Attorney General Targets Environmental Crimes

GUEST COMMENTARY:

One of the most important jobs I have as Attorney General is to help protect, preserve and enhance New Mexico’s environment, water and natural resources. This is accomplished through litigation, cooperative efforts with stakeholders and enforcement of environmental laws. Many of these laws impose criminal penalties on conduct that presents a serious harm or risk of harm to human health and the environment.

To help protect New Mexico families, I am pleased to report that we are beefing up the public education and outreach efforts of the Environmental Crimes Unit (ECU) within our Water, Environment & Utilities Division. This unit is dedicated to enforcing environmental laws and ensuring that those who violate them are held accountable.

We are providing several ways for the public to help report violations to the ECU. These tips are important and could prove valuable to the ECU as it investigates and helps prosecute violations of New Mexico's environmental protection statutes. Additionally, a new publication is in the works that provides information about environmental crimes and how to report them. This new tri-fold brochure will be available to the public and other governmental agencies. The following is some of the information that will be contained in the publication.

New Mexico is a large state and just learning about potential environmental law violations can be a difficult task. That is where you come in...with the help of the general public, the ECU can cover a lot of ground throughout the state.

What Are Environmental Crimes?

Air Pollution: burning of commercial or industrial waste; release of hazardous substances into the air; illegal removal of asbestos from buildings.

Hazardous Waste: improper storage, disposal, or transfer of hazardous waste. Hazardous waste can generally be described as any material that threatens public safety and the environment. It includes degreasers, acids, metals, paint waste, solvents, cyanides and pesticides.

Water Pollution: discharge of waste into streams, rivers, lakes, including farm drainage and waste generated by construction sites and factories.
Solid Waste: improper dumping of large quantities of garbage or refuse


What to Look For:

• Containers or drums that appear to be abandoned (for example you find them in a forest, along a roadside or otherwise in a place where it appears they do not belong), especially if they are corroded or leaking.
• Dead fish in streams or waterways, particularly if the water appears to contain foreign substances (such as detergent, bleach, chemicals or has a strange color).
• Dead animals alongside a river bank or in a field.
• Discolored and/or stressed, dying plant life.
• Visible sheens on the ground or in the water.
• Foul smelling or oddly colored discharges onto the ground or into a stream or waterway.
• Foul smelling or strange looking emissions into the air.
• Pipes or valves that would allow for discharge from a plant that appear hidden.
• A truck dumping materials into a manhole or sewer drain.
• A person burying drums on business or residential property.

There is more information on our Web site about examples of environmental crimes, what steps you should take to report suspected violations and some cautionary measures to be taken by anyone who encounters potential environmental waste contamination.

With the help of citizens who report environmental crimes to our ECU and the new publication, the Attorney General's Office can better protect New Mexico and work to keep it forever, The Land of Enchantment. Thank you.


Gary K. King
New Mexico Attorney General

NOTES:

The Environmental Crimes Unit has established ways for you to report suspected environmental crimes:

Environmental Crimes Telephone Tipline: (505) 827-6629

Environmental Crimes E-mail: ecrimes@nmag.gov


Fill out an on-line form.

Gangs Contributing to High Property Crime Rates

Burglaries are skyrocketing in Santa Fe according to law enforcement authorities there. The number of break-ins have more than doubled this month compared to last July according to this Santa Fe New Mexican report.

Police Captain Gary Johnson told the paper he believes a spike in gang activity is "exacerbating the residential burglary problem" in the capital city.

The New Mexico Gang Task Force reports there are between 2,000 and 2,500 gang members in Santa Fe. Two weeks ago, Dave Maass, a journalist with the Santa Fe, New Mexico reported many of those thugs are hiding out in plain sight and using My Space pages to operate their criminal enterprises.

Police believe professional thieves are mainly hitting the city's east side of town. While juveniles gang members are focused on residences on the south and west side of town.

According to the Santa Fe Police Department report, burglaries, in the 2nd quarter of 2009 jumped 105 percent compared to April thru June 2008. This month alone there has been an increase of 162 percent.

In Albuquerque, property crimes, according to FBI crime reports, are up a little more than nine percent year-over-year.

Chávez Says ABQ Crime Rate "Unacceptably" High

On a hot summer day in Albuquerque the 2009 City Election is beginning to heat up. Mayor Martin J. Chávez announced at the Taylor Ranch Community Center today that he's joining a three-way race for the city's top elected office. He wants voters to give him an unprecedented fourth term and third straight.

Chávez told 770KKOB he's been an "activist mayor" and that his record demonstrates his vision of the future for the city. But, that record is under attack by two challengers, former New Mexico Senate President Pro-Tem Richard Romero, and current State Representative and local business owner Richard "RJ" Berry.

On Friday, the mayor said he believes crime is "unacceptably high," but public safety will continue to be his number one priority if he's re-elected October 6th.

Last week, Chávez announced that he's directed Albuquerque Police Chief Ray Schultz to add another 100 police officers to the force, but Romero says that while he supports getting more cops on the street it smells like election year politics. Romero says only 42% of the city's current police officers work on the street.



Both Romero and Berry have said they're frustrated with the nearly 9% increase in property crimes year over year. Romero told reporters on Thursday that if he's elected he will replace Schultz.

According to FBI statistics released recently, property crime in Albuquerque has increased from 29,293 reports in 2007, to 31,907 in 2008, a nine percent increase in one year.

Mayoral Candidate Richard RJ Berry's Burned Out Truck
Was Recovered in the East Mountains

Berry proposed his own crime fighting plan after Bernalillo County Sheriff's deputies recovered his stolen truck. On May 23rd he said:

We are in need of new solutions and new commitments if we are going to reduce property crime in Albuquerque. This is a quality of life issue. We need a Mayor who will take this head on and get results.

El Paso, whose population exceeds Albuquerque's by approximately 90,000 people, reported only 19,702 property crimes in 2008, or nearly 12,000 less crimes. And in Denver, a city with a population that exceeds Albuquerque's by approximately 70,000, the city saw a decreasing rate of property crime and reported only 19,316 crimes in 2008, once again far less than Albuquerque.

While the mayor prepares to announce in Taylor Ranch on Sunday afternoon, Romero is organizing around 100 volunteers to knock on doors.

While campaign election signs can't be planted in front yards, street corners, or on billboards until August 7th the election campaign has been underway for months and months. The mayor has already received several union endorsements including one from the American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees Council 18. But as Marjorie Childress reported Local 624, the bluecollar workers, are not happy with the selection. They say AFSCME's endorsement doesn't represent their views.

All three candidates received public financing on April 1st. The first financial disclosure statements will be filed on Thursday, July 17th. The City Clerk, Randy Autio will draw the candidate's ballot position on Thursday, August 13th at 5:01pm.

Residents who want to vote in the city election have to register with the Bernalillo County Clerk's office by September 8th. The City of Albuquerque has posted all election deadline dates here.

Property Crime Rises 9 Percent in ABQ.

We attended Albuquerque Mayoral Candidate Richard "RJ" Berry's Friday morning news conference. Berry show us his company truck which was stolen on May 23rd and recently recovered burned out and destroyed.

From a Campaign News Release:

Berry To Take Property Crime "Head On."

Candidate for Mayor says more needs to be done to protect our citizens.

In front of a pickup truck that was stolen from his family's place of business and burned beyond recognition, Richard Berry today announced his plan to attack and reduce property crime in Albuquerque, a category of crime that by all accounts is out of control. In announcing his three-point plan, Berry released video footage and photographs of crimes committed at his family's place of business and at a tenant's rental unit.

Berry used the videos and photographs to highlight dangerous situations that often occur when property crimes are committed.

"The videos and photographs are pretty shocking and demonstrate what is happening all over this city every day," said Berry. "

Berry says:

We are in need of new solutions and new commitments if we are going to reduce property crime in Albuquerque. This is a quality of life issue. We need a Mayor who will take this head on and get results.

Richard Berry's plan includes:

1. Make property crime response and investigation a top priority within the Albuquerque Police Department. I will work with our police department and bring in experts if needed to determine what is working and what is not. We will work to eliminate overlaps and to fill gaps in our crime prevention efforts. While a revamped task force that focuses exclusively on this type of crime is a definite possibility, organizing and restructuring areas within the department to ensure we have the needed resources to fight this problem is a must.

2. Restore critical funding for crime prevention programs that work. Youth Gang Prevention, Substance Abuse Programs and Neighborhood Deterioration grants have seen funding cuts by Mayor Chavez in this year's budget. Citizen education programs are also under utilized. A few of the programs have been temporarily restored with Federal Stimulus money from APS, but this takes away from other education needs and the funds will run out in 2010. Full and ongoing funding for these vital programs should be a priority rather than a trolley car or a swimming hole at Tingley Beach.

3. Work to stop thieves, but also work to shut down outlets for stolen property. One way to decrease property crime is to stop businesses from buying stolen property from thieves. I will reach out to the District Attorney's office, the legislature and the courts in an effort to bolster our crime fighting efforts. We are below the national average for solving burglaries; we can do better.

According to FBI statistics released recently, property crime in Albuquerque has increased from 29,293 reports in 2007, to 31,907 in 2008, a nine percent increase in one year.

But in contrast, other western cities of comparable population size have seen their property crime rates decrease.

El Paso, whose population exceeds Albuquerque's by approximately 90,000 people, reported only 19,702 property crimes in 2008, a difference 12,000 less crimes. And in Denver, a city with a population that exceeds Albuquerque's by approximately 70,000, the city saw a decreasing rate of property crime and reported only 19,316 crimes in 2008, once again far less than Albuquerque.

"Even though the officers within our police department are working hard to protect our citizens, Albuquerque is still losing the battle with property crime, and like many people who live here, I've felt its affects first hand," said Berry. "Like most folks I'm fed up with the situation. I believe it's time to invest our resources toward reducing this problem. After twelve years of Mayor Chavez, Albuquerque needs a fresh approach, with new leadership and a new focus, to make a real difference."


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