ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has announced three priorities that he wants legislators to tackle during the upcoming special session on public safety.

“We are tired of every year, year after year, living in a community that cannot provide the basic public safety we are all entitled to,” Torrez said.

The three requests include funding rapid DNA analysis tools for law enforcement, ensuring public access to violations of suspects’ conditions of pretrial release, and establishing a state office dedicated to crime victims.

RAPID DNA ANALYSIS

“New Mexico is the most violent and most dangerous state in the country,” Torrez said. “We are at the bottom of yet another list, but this is something that we have the power to change.”

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe spoke in support of the rapid DNA tool, saying it’s a way to combat the state crime lab’s significant backlog.

“These machines will allow jurisdictions throughout the state to more rapidly identify suspects and solve crimes, rather than waiting what could be six months to a year to get that same information,” Hebbe, who is also the president of the New Mexico Police Chiefs Association, said.

Hebbe said that he’s considered buying the tool – which costs $220,000 up front and another $40,000 to maintain it – but knows smaller jurisdictions can’t afford that.

“In particular, when you get into the south of the state, there’s so many small departments, they’ll never be able to afford this,” Hebbe said. “Here’s a chance for the Legislature to really make a meaningful impact in helping them solve crime.”

PRETRIAL RELEASE VIOLATIONS

Angel Alire spoke in support of public access to records of pretrial release violations. A man out on pretrial release shot and killed her son in 2021.

“We found out how flawed our system is, and that GPS technology is only as good as those monitoring it,” Alire said. “It should not take the life-altering circumstances for people in power to listen and understand that our state has a problem.”

The attorney general recently filed a new lawsuit in the fight over ankle monitor data.

PROTECTING CRIME VICTIMS

The attorney general is hoping to fund a brand new office under the New Mexico Department of Justice – the Office of the Crime Victim Advocate. Torrez says he wants to have a place where people can go for help.

There’s an ongoing case in Las Cruces that’s exposed some of the flaws in state laws designed to protect victims.

A teacher, Patrick Howard admitted to sexually touching some of his female students. He was supposed to serve five years of probation, but in March it was cut short by two years – without notification to his victims. Torrez says that’s a violation of state law.

It’s sparking a much bigger conversation about victim’s rights violations across the state.

“This office will create the first-ever dedicated crime victims advocate unit within this office that does nothing but monitor compliance,” Torrez said.

The attorney general is asking the governor and lawmakers to fully fund it so the office could educate, train, and even take legal action to protect those rights.

KOB 4 reached out to the governor’s office for comment on these priorities. A rep said the attorney general didn’t provide any advance notice of these proposals, so the office needs some time to thoroughly review them.

The legislative priorities outlined by the attorney general are below.

1. Rapid DNA Analysis Tool for Law Enforcement
   
   Recent data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program reveal that approximately 75% of violent crimes in New Mexico remain unsolved. With a staggering 93% of rapes, 90% of robberies, 79% of homicides, and 70% of aggravated assaults going unsolved, it is imperative to support our overburdened police departments with advanced tools and resources.
   
   The implementation of rapid DNA analysis technology will be a vital asset to law enforcement agencies. Unlike traditional methods that take six months or more, rapid DNA analysis can deliver preliminary results in as little as 90 minutes, providing law enforcement with timely and actionable intelligence. This technology will help expedite investigations, reduce backlog, and increase the clearance rate for violent crimes.
   
2. Clarifying Section 31-3-12 to Ensure Public Access to Records of Violations of Conditions of Pretrial Release
   
   Transparency in the criminal justice system is crucial for public safety. To evaluate the effectiveness of pretrial supervision, it is essential that the public has access to records detailing conditions of release, compliance, supervision levels, and responses to violations. Unfortunately, current interpretations of Section 31-3-12 and a New Mexico Supreme Court Order have restricted access to this vital information.
   
   By clarifying the definition of GPS data within Section 31-3-12, we can ensure that records related to pretrial conditions and compliance are accessible to the public. This transparency will allow policymakers and the community to scrutinize and improve the effectiveness of pretrial services.
   
3. Establishment of the Office of the Crime Victim Advocate
   
   While New Mexico law establishes specific rights for crime victims, these rights are often not upheld to the same standard as those of criminal defendants. To address this disparity, the New Mexico Department of Justice is establishing the Office of the Crime Victim Advocate.
   
   This office will be dedicated to ensuring that victims’ rights are respected and enforced. It will receive and investigate complaints, provide training for compliance, and use legal authority to protect victims’ rights. Immediate appropriation is sought to fund the necessary attorneys, paralegals, and victim advocates to support this critical initiative statewide.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued a statement on the AG’s priorities:

“While we are interested in as many ideas that improve public safety for New Mexicans as possible, we have already laid the groundwork for the bills we’ve proposed for the special session. If the Attorney General had these ideas during the recent 30-day legislative session, we were not made aware of them.  We agree that tools such as Rapid DNA analysis for law enforcement are effective investments and should be incorporated in the budgeting process.”