Albuquerque police cracking down on crime at city bus stops
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A two-day operation targeting bus stops along the Central corridor led to a handgun, fentanyl, and 17 felony warrants cleared. “The warrants ranged from auto theft, possession of a controlled substance, aggravated assault,” said APD’s southeast area Commander Luke Languit.
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He says this operation came after numerous cries for help. “Hearing reports of how the community feels unsafe at these bus stops that kind of prompted us into action.”
The department’s Proactive Response Teams saturated all of the stops along Route 66 a few weeks ago. A lot of their attention went to the ART bus stop at Central and Louisiana where police know criminals are using that spot to cause trouble. “It sends a statement that we’re not going to tolerate it,” Languit said.
Because he says the operation was so successful, the department now plans on expanding these operations citywide. “The major transportation center up in Uptown and then also on the west side near Cottonwood, we’re probably going to put together another two to three-day operation next month, where we’re basically going to do the same thing.”
They’ll address public intoxication and other quality of life violations, clearing warrants and showing their presence in these hotspots to deter crime. “To let those individuals know that it’s zero tolerance so we’re not going to tolerate criminal activity on our transportation systems,” Languit said.
