While Albuquerque is experiencing a severe crime wave, the struggles of everyday law-abiding Albuquerque citizens are being ignored. We hear a lot about crime in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco – but Albuquerque’s is higher. In fact, it is more than triple the national average.
From 2017 to 2022, the city’s murder rate rose 71%. This sharp rise in crime impacts every aspect of the lives of those who live there, from their day-to-day safety to our ability to work toward achieving our American Dream. Albuquerque has seen a record number of murders in back-to-back years and incidences of weapon violations and motor vehicle thefts have also risen. With half of homicide victims and nearly half of violent crime victims being Hispanic, it’s disproportionately affecting communities of color.
Yet, the crime in America’s larger cities get all of the attention.
Our America is leading a campaign to hold our elected leaders accountable for providing the safety we all deserve. We started with a letter to Albuquerque City Council, then I visited a city council meeting to demand action. They need to fund the police, fully enforce the laws and hold criminals accountable.
“People aren’t talking about it,” Our America Founder Gabriel Nadales told The National Desk. “So, it’s the perfect place for us to go in there and start saying, ‘Hey, America, start paying attention to all these other cities that are having the same troubles everybody else is, but we’re not talking about them.’”
Enough is enough. We need to do something about it.
It’s time for Albuquerque officials to step up and combat crime by enacting common sense policies like strengthening penalties for repeat violent offenders and funding the police department adequately to ensure officers have access to the best training and equipment to protect all Americans.
Albuquerque is just the beginning. Our America will be traveling to other mid-sized cities to share the message that Public Safety = Opportunity.
