Leadership Albuquerque dove into Public Safety and Behavioral Health on its program day Dec. 11.
District Attorney Sam Bregman presented information on crime trends in the metro area and specific areas of concern, such as juvenile crime, competency issues and the judicial system’s tendency toward the pre-trial release of people who get arrested.
T.J. Willham of KOAT-TV, formerly with APD’s RealTime Crime Center, provided an overview of homicides and how crimes are researched and data is used from that center.
Maggie Sheppard and Chief Public Defender Ben Baur of the N.M. Public Defender’s Office discussed “Defending the Accused.”
Jodie Esquibel, director of the Albuquerque Community Safety Department, gave an overview of the program and its progress toward assisting the unhoused population.
Charlie Verploegh of the Health Housing and Homeless Department and Jennifer McDonald-Gibson of the Health Hub Operations joined Albuquerque CAO Samantha Sengel for a discussion on “Addressing Homelessness in Albuquerque.”
The group also went off-site for first-hand looks at the Albuquerque Police Department, where they heard from Chief Harold Medina, Deputy Chief Cecily Barker and Chief of Staff Mike Hernandez followed by a visit to the Bernalillo County Re-Entry Center where Sarah Spain, Transition Planning Services manager, provided details on services offered.
Thanks as always to the leadership of Board Members and Leadership Albuquerque Chair and Vice Chair Jeremy Oswald and Leean Kravitz for another jam-packed informative day kept on track – LA will be back in the new year!
director, participate in the program’s Public Safety and Behavioral Health program day on Dec. 11.