Las Cruces debate real-time crime center and park rangers as civil liberties advocates call for limits
April 22, 2024 | Las Cruces, Doña Ana County, New Mexico
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Police Chief Jeremy Story outlined a planned real-time crime center and a companion park-ranger program during the April 22 work session, prompting questions from council members and civil‑liberties groups.
Chief Story presented an itemized estimate for the center’s one-time costs (renovations to intelligence and crime-scene space, infrastructure and equipment) and staffing changes. He listed approximate capital needs of $400,000 (intelligence / lab renovations), $200,000 (construction for the crime-center area), and $500,000 (equipment and installation), and described a staffing plan that reclassifies existing technician positions and adds three additional technicians at 50% for the first year. He emphasized that funding for staffing would come from the general fund.
On park safety, Story proposed three uniformed park-ranger positions described as sworn but non‑commissioned personnel with limited enforcement authority (similar to police service aide roles) to deter wrongdoing and improve park use. He described deployment as a rolling 'hot spot' model and said rangers could be used on parks and some multiuse trails.
Members of the public, including Denali Wilson of the ACLU of New Mexico, urged caution. The ACLU speaker said surveillance technologies can disproportionately affect marginalized communities and called for transparency, defined retention policies and robust auditing and community oversight in any proposal. Chief Story responded that the department plans to limit access, implement auditing procedures and apply retention rules (license-plate reader data retention cited at 30 days and general video at seven days) and noted a planned town-hall discussion and future policy work on data-sharing agreements.
Councilors asked for a future dedicated work session to address retention periods, data-sharing and oversight. No final funding decision on the real-time crime center or park-ranger positions was made at the work session; staff were asked to return with more detailed policy proposals and budgets ahead of adoption.
Chief Story presented an itemized estimate for the center’s one-time costs (renovations to intelligence and crime-scene space, infrastructure and equipment) and staffing changes. He listed approximate capital needs of $400,000 (intelligence / lab renovations), $200,000 (construction for the crime-center area), and $500,000 (equipment and installation), and described a staffing plan that reclassifies existing technician positions and adds three additional technicians at 50% for the first year. He emphasized that funding for staffing would come from the general fund.
On park safety, Story proposed three uniformed park-ranger positions described as sworn but non‑commissioned personnel with limited enforcement authority (similar to police service aide roles) to deter wrongdoing and improve park use. He described deployment as a rolling 'hot spot' model and said rangers could be used on parks and some multiuse trails.
Members of the public, including Denali Wilson of the ACLU of New Mexico, urged caution. The ACLU speaker said surveillance technologies can disproportionately affect marginalized communities and called for transparency, defined retention policies and robust auditing and community oversight in any proposal. Chief Story responded that the department plans to limit access, implement auditing procedures and apply retention rules (license-plate reader data retention cited at 30 days and general video at seven days) and noted a planned town-hall discussion and future policy work on data-sharing agreements.
Councilors asked for a future dedicated work session to address retention periods, data-sharing and oversight. No final funding decision on the real-time crime center or park-ranger positions was made at the work session; staff were asked to return with more detailed policy proposals and budgets ahead of adoption.
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