National Guard to help Albuquerque fight crime, but some wonder if it's necessary
Dozens of National Guard members will be deployed to Albuquerque, New Mexico, starting next month to help police crack down on juvenile crime and stem the flow of drugs.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Will Stephens slouched back in his steel folding chair and watched in disgust as individuals he suspected were drug users loitered on different sides of his home in broad daylight.
A few of the men may live in a van a block away, he said, but occasionally someone sneaks into his backyard to sleep or change clothes.
“Every day, I have to deal with it,” said Stephens, 67, a retired chef whose block along Central Avenue has deteriorated over the last few years due to drug abuse, crime and prostitution. “I ignore them. That’s the best way to deal with it. It’s not worth getting caught up in stupidness.”
Stephens said he welcomes the news that dozens of National Guard members will be deployed to Albuquerque next month to help police crack down on juvenile crime and stem the flow of fentanyl, opioids and other illegal drugs.
The transit-oriented route runs east-west through downtown, passing shops, restaurants, historic neighborhoods and the University of New Mexico. However, a 2-mile stretch between San Mateo and Wyoming boulevards is marked by large homeless populations and visible drug abuse.
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