‘Central on Central’ APD and Mayor Keller Announce Opening of Downtown Public Safety Center
Tues. Sept. 27, 2022
ALBUQUERQUE – The Albuquerque Police Department and Mayor Tim Keller announced the official opening of the Downtown Public Safety Center. Today, APD’s downtown officers are now operating out of the new location on 4th St. and Central Ave., in the heart of downtown. The opening is one piece in a set of initiatives and investments to make concrete downtown safety improvements.
Formerly, Downtown officers were stationed in the Alvarado Transit Center at 1st and Central Ave. with only moderate proximity to Downtown businesses and foot traffic. Now, located in the middle of Downtown, the Public Safety Center is in a far more prominent location for the community to connect and build relationships with the officers. The Downtown Unit has also added additional manpower to both the day and swing shift.
“Downtown has been a priority for both APD and the City, and positioning our officers in prominent location will not only deter crime, but it will make the public feel safer when they come to enjoy the area,” said Chief Harold Medina. “This is a much more centralized and welcoming location for our community to come in and speak with officers and even file reports.”
“We are investing in the heart of our city and putting the public safety resources in place to allow our Downtown to thrive,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “This is about listening to business owners and residents, we are taking many steps to fight and prevent crime and bring in economic growth to this historic heart of our city.”
The opening of the Downtown Safety Center is part of a larger package of investments and initiatives to make downtown safer and respond to the needs of businesses. APD’s new Targeted Enforcement and Active Monitoring (TEAM), an overtime program created in partnership with local business owners, is now operational and has increased the number of officers on patrol during peak hours. The City has also invested over a million dollars in new street and alleyway lighting, seven new cameras along Central between 1st and 7th Street were installed that link directly to APD’s Real Time Crime Center, and lowered speed limits in the area.
The new Downtown Public Safety Center, is one piece in the City’s work to move Downtown from a place with potential, to a safe and inviting hub of activity for business, residents, tourists and investors.
Although the public is encouraged to file most reports online, staff at the Public Safety Center is available to assist with filing reports and provide guidance on phone reporting. APD’s Public Safety ECHO Coordinator is also housed inside the safety center, and is available to provide assistance with downtown safety concerns.
The Public Safety Center is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and closed from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. for lunch.