pete Kassetas and Executive Director of New Mexico Solutions David Ley, who all voiced support for her plans and said she was not only flexible, but devoted to bettering safety across the state.

Haaland, former U.S. secretary of Interior and a former congresswoman, said she plans to address crime in New Mexico with a blend of preventive measures — including an increase in behavioral health resources and investing more into treatment centers — while also focusing on the fentanyl epidemic.

Her two most significant announcements, however, were that if elected governor, she intended to overhaul CYFD immediately, and establish a behavioral health department similar to the Albuquerque Community Safety department.

“On day one, I will appoint a qualified secretary and direct them to take drastic measures to increase staff, rebuild partnerships, standardize foster recruitment and certification,” Haaland said. “All with the end goal of creating an independent commission to bring the consistency that our children deserve.”

She spoke of the issues afflicting CYFD, including foster programs that were “broken” and child welfare offices that were not equipped to handle the ever-growing caseloads they receive. 

“The Children Youth and Families Department is not protecting children like it was designed to do,” Haaland said. “The department is understaffed and overworked.”

When asked if she would support an increase in penalties for juvenile offenders by expanding the definition of a serious youth offender, Haaland said she would rather focus on providing a better path forward through behavioral health programs. Haaland pointed to her education and affordability plans as additional routes to brighter futures for juveniles. 

“We can't arrest our way out of this problem,” she said. “We need to make sure our children have opportunities, that they have care and that the community is supporting them in every way.”

As for her proposed behavioral health plan, Haaland said she would create the country’s first state-level Office of Community Safety.

“Like the Albuquerque model, the state will deploy and coordinate social workers, counselors and behavioral health professionals to respond to calls that aren't crimes so police can focus on traditional police work,” she said. “Being homeless isn’t a crime. Being in a mental health crisis is not a crime.”

Haaland also said that if elected governor, she would try to ban Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from wearing masks on the job and restrict ICE from operating near schools, churches, government buildings and any significant cultural sites. 

"We need leaders who will stand up to the cruelty that ICE has tearing families apart and taking away resources from local law enforcement,” she said.

Additionally, Haaland said that she would seek a law prohibiting the National Guard from being deployed into New Mexico unless she approved of the move. 

She voiced support for the state’s Epstein truth-finding commission, a newly formed legislative subcommittee tasked with investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s actions in New Mexico and said she would fight against President Donald Trump’s administration.

“And when I'm governor, no one will be above the law, including a president, the rich, the powerful; they will not be exempt,” Haaland said. “Any person who was harmed will see justice.”

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.