STARTS RIGHT NOW. TONIGHT, GOVERNOR LUJAN GRISHAM ANNOUNCING THE NATIONAL GUARD WILL SOON HELP ALBUQUERQUE POLICE OFFICERS. ALIYAH CHAVEZ IS LEARNING MORE ABOUT THAT ACTION. THAT’S RIGHT. THE GOVERNOR DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY TODAY IN ALBUQUERQUE, SAYING SERIOUS VIOLENT CRIME IS PART OF THE REASON FOR THIS ACTION. OUR OFFICERS SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON SCENES THAT THEY DON’T NEED TO. APD CHIEF HAROLD MEDINA SAYING CRIME RATES ARE DOWN IN 2025, HOPING NATIONAL GUARD PERSONNEL WILL HELP EVEN MORE. WE HAVE OFFICERS PARKED GUARDING VIOLENT CRIME SCENES FOR UP TO SIX, EIGHT, 12 HOURS. A TUESDAY EMERGENCY ORDER SIGNED BY GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM, FREEING UP TO $750,000 TO THE NEW MEXICO NATIONAL GUARD, ALLOWING BETWEEN 50 TO 100 PERSONNEL TO ASSIST APD OFFICERS. THEY WILL NOT LOOK LIKE POLICE. THEY WILL BE LOOK LIKE GUARD. WE DON’T WANT PEOPLE TO MISTAKE THEM FOR POLICE. THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE ANYONE WITH WEAPONS. THERE’S NOT GOING TO BE ANYONE IN FATIGUES. THERE’S NOT GOING TO BE ANY MILITARY VEHICLES. WHAT THIS IS, IS ESSENTIALLY HELPING AS PUBLIC SERVICE AIDS, AS SOAR TROOPS WILL HELP CONTROL TRAFFIC AROUND ACCIDENTS, MONITOR BUSSES, PROVIDE PRISONER TRANSPORTS, AND ASSIST WITH OTHER DUTIES. WILL THEY WEAR BODY CAMERAS? I WOULD ASSUME THEY WOULD, BECAUSE THEY’LL BE IN TRANSPORTING, BUT IT’S A GOOD QUESTION. NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS WILL DEPLOY TO ALBUQUERQUE IN MID-MAY. THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF THOUGHT PUT INTO THIS. THAT’S WHY IT’S NOT STARTING IMMEDIATELY. AND FOR HOW LONG. WE’RE LOOKING AT SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR. IT IS NOT A TEMPORARY ACTION. MEDINA SAYING APD CURRENTLY HAS AROUND 850 OFFICERS AND ANOTHER 50 IN TRAINING. THEY JUST DON’T WANT THIS TO TURN INTO LIKE AN OH MY GOD, THE NATIONAL GUARD IS HERE TO SAVE THE CITY. NO, THE NATIONAL GUARD IS HERE TO HELP CLEAR UP OFFICERS. THE GOVERNOR TOLD ME TODAY IN 2019. SHE ALSO SENT A LARGE GROUP OF STATE POLICE OFFICERS TO COMBAT CRIME ALONG I-25 AND I-40. REPORTING DOWNTOWN ALIYAH CHAVEZ KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. TRAINI