APD’s Proactive Response Team takes different approach to crime

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – APD’s Proactive Response Team is designed to get to know the community before crime happens.

Officers are dedicated to community engagement — their aim is to get to know the community by work events and by talking to businesses.

“To give area commands teams to work on proactive work and to work on concerns from citizens. We get a lot of calls, 311 calls into the substations or even people coming in saying they have different concerns in their neighborhood,” said Johnny Yara, SE area commander.

Yara has two proactive response teams that help the area command if they get backed up on calls for service, but other times they are working proactively.

“They have areas, I guess you’d call them hot spots, hot because of the crime, because of the stats, whatnot so they all, all eight of them, have their own little area of what they like, where they check,” said Yara.

Police said the hot spot area is along Central from San Mateo to Wyoming.

There are 35 dedicated PRT officers in the department, three sergeants and seven lieutenants.