HOUSE MEMORIAL 38

55th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2022

INTRODUCED BY

Andrea Romero

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO CONDUCT A STATEWIDE STUDY TO ASSESS GAPS IN SERVICE TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS REGARDING CULTURALLY AND SOCIALLY RELEVANT RESPONSES TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

 

     WHEREAS, during the 2021 regular legislative session, the house of representatives passed House Memorial 13, which requested the secretary of public safety to convene a working group of representatives from the department of public safety, local community leaders, the business community, the homeland security and emergency management department, the New Mexico law enforcement academy, local, tribal and state law enforcement and first responder agencies and local higher education institutions to discuss the creation of a satellite law enforcement and first responder training center in northern New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, during the course of the year-long study, the working group known as the northern New Mexico law enforcement academy coalition discovered a gap in training needs regarding culturally relevant responses to emergency situations involving law enforcement officers and firefighters, the need for trauma-informed training related to sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking and the need for a better understanding of the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer populations in our state; and

     WHEREAS, the working group known as the northern New Mexico law enforcement academy coalition further discovered gaps in first response training concerning cultural and language needs, intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental and behavioral health needs; and

     WHEREAS, gaps in training for law enforcement and first responders may exist outside of the working group, across the state of New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico ranks seventh in the nation for rates of sexual assault; eighty-four percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence in their lifetimes and are nearly two times more likely to have experienced violence in the last year; and more than seventy-five thousand New Mexicans identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is rich in cultural wealth, and needs across the state are vast and differing, requiring cultural, spiritual and linguistic responses respective of our diverse communities; and

     WHEREAS, during this legislative session, the statewide budget for law enforcement will see a significant increase in programs designed to recruit, train, certify and retain police officers; and

     WHEREAS, training structure, content and financial and social resources should meet the needs of training and retraining officers that is tailored to the diversity of New Mexico's respective communities, indigenous and non-indigenous, in need of adequate first response; and

     WHEREAS, the department of public safety has committed to determining the needs of the state and its respective communities for the training to be procured for its officers;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that a statewide study of needs be conducted by the department of public safety to assess gaps in service training for law enforcement and first responders regarding culturally and socially relevant responses to emergency situations, the need for trauma-informed training related to sexual violence, domestic violence and stalking and the unique needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities in emergency situations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the needs assessment be developed in collaboration with local organizations with expertise in trauma-informed responses to sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking, organizations with expertise in culturally relevant responses to emergency situations and organizations with expertise on the unique needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities in emergency situations; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the needs assessment determine the best geographic locations to meet the proposed needs; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of public safety, the working group known as the northern New Mexico law enforcement academy coalition and the local collaborating organizations make a report of their findings and recommendations to the appropriate legislative interim committee that studies issues pertaining to courts, corrections and justice no later than July 1, 2023; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the department of public safety and the co-chairs of the appropriate legislative interim committee that studies issues pertaining to courts, corrections and justice.

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