Gov. Grisham Drilled by Las Cruces Constituents Almost 6 Hours Thursday

Gov. Grisham Drilled by Las Cruces Constituents Almost 6 Hours ThursdayPhoto by2nd Life Media

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham came to Las Cruces to spend a couple of hours for a public forum on crime and AlamogordoTownNews.org staff was there to witness ovet 500 people pour in to witness and engage the governor. An event that was billed to last just 2 hours became an opportunity for a huge emotional outpouring and lasted until 11:30 pm exhausting the crowd, governor and municipal officials.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham promised a crowd of about 500 that she’d stay for as long as they had questions. And she kept that promise, staying for six hours at a town hall in Las Cruces on July 25.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway was Lujan Grisham’s call for the Las Cruces community to pressure local legislators into supporting her crime package that opponents have decried as inhumane and ineffective.

The town hall drew dozens of questions from the public and several statements from the governor about police salaries, involuntary commitment, pretrial detention and other policy issues.

Governor Grisham promised a crowd of about 500 that she’d stay for as long as they had questions ans she kept her promise, staying for around 5 plus hours at a town hall in Las Cruces. People gave her credit when it was over that while they might not agreed with her on every point at lease she kept her word and met and engaged until almost 11:30 at night.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway was Lujan Grisham’s call for the Las Cruces community to pressure local legislators into supporting her crime package that opponents have decried as inhumane and ineffective.

The town hall drew dozens of questions from the public and several statements from the governor about police salaries, involuntary commitment, pretrial detention and other policy issues and more.

"Do not let me vilify innocent people,” Lujan Grisham said, referring to civil rights organizations. “Do not let me vilify people of color. Do not let me vilify innocent immigrants and their families, and do not let me vilify people on the streets. But I do intend to make New Mexico safer."

Lujan Grisham’s stop in Las Cruces is the first of three following the legislature’s rebuke of her public safety package last week. Notably, the governor’s fellow Democrats in the legislature mostly stayed away from the event except for state Sen. Joseph Cervantes, a Las Cruces Democrat who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. Two Republican state senators – Mark Moores of Albuquerque and Crystal Diamond Brantley of Elephant Butte – were also in attendance.

Yet several people who identified themselves as mental healthcare advocates reiterated their position that Lujan Grisham had not included them in building the bills.

In Santa Fe, the governor called on lawmakers to ban panhandling in medians, make selling fentanyl a capital offense (the same severity as murder), ease the process for courts to commit people accused of crimes involuntarily, oblige police departments to report crime statistics better, and a crackdown on organized crime, among other public safety topics.

Civil rights organizations called the package dehumanizing, while Democratic lawmakers bashed it as ineffective.

Some Las Cruces leaders slammed the governor over the town hall in their city. In a statement, the mayor pro tem criticized her for not engaging with city leaders and called the town hall “counterproductive.”

The next town hall meetings are:

• July 29 at 5:30 p.m., CNM Smith Brasher Hall in Albuquerque
• July 30 at 5:30 p.m., Northern New Mexico Community College Event Center in Española

While on the otherhand the police chief joined the event. Las Cruces police chief Jeremy Story, appeared on stage with Lujan Grisham and responding to some questions. While onstage he announced the launch of a law enforcement initiative he called “Operation Not In Vain.” The name makes reference to slain police officer Jonah Hernandez.

Story explained that the operation would commence in August and feature LCPD partnering with state and federal agencies for an increased police presence in Las Cruces.

Story said the initiative would also see LCPD providing training and resources to businesses to better fortify their locations both with physical barriers and information about insurance helping with theft, organized crime and safety issues.

Topics highlighted with much passion during the town hall from participating parties and the governor included the issues with fentanyl, crime and homelessness. Gov. Lujan Grisham allowed everyone to share their comments and concerns making for a long evening.

Gov. Lujan Grisham talked about treatment services for drug addicts and mentally ill residents but also stressed the importance of holding criminals accountable for their crimes as a repeates theme throughout the evening.

Gov. Lujan Grisham was receptive to all comments, even when residents expressed disappointment in some of the decisions she has made. The governor offered solutions to some residents, for others with more complex concerns she promised to personally follow up with them.

The reaction from the crown via comments when it was over was one of hope and appreciation for the effort at communication.