The bugle cry from Española to Santa Fe and the governor’s office was simple: “We need help.”
Mayor John Ramon Vigil has asked Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to send the State Police to Española to help fight increasing crime, catch criminals and bring a sense of order to our city. He says crime has increased since the holidays, and he does not have enough police manpower to combat it.
Española needs a police force of at least 40 members and currently has only 31 due to a limited budget, according to Vigil.
The governor has yet to respond to his request, but after speaking with her last weekend about the Española crime problem Mayor Vigil is optimistic she will send help. This kind of request has resulted in action before. In the fall of 2022, state police officers were sent in to help fight crime in Española at the city’s request.
Vigil’s request for help this time is at least two-sided. The bad side is that our crime problems are so severe we need outside help from the state police. The good side is, thank goodness, the mayor has decided to be aggressive, ask for help and do all we can to bring a bad situation under control.
In his letter, Vigil wrote: “I am requesting your support and assistance in dispatching the New Mexico State Police to assist the Española Police Department with patrols, crime prevention efforts, drug trafficking efforts, and highway traffic safety support within the city limits of Española until March 2023.”
The Rio Grande SUN has been reporting on an increasing number of burglaries and the arrests of several people in recent weeks caught trafficking large amounts of opioids, mostly fentanyl pills, along with cash, guns and meth.
Vigil says increased crime is a problem across the state, but that smaller towns and cities have problems hiring and retaining law enforcement officers to fight the lawlessness.
“Because of our limited budgets, municipalities in smaller communities such as Española are struggling the most due to competition from larger agencies or other regional employers. Our community has seen a large growth in property crimes, vagrancy, and drug trafficking since the holidays,” Vigil wrote.
“The City of Española’s central location and major arterial roadways have made it a crossroads point for the State of New Mexico; because of this it has invited a large transient population that have established themselves in our community,” the mayor wrote.
Catching criminals these days is difficult because some operate under not only under the cover of darkness, but also within a shadowy existence spent in our vacant buildings, alleys and streets. These criminals, mostly thieves, burglars and drug dealers, are mobile and can hit-and-run quietly and quickly. Now you see them, now you don’t.
It was not always so. Many years ago police could literally see the criminals and find them much more easily than today.
In what we refer to as the old, old, olden days, the mayor’s letter asking for help would have led to a calvary charge to quell unrest in a neighboring city or town besieged by rampaging hooligans. The troublemakers would have been easy to spot, probably drunk and staggering into the streets from frontier saloons, fighting and even shooting at one another. They stole horses and cattle and robbed banks. The police could “see” them. The good guys could see the bad guys.
But that was then, and this is now. It’s harder.
Vigil and his police force believe they are outmanned at this point. Rumors abound that the Mexican drug cartels are deeply involved with keeping the fentanyl and meth flowing to addicts in the Española Valley. Long stretches of highway in a rural area make for perfect situations for drug transport and delivery.
Send in the troops, Governor. We need them now.