Las Cruces PD and DASO collaborate on real-time crime center amidst crime surge
Two law enforcement agencies in southern New Mexico joined forces to get resources for a Real Time Crime Center. Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story and the Doña Ana County Undersheriff, Tessa Abeyta, have joined forces to secure resources for a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), a center that would allow his department to be proactive rather than reactive. The collaboration came amidst a 75% increase in violent crime and a 71% decrease in property crime from 2018-2022. While the funds will be used for an RTCC at the Las Cruces police Headquarters, Story said it will also benefit the Doñana Ana County Sheriff's Office. The goal is to create a regional RTCC within three to five years.
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Two law enforcement agencies in southern New Mexico joined forces to get resources for a Real Time Crime Center.
Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story has previously mentioned working towards an RTCC, a center that would allow his department to be more proactive than reactive.
“As a call comes in, they can pull up information, give that intelligence to the officers to keep them safer, and hopefully solve the crime or prevent it from happening in the first place," Story said.
From 2018-2022, there was a 75% increase in violent crime and a 71% increase in property crime, according to Story.
“We have to do something different to try to drive it back down," Story said.
During the 2024 New Mexico legislative session, the Doña Ana County Undersheriff, Tessa Abeyta lobbied for state funding.
Abeyta was able to help secure $650,000 towards the RTCC.
“When we come together, it makes funding more likely," Story said. “When you're working together on a regional basis, that's of course gonna be more attractive to our elected officials.”
While that money will go towards an RTCC at the Las Cruces Police Headquarters, Story said it will still benefit the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office.
“They'll have access to some of that technology or some of that intelligence or information," Story said.
Sheriff Kim Stewart told KFOX14, it's important to look at the bigger picture.
“To have a huge impact on crime fighting if you want to call it that, it's going to have to be collaborative," Stewart said.
Both Story and Stewart know that the end goal is to create a regional RTCC.
“That's what we'd like to see in three to five years. A separate building, where both of us are housed and we work together in that center," Story said.
Meantime Story is looking to finish an RTCC at his department's headquarters.
Story told KFOX14 they've secured $1.1 million in state and federal funding but still need another million to make it happen.
"We're ready to build, we have quotes already, so as soon as we get the funding, we're going to start,” Story said.
According to Story, it shouldn't take long.
“[City] Councils already asked for basically a budget adjustment to make that happen," Story said. “My goal is to be up and running by January. That's, I think, a realistic goal.”
Stewart told KFOX14 that an RTCC for DASO should be coming by the end of this year.
"We've already started on the location of possible locations," Stewart said. "I'd say easily by the end of 2024. I'd really like to think by October."
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