City, state police complete eight-week operation

New Mexico State Police (NMSP) and the Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) have completed an eight-week operation to tackle high-crime areas in Las Cruces, LCPD said in a news release.

The goal of this collaborative effort, which began on Feb. 1, was to maintain a law enforcement presence in high-crime areas, enforce criminal and traffic laws, identify individuals involved in illegal activity, locate wanted subjects, reduce auto thefts and build positive relationships within the community,” the news release said.

Participating officers conducted saturation patrols in the city’s highest crime areas, LCPD said, “making positive contact with residents and reducing the fear of crime. They also carried out warrant roundups, targeting known felons associated with narcotics and violent felonies (and) recovered stolen vehicles linked to drug offenders by locating and apprehending those involved in auto theft.”

LCPD said the operation resulted in a 19 percent reduction in auto thefts, a 9.9 percent reduction in burglaries and a 43 percent reduction in violent crime in Las Cruces as compared to the same period in 2022. Officers also seized a significant amount of drugs, including 532 grams of methamphetamine, 28,000 fentanyl pills and $14,000 in cash associated with narcotic sales, the news release said.

“This joint operation exemplifies how critical our law enforcement partnerships are in keeping our community safe,” said Las Cruces Police Chief Miguel Dominguez. “Through the collaboration of our agencies, our officers’ efforts have resulted in a significant reduction in property crime, several arrests and the removal of dangerous drugs off our streets. We will continue to work together to disrupt criminal activity and provide a safe environment for our citizens.”

Officers made more than 1,300 citizen contacts during the operation, issued 111 citations, recovered 9 stolen vehicles and made 98 arrests, LCPD said. Arrests included 13 felony narcotic arrests, eight other felony arrests and 77 misdemeanor arrests. Eight firearms were taken off the street during the operation.

"Collaboration is key to reducing crime in our communities,” said NMSP Chief Tim Johnson. “We cannot tackle this challenge alone, and we must work together with other law enforcement agencies to identify and address the root causes of criminal activity. By pooling our resources, expertise, and information, we can develop effective strategies to prevent crime, apprehend offenders, and keep our communities safe.

NMSP and LCPD will continue to conduct proactive operations throughout the year, LCPD said.