Albuquerque Community Safety Welcomes Two New Graduating Classes of Responders
City continues national leadership in mental and behavioral health response.
Albuquerque is taking another step forward in its mission to provide compassionate, community-centered mental and behavioral health support. This afternoon, 13 new responders graduated from the Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) Responder Academy, completing rigorous training designed to prepare them for real-world crisis situations and to better serve the city’s residents.
The graduation ceremony, held at the South Broadway Cultural Center, celebrated the successful completion of intensive training by two recent groups: ACS Academy Classes 2025-02 and 2025-03. These classes included both Behavioral Health Responders, Community Responders, Street Outreach and Resource Coordinators and a triage specialist.
A key component of their preparation was ACS’s signature WE CARE program, which uses professional crisis actors to simulate real-world scenarios responders may encounter in the field.
“Every new class of ACS responders strengthens our commitment to meeting people where they are and getting them the right kind of help,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “These graduates are stepping into one of the most important roles in our city, providing care, stability, and dignity during difficult moments.”
The addition of these responders expands ACS’s ability to respond to 911 and 311 calls. Since its inception, ACS has handled more than 145,000 calls for service.
“This group represents the heart of what ACS is all about connection, compassion, and trust,” said ACS Director, Jodie Esquibel. “Their training prepares them to handle complex situations, but it’s their dedication to people that will truly make a difference in our community and public safety system.”
ACS continues to serve as a national model for addressing behavioral health needs, substance use, homelessness, and crisis response through innovative, non-police approaches.
These new responders further strengthen ACS’s mission to deliver high-quality care and community support, marking another important step forward in enhancing public safety for all Albuquerque residents.