NMDPS BYRNE JAG GRANT

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety (NMDPS), as the State Administering Agency (SAA), is requesting $1,873,193 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA) 2024 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byne JAG) to support its FY24 strategic objectives.

As the SAA, NMDPS facilitates strategic coordination through the Drug Enforcement Advisory Council (DEAC). This body analyzes crime trends, sets funding priorities, and directs the implementation of initiatives aimed at reducing crime and victimization across the state. DEAC, which oversees the Byrne JAG program, includes representatives from various state, local, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies, ensuring a broad and collaborative approach to public safety.

For 2024, in alignment with the 2020-2024 New Mexico Strategic Plan, DEAC has identified two key funding priorities: Law Enforcement and Prevention and Education. Programs funded under these priorities will specifically address violent crime, gun-related offenses, and drug trafficking and its associated criminal activities. Byrne JAG funds will continue to promote collaboration among state, local, tribal, regional, and federal law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

New Mexico’s violent crime rate was among the highest in the nation in 2023, with 9.0 incidents per 1,000 people, compared to a national average of 4.0. Property crime was also significantly higher, with 32.2 incidents per 1,000 people versus the national average of 20.7. Although Albuquerque experienced a reduction in homicides in 2023, the overall rates of violent and property crime remain concerning, especially in connection to the state's drug problem.

In 2023, New Mexico saw 44 officer-involved shootings (a 24% decrease from 2022) and a 27% increase in drug overdose deaths, primarily driven by fentanyl and methamphetamine. These statistics underscore the critical role Byrne JAG funding plays in addressing New Mexico’s pressing criminal justice challenges.