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ABQ and Bernalillo County officials hold roundtable discussion with Senator Lujan

Senator Ben Ray Lujan met with both city and county officials on Monday to discuss investments made towards public safety
Gino Gutierrez
/
KSFR News
Senator Ben Ray Lujan met with both city and county officials on Monday to discuss investments made towards public safety

Senator Ben Ray Lujan was in Albuquerque on Tuesday to hold a roundtable discussion with representatives from both the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County.

Among these representatives were members of Mayor Tim Keller’s office, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department, the Albuquerque Police Department and Bernalillo County Health Services.

The purpose of the roundtable was to highlight investments made possible through funding both Lujan and New Mexico’s Congressional Delegation secured last year.

This funding went towards smart camera technologies in Albuquerque, the violence intervention program, the Albuquerque Community Safety Department and the Bernalillo County’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program.

Even with all these programs funded and in place, law enforcement officials say there’s still room for both growth and improvement. An example of that would be expanding the shotspotter system to areas outside of Albuquerque.

This system is a gunshot detection software that allows law enforcement agencies to pinpoint locations where guns have been fired. Members of the Albuquerque Police Department at the roundtable said this technology has been invaluable to their investigations.

Major Hollie Anderson, who retired from the Albuquerque Police Department prior to joining the Sheriff’s office said technology like shotspotter will help the department grow and make the county safer.

BCSO Major Hollie Anderson at Monday's roundtable
Gino Gutierrez
/
KSFR News
BCSO Major Hollie Anderson at Monday's roundtable

“Being able to bring (shotspotter) into the unincorporated areas of Bernalillo County, it can only expand what they’ve already built. If we can add to that with manpower and will technologies and funding and then the resources, we absolutely want to be a part of it.”

At the end of the meeting, Senator Lujan thanked the law enforcement officials gathered for their hard work and the example they set forth that makes a difference everyday.

Senator Ben Ray Lujan listens as APD officials explain how the funding secured by the the Congressional Delegation have made improvements in Albuquerque's public safety
Gino Gutierrez
/
KSFR News
Senator Ben Ray Lujan listens as APD officials explain how the funding secured by the the Congressional Delegation have made improvements in Albuquerque's public safety

“Thank you for what you do everyday. However we can learn from each other, however I can learn for you and work with you, there’s so much more than we want to get done. I hope to continue to learn from each and every one of you, expertise in those areas and to see what we can do legislatively across the country for the safety of our communties.”