() New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency for the city of Española and nearby pueblos, citing spikes in crime that have “overwhelmed local resources.”
The area has seen police calls more than double in the last two years, and surrounding Rio Arriba County has the highest overdose rate in the state, the governor said in a Wednesday statement.
The declaration authorizes up to $750,000 for the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to assist authorities in Rio Arriba County, Española and the pueblos of Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh.
While Lujan Grisham’s executive order permits National Guard troops to assist, her office told local affiliate KRQE there are no immediate plans to deploy federal troops.
“We are making every resource available to support our local partners on the ground and restore public safety and stability to these areas that have been hardest hit by this crisis,” Lujan Grisham said.
Española Police Department Chief Mizel Garcia called the area’s problems “generational,” emphasizing the need for funding and assistance to make a meaningful change.
“A lot of the time, funding or the resources are not available for us, so we’re really looking forward to meeting with the governor’s office and the other three entities to see how we’re gonna best utilize that funding,” Garcia told KRQE.
