Governors have the authority to call out their state’s National Guard when they believe it’s necessary. (So does the president.) Oftentimes, Guard members are used to help keep order and assist after a natural disaster. Other times, they’re used when there’s a serious threat to public safety – for example, during riots or spikes in criminal activity.
This month, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham cited a significant rise in crime when ordering at least 60 New Mexico National Guard troops to the Albuquerque area beginning around the middle of May. They’ve already begun training for this deployment.
Albuquerque’s police chief requested the National Guard support, citing an increase in violent crime among juveniles as well as the fentanyl epidemic. However, he and the city’s mayor have also noted that the crime rate has been dropping for violent crimes like aggravated assault and homicide.
Local officials say that members of the National Guard will be handling duties police officers normally have (like directing traffic, transporting prisoners and public service activities) while those officers focus on crime. They say they aren’t being used as a show of force.
Civil rights advocates have concerns
Nonetheless, there are concerns that having National Guard troops in the area could still increase civil rights violations by law enforcement. An official with the ACLU of New Mexico said, “New Mexico already has one of the highest per capita rates of people killed by police in the nation. History has shown that military collaboration with local law enforcement often leads to increased civil rights violations, racial profiling, and criminalization of vulnerable populations….”
There’s no question that crime is a problem in the Albuquerque area and in other parts of New Mexico. There’s also no doubt that, regardless of the duties they’re tasked with performing, more law enforcement officers can mean more civil rights abuses. As such, it’s important to know your legal rights and to be able to effectively protect and assert them. Experienced legal guidance can make a big difference.