City Announces Crackdown on Worst Criminals

November 26, 2019

Mayor Tim Keller and APD Chief Mike Geier are joining forces with Attorney General Hector Balderas, District Attorney Raul Torrez, the Office of Superintendent of Insurance, and the state Probation & Parole Division to create the Metro 15 Operation that will target the 15 most violent criminals in Albuquerque.

The Metro 15 Operation is a targeted component of Mayor Keller’s Violence Intervention Program – a proactive effort to attack violent crime from all sides.

The Metro 15 will include a working list of the top 15 violent crime offenders in Albuquerque identified by the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office. An apprehension team will be made up of officers and investigators from APD, the DA’s Office, the AG’s Office, the state Office of Superintendent of Insurance and the state Office of Probation & Parole.

“Today isn’t about data, or technology or planning, it is about bringing all hands on deck for crackdown on the worst perpetrators of violent crimes in our city, put them in jail, and keep them there,” Mayor Tim Keller said. “This is a more narrowly targeted and effective approach than using resources for short-term operations that result in many arrests, but few convictions. We want quality arrests that drive down crime in Albuquerque.”

“Our officers are motivated to find and arrest offenders who are driving violent crime in Albuquerque,” Chief Geier said. “And we are prepared to do everything possible to help prosecutors ensure these offenders face the consequences for the violence they are inflicting in our community.”

The Metro 15 list will be continuously updated by the DA’s Office to reflect arrests and add new offenders to the list. The DA’s Office will focus on offenders and fugitives with criminal histories that can be used in successful prosecutions once they are apprehended.

The Attorney General’s Office is contributing investigators and prosecutors to the Metro 15.