Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Sept. 21 that the state will allocate $57 million from two funds for law enforcement agencies to bolster recruitment and strengthen departments.
This money is on top of the $50 million allocated in 2022 supporting the governor’s initiatives to broaden law enforcement capacity by funding recruitment or retention of law enforcement personnel.
“I have been clear since day one – getting more officers in New Mexico communities is a priority for this administration,” Lujan Grisham said. “The lifesaving work law enforcement does every day to create safer communities in New Mexico deserves our full support, and providing funding not only to recruit officers but also support staff empowers these agencies to safely and effectively protect and serve New Mexicans.”
Lujan Grisham created and secured the Law Enforcement Recruitment Fund during the 2022 legislative session. In September of last year, the fund covered the salaries of more than 300 new officers in 29 departments across the state. Along with funding from the LERF, a retention fund provides $5 million for local agencies to retain the current officers through differential disbursements based on the officer’s time in the department.
The state worked directly with law enforcement to collect information about staffing needs ensuring the funding addresses the specific recruitment and vacancy needs identified by each department.
This year, DFA awarded funding to 103 departments, which will fund 434 positions. The first year of the recruitment and retention reports showed agencies across the state recruited 165 officers and retained 1,807.
The awards will be distributed Sept. 22 and directly contribute to the expansion of commissioned law enforcement officers and civilian personnel, reinforcing essential support for crime reduction efforts.
