GPD Crime Suppression to Continue Despite Vehicle Shortage
GRANTS, N.M. – Crime has fallen in Grants, New Mexico. Since Chief Jeff Marez grabbed the reigns of Grants Police Department, the law enforcement agency has switched to a more proactive method of policing. Increasing GPD’s visibility was one of the first major changes Chief Marez undertook, followed by outfitting his officers with updated gear like protective vests and firearms. These measures have proven effective. 2021 was the most violent year in the City of Grants’ history, where the city broke its homicide record; 2022 has seen crime on the decline. However, the success of GPD is being undermined by a force outside of Marez’ control: Grants’ aging infrastructure.
The City of Grants has been contending with an ailed and ageing infrastructure for decades, with little progress fixing the issues at hand. Over the last eight years the city made a concerted effort to fix the failing roads in the city, but neglected to focus on the water and sewer pipe infrastructure underneath the roads. As the pipe issues grew worse, the city’s government fell into political disarray and one of the city’s most important infrastructure assets began to suffer without the government’s attention. Much like the aged pipes, GPD’s police cruisers were already old, with tens of thousands – upwards of several hundred thousand miles on each. The department had been piecemealing their cruisers together when they would stop working, creating Frankenstein-type cars that are not lasting like they should. Broken down cars are not the only issue plaguing GPD, the building they’re housed in on Roosevelt Avenue is falling apart. There are many sections of the building where the ceiling is rotting away. The sewage system has had a number of issues, verified by the Cibola Citizen’s Inspection of Public Records Act requests. Law enforcement is a vital part of any successful community’s infrastructure, GPD is much like the city’s pipes, they have broken down units and a ceiling collapsing in on them.
“We’re running on spares,” Chief Marez explained, “We normally would have five spares back there, but that garage is empty.” Even GPD’s 2010 Crown Victoria is patrolling on the street; Chief Marez said he has been driving a 2006 Crown Victoria.
Because the police cruisers have been neglected over years, Grants Police Department does not have enough vehicles to fit every officer in their agency. Grants Police Department is not currently fully staffed; if it were, they would have a vehicle shortage much worse than they currently do.
“We’re hurting for vehicles,” Chief Marez said, “The Durango’s are our newest vehicles, they’re two years old and the warranty is running out. That’s the one that’s actually in the shop right now.”
Solving the Problem
The City of Grants government changed at the beginning of April, an almost entirely new government was recently sworn-in and the new officials are looking to develop the safety and security of Grants. Mayor Erik Garcia has said on multiple occasions, “I want Grants to be the safest, cleanest city in New Mexico.”
Garcia has said that he is working on a plan to equip GPD with everything they need, including a new police station. As plans were being drawn up to aide GPD’s car crisis, more and more GPD cruisers broke down, and Chief Marez saw an urgent need.
At the Grants City Council Meeting on April 21, Chief Marez pleaded with the City Council to invest in GPD. The Council approved enough money, which come out of investment funds, to purchase four new police vehicles. Since this meeting, more GPD vehicles have broken down and become unusable.
Despite approving money for four new vehicles, GPD could only secure a purchase of three new cruisers – the problem is that these vehicles have not been built and supplied with police equipment yet.
The COVID-19 pandemic and global lockdowns halted global supply chains; a series of global disasters further strained the world-wide economy. Due to ongoing spikes in COVID-19, many factories do not have the necessary semiconductor chips required to construct a regular vehicle. Chief Marez explained that he is concerned the Russo-Ukrainian War in Europe will further choke the vehicle market, as many vital parts to a police cruiser are constructed in Ukraine and Russia.
Chief Marez said there is no timetable for when the new cruisers may arrive.
If the vehicles are not built and supplied to GPD before more vehicles run out, the department will continue its work. “There are a couple of options,” Chief Marez said, “There are city vehicles that I’m sure some of the other de partments can lend us. I would drive one probably, I would give my slick top that has a cage to patrol if that needed to happen – I don’t see that happening. There are a couple of vehicles getting some work done to them [on April 25.] Hopefully we can get those back and that’ll get us one or two spares. But, like I said we’re still – I have an uncertified guy that is in the office full time now because we don’t have a car for him, and also liability reasons. He doesn’t have a car, our [Public Service Aide] at the middle school drives an old 2010 Crown Victoria that is barely on its last legs.”
GPD has several auto parts on backorder, but said that for the time being, getting other vehicles from the city may be the best contingency plan available. Chief Marez said that his team at the department are looking to restart the bicycle program where officers can be on bikes. Some agencies across the state are looking to purchase non-police equipped vehicles, Marez said he doesn’t want to consider that because of the danger factor. Some departments in the city are running with older, police equipped vehicles that the city had moved from department to department, which could potentially be used.
While waiting for construction to end on the new vehicles, Marez expressed his thanks to the Grants City Council and Mayor Garcia for supporting the police agency.
A New Era of Policing
Under Marez’ leadership, Grants Police Department is looking to the future. Mayor Garcia is looking to upgrade the GPD building and give the police the support they need.
Recently, Chief Marez changed the way GPD works. Structuring the department so that it can operate more cohesively, Marez has delegated responsibility to his lieutenants, who manage the patrol teams. This new system has created flexibility, allowing for wider and more effective patrols of the city. The effectiveness of this system cannot be understated, with a significant drop in major and even petty crime, GPD’s work is improving the security of Grants.
GPD is upgrading to the newest tasers; they have relatively new firearms, and are, for the most part, well equipped. Cars are the single largest hold back for the department.
Looking to the future, Grants Police Department will be getting a new look. Chief Marez didn’t want to talk about the new look just yet, but said the new police units will be fitted with it. The updated design is part of a plan to bring GPD into a new era, Marez said the future looks bright for GPD, they just need to solve the car issues.