ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The new brand new headquarters for Albuquerque Community Safety Department is officially open. 

ACS broke ground in April 2023. They held a ribbon cutting Saturday morning to celebrate the new building in the national district.

“What you see behind you, but also what you see and feel on your streets every day, is the first of its kind and the only of it’s time,” said Mayor Tim Keller. 

He’s talking about the Albuquerque Community Safety headquarters. People came out to celebrate the grand opening Saturday morning with music and good food off San Mateo in the International District.

“It’s really about growing our department refining our policies, our procedures, our trainings,” said Maria Ruiz Angel, an Albuquerque associate administrative chief.

The flagship building will be home to ACS staff and first responders. It will be used as a training facility, and community members will be able to use the building as a collaborative space. 

“That allows us to really broaden out our safety systems in a much more innovative way, that’s conducive to what the community needs and what they want,” said Angel. 

The new building is the latest tool to address the homeless issue in Albuquerque. They plan to expand into the neighboring lot and are in the process of building another community center.

“In partnership actually with fire and police and our Housing, Healthcare, and Homeless department, we’ll be having a community center up on the Westside,” said Angel. 

Officials say the new community center coming to the Westside of Albuquerque will open sometime next year.