New Mexico’s Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday have declared a state of emergency in Rio Arriba County due to rising violence and drug trafficking.This comes two days after President Donald Trump took control of Washington DC’s police force to combat violent crime in the Democrat-run capital. The county, which includes two Native American Pueblo communities and stretches from Española to the Colorado border, has long suffered from some of the nation’s highest opioid overdose death rates.Governor Grisham said local leaders had urgently requested help, as public safety threats had “overwhelmed local resources.”“When our local leaders called for help to protect their communities, we responded immediately with decisive action,” Grisham said in a statement. “We are making every resource available to support our local partners on the ground and restore public safety and stability to these areas that have been hardest hit by this crisis.” The declaration will provide $750,000 to the state department of homeland security and emergency management to coordinate the response and supply resources to affected communities.She said increased criminal activity has resulted in rising cases of homelessness, family instability and fatal drug overdoses. It has put a lot of strain on local governments and law enforcement. Police calls in Española and surrounding areas have doubled in the past two years and police dispatches to businesses have increased four times.The county’s drug crisis, driven largely by fentanyl, has become the worst in the state. Although no immediate troop deployments were announced, the declaration allows authorities to call the National Guard if needed. Emergency funds will help local law enforcement agencies in supporting overtime pay, new equipment and coordinated policing, as reported by Fox News. Local tribal leaders have also raised alarms. Santa Clara Pueblo Governor James Naranjo warned that fentanyl and alcohol abuse were harming children and impacting the wider community.“The Pueblo has expended thousands of dollars trying to address this crisis… and to protect Pueblo children who are directly and negatively affected by a parent’s or guardian’s addiction,” said Santa Clara Governor James Naranjo in a July letter to Lujan Grisham. “But we are not an isolated community and the causes and effects of fentanyl/alcohol abuse, increased crime and increased homelessness extend to the wider community.“The move follows Grisham’s April decision to send the National Guard to Albuquerque to help address juvenile crime and the fentanyl crisis there.Republican officials welcomed the emergency declaration. Española City Councilor Sam LeDoux called it “a step in the right direction”. “I am pleased that the governor is addressing the out-of-control crime in our community,” LeDoux said. It has long been overrun and not addressed. Fentanyl has overwhelmed our law enforcement, and this seems to be a step in the right direction to protecting our citizens.”New Mexico GOP Chairwoman Amy Barela have urged the governor to focus on solutions that address the root causes of crime.“This community is long overdue in receiving help to combat the out-of-control crime caused by the failed policies of our state leadership,” Barela said in a statement. “While I hope the deployment of the National Guard will provide real assistance, the people of Española deserve more than just street counselors — they deserve action that addresses the root of the problem.”“Thanks to President Trump’s America First policies and his decisive action to secure the border, we have already begun to see crime rates decrease nationally. Now, it’s time to put New Mexicans first by ensuring those who commit crimes are caught and held accountable.”
