HIDTA Narcotics/Gang Enforcement Project

The State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity Stemming from the Southern border of the United States under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 is designed to provide resources for hiring, retention, assistance, and equipment to local law enforcement along the Southern border and in High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas in order to combat criminal narcotics activity stemming from the Southern border of the United States. For the purpose of this solicitation, the term 'criminal narcotics activity' includes all drugs controlled by the Controlled Substance Act 21 USC Section 801.

Under Category I: Combating Criminal Narcotics Activity, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD)'s High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Narcotics/Gang Enforcement Project will use its award to control, reduce, and/or prevent criminal narcotics activity, including drug-related crime and violence, by filling critical vacancies within the Department that address narcotics issues. In addition, APD will request technology that will allow its officers to track cell phone usage and location to further enhance the mission of combating criminal narcotics activity. The APD will hire five full-time positions: 1) an intelligence analyst who will utilize all available law enforcement databases to extract useful information to assist narcotics and gang detectives in criminal investigations; 2) a gang coordinator who will enter historical data on known gang members into reference databases, as well as coordinate with the New Mexico HIDTA, the Drug Enforcement Advisory Council, and the NM Investigative Support Center on gang drug trafficking organizations; 3) two narcotic detective positions who will investigate leads supplied by the crime analyst and gang coordinator; and 4) a gun trace coordinator who will analyze and document all guns received in the Metro Area Crime Lab. Funds will also purchase cell phone tracking technology.

CA/NCF