Strengthening School Safety

APS officer to be stationed at APD’s Real Time Crime Center.

Albuquerque Public Schools is bolstering its comprehensive safety strategy through a new partnership with the Albuquerque Police Department that places an APS police officer inside APD’s Real Time Crime Center.

During a news conference on Monday, APS officials emphasized that the agreement is an important step in a broader, layered approach focused on prevention, intervention and response to ensure campus safety.

“Keeping schools safe is not something any one agency can do alone. It requires close coordination and trust among partners,” said APS Superintendent Gabriella Blakey. “We are fortunate to have a collaborative relationship with the city and APD, and this agreement strengthens that partnership.”

The new arrangement stations an APS officer at the Real Time Crime Center and gives that officer access to the city’s extensive network of cameras. Officials stressed that APD will not be monitoring cameras inside schools unless there’s a major incident unfolding.

The APS officer will work alongside APD personnel to proactively monitor activity, relay critical information to dispatch and support officers responding to incidents at schools.

APS Police Chief Steve Gallegos praised the agreement but noted that it is "just one piece of a much larger approach to school safety.” 

“At APS, we use a comprehensive, multifaceted and layered strategy that is fundamentally focused on prevention, intervention and response to ensure the safety of everyone on our campuses,” he added.

The assigned APS officer will primarily monitor campus camera feeds during school hours, coordinating directly with APD and APS units in the field. APS and city officials said they expect the partnership will improve response times, enhance situation awareness and support investigations involving school incidents.

All APS camera systems are now tied into the Real Time Crime Center platform, which allows for real-time monitoring and the ability to quickly share information with responding officers. APD staff in the center monitor thousands of cameras citywide, and the dedicated APS officer will prioritize monitoring campus feeds both proactively and during active incidents.

Mayor Tim Keller, who announced the partnership alongside APS and APD officials, said the collaboration strengthens the safety network around schools. 

“By bringing APS directly into the Real Time Crime Center, we’re improving coordination, responses and making sure the right information gets to officers when it matters most.”

Interim APD Chief Cecily Barker echoed that sentiment, noting the partnership improves communication. 

“Having an APS officer working alongside our team improves communication during critical incidents and helps ensure more informed responses to keep students and staff safe,” Barker said.

The partnership is also part of APD’s long-term vision to expand the Real Time Crime Center into a regional resource where various agencies can work together to improve public safety across the Albuquerque area.