APD’s New Crash Unit Shifts Gears Toward Safer Roads

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October 30, 2023, 11:16 pm , ,

Posted By: ABQ RAW Staff

Posted On: 10/30/2023 @5:00PM

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Albuquerque –

Albuquerque’s Mayor Keller and Police Chief Harold Medina have introduced a new Fatal Crash team, consisting of both civilian and sworn investigators, to enhance road safety. This team speeds up crash investigations, enabling sworn traffic officers to focus on preventing accidents. Since its launch in June, the Traffic Division has carried out 30 operations, resulting in over 2,000 traffic citations. The Albuquerque Police Department has issued more than 17,000 traffic citations since June, almost double the number from the previous year.

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Mayor Tim Keller stressed the importance of this initiative, saying, “We’re using specialized civilians to support police, freeing up sworn officers to enforce road rules, making our streets safer.”

Chief Harold Medina highlighted the need for strong investigations and proactive enforcement to reduce accidents, emphasizing the immediate impact. He appreciated the hard work of the entire Traffic Division.

The Fatal Crash team, consisting of one officer and one civilian investigator, responds to fatal or major injury crashes, allowing field officers to return to service calls more quickly. Other traffic officers not on the fatal crash team can now proactively execute traffic plans.

Since the fatal crash team has been fully operational on June 22, 2023, the traffic section of APD’s Traffic Division has executed 30 traffic enforcement tactical plans, resulting in 2,009 citations and the DWI section of the Division has executed the following:

  • 4 traffic enforcement tac plans
  • 381 citations
  • 3 DWI arrests
  • 3 felony arrests
  • 22 street racing operations
  • 376 citations
  • 44 calls for service
  • 19 vehicles spiked
  • 13 vehicles towed
  • 1 DWI arrest
  • 2 arrests

From June to October of 2022, 9,357 citations were issued. This year from June to October, 17,376 citations have been issued.

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