Diego Lopez, Reporter
GRANTS, NM – Grants Police Department is preparing to utilize modern technology to broaden their ability to protect the City of Grants.
Grants Police Chief Maxine Monte was excited to be adding modern technology to her department’s arsenal, to help them better protect residents of the community. As part of her attempt to modernize GPD, Monte was able to finalize the procurement of new cruisers to the department, adding four Dodge Chargers to the desperate and depleted fleet of cars that officers had to use. Under her authority the department has begun using a system that looks for stolen cars and helps to better identify where vehicles may be after a call is put in to dispatch. Chief Monte is also looking to use modern tech to better supplement the department’s data keeping processes so GPD can more strategically counter crime in the city.
A Need for Cruisers GPD has equipped their fleet with four new Dodge Chargers. Prior to the new vehicles, GPD had a fleet that was falling part. Police chief after police chief complained to the Grants City Council about their need for new vehicles, a lack of action by prior councils and supply chain issues compounded by COVID-19 shutdowns created issues in procuring and receiving new cruisers. Former police chief and current Cibola County Undersheriff Jeff Marez and the new city council worked together and were able to secure the purchase of the four new cruisers, which have finally been introduced and brought into GPD’s fleet.
“Our fleet was in dire need of repair. It was constantly us taking in a unit for service, trying to get it fixed but also get it on the street as doon as possible,” Chief Monte said.
“When we [received] the four new chargers, it did amazing things to our fleet division.”
Monte oversaw the implementation and deployment of the new cruisers, which she said has allowed for older vehicles that are over 100,000 miles to be retired or transferred to other departments in need of vehicles.
“I would like to use what vehicles we do have, that are still in pretty good shape, and pass them on to different departments,” Monte said, looking for cost-saving solutions. She noted that nothing is set in stone because older vehicles might be auctioned by the city. “For example, the animal control units – I don’t think they’ve had a new unit since 2012. So, if we can utilize some of those SUVs and turn them into an animal control unit, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Protecting the Community
“We try to send out officers to training, as well as supervisors, especially if it’s over a system where the residents of the City of Grants will benefit,” Monte said about modern trainings to keep officers up-to-date on best policing practices.
Monte said that GPD is working on creating a better network around the department, connecting with other departments across the state and reading “a lot of material,” according to her, to find what new materials and practices are best for the community and officers.
GPD receives frequent alerts about new materials and tools specifically designed to help police monitor their communities. One of the new materials she employed was first brought to the attention of GPD by Milan Police Department. The Flock Safety cameras are license plate readers have been employed by MPD since 2021, and have made their way to the City of Grants. They were brought to city council in 2022 by then-Chief Marez, and deployed by Chief Monte.
The Flock cameras allow officers the ability to scan for stolen vehicles without needing an officer on the street manually entering license plate numbers to check. The cameras employ artificial intelligence to lookup license plate numbers in the National Crime Information Center system and find if the plate belongs to a stolen car or not. The cameras take pictures of the back of the car and takes note of any stickers or graffiti on the back, helping officers to identify where a vehicle may be and stop the driver, allowing the car to be returned.
“If we’re bringing in technology, you have to look at funding,” Monte said, adding, “If it’s technology that is much needed, then we’re going to have to go out there, figure out how to get the funding, and then get the system. I’m all for technology. I mean, if it’s something that is going to save a life than it is absolutely something we want to being to our community.”
Monte’s push to modernize the department will see a new system implemented at GPD in September. A new system to analyze and study data, called a “Tyler System” is expected to streamline and revolutionize data collection at GPD, helping the department to better find crime hot-spots and determine the issues that are causing crime. Monte said that the new technology helps to have extra eyes and tools in the city to help supplement the department at a time when manpower and staffing is an issue.
“Technology is a must for us to succeed these days. Out lives revolve around technology. We have to stay up on those trends and see what we can do to support our community,” Monte said.