New N.M. Police Station Opens as Murders Spike in City's Downtown

The city opened its Downtown Public Safety Center — a new police station — on Tuesday and boosted officers to create more of a presence in an area recently beset by a rise in violent crime.

A news release from the city said Albuquerque Police Department officers will be operating out of the new location on Fourth and Central "in the heart of Downtown."

The Public Safety Center is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed from noon to 1 p.m. for lunch, according to the release. The department has also added "additional manpower" in the area, from 11 to 13 officers.

Historically, Downtown officers were stationed at the Alvarado Transportation Center at First and Central, "with only moderate proximity" to the area they serve.

The opening comes as APD has seen an increase in homicides in the Downtown area.

There were eight homicides within a block of Central between First and Eighth in 2021 and 2022, according to Journal records. Before that, there had been three in the same area since 2018.

Police Chief Harold Medina said having a presence in the area has been a priority for the department and "will not only deter crime, but it will make the public feel safer when they come to enjoy the area."

"This is a much more centralized and welcoming location for our community to come in and speak with officers, and even file reports," he said in a statement.

While the public is encouraged to file most police reports online, according to the release, staff at the center will be available to assist with filing reports and give guidance on phone reporting.

The release states that the new center is "one piece in a set of initiatives and investments to make concrete Downtown safety improvements." Those other pieces include APD's now-operational Targeted Enforcement and Active Monitoring — a partnership between the department and local businesses — and new street and alleyway lighting, cameras and lowered speed limits in the area.

"We are investing in the heart of our city and putting the public safety resources in place to allow our Downtown to thrive," Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. "This is about listening to business owners and residents; we are taking many steps to fight and prevent crime, and bring in economic growth to this historic heart of our city."

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