Authorities to increase bike patrols along Embudo Arroyo Trail

By KOB

Authorities to increase bike patrols along Embudo Arroyo Trail

There was a petition circulating in northwest Albuquerque to get bike patrols along a miles-long trail. Now, police and city departments say they're delivering on it.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Neighbors spoke and leaders listened. Earlier this week, KOB 4 told you about a petition circulating northeast Albuquerque for cops to bike patrol a large section of a miles-long trail.

Now, Albuquerque police and other city departments are answering those calls.

“It’s a coordination between three different area commands, where we have a plan in place to where we can share our resources, and make sure that we do have a high visibility presence out here,” said Commander Luke Languit, of the Field Services Bureau at APD.

Languit says the Embudo Arroyo Trail runs 11 miles through three different area commands.

“We want everyone to be safe and to be able to enjoy the trail and the park as it’s intended for,” he said.

All three commands will use their bike patrol-certified, Proactive Response Team members. APD will also utilize part of the Open Space Unit as well.

Languit says the department is considering opening the bike certification to police service aides too.

“We’re balancing calls for service, being proactive about if there’s high crime areas, violent crime and property crime. But this is important to the community, and we want safety at our parks and on our trails,” he said.

Shay Armijo, the associate director of the City of Albuquerque Parks and Recreation, also realizes this importance.

“I hear them. I understand where they’re coming from. We are working with many different parks, many different departments within the City of Albuquerque to accomplish the same goal,” Armijo said.

Parks and Recreation has three encampment teams hitting dozens of parks weekly. Armijo says they enforce the no-camping ordinance and offer services.

“We want to get them as many resources as we possibly can while also maintaining our parks. We want to ensure that we still can irrigate, mow, clean, pick up trash,” Armijo said. “I want people to use our trails. The more people that use our parks and trails, the less riffraff that happens within our parks.”

That’s the type of progress neighbors have been asking for.

“I might be able to actually walk through here and not be scared to death,” said Linda Wood, a nearby resident.

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