ABQ Times

The Albuquerque Police Department’s Proactive Response Teams made 233 arrests citywide during the month of August.

Proactive Response Teams are specialized units within each area command. These small groups of officers target areas with high crime rates, identifying repeat offenders, making arrests, and clearing warrants throughout the city.

PRT officers conduct weekly operations to locate individuals with felony warrants, narcotics offenses, crimes at bus stops, and other issues.

Some significant arrests from the month include:

On August 8, University PRT officers and the Burglary Unit conducted a proactive tactical plan and located Jose Coronel. Burglary detectives had just completed an arrest warrant for him as he was accused of burglarizing a city-owned bait car. He was arrested for his felony warrant for auto burglary.

On August 27, a Southwest PRT Officer recognized a female known to officers in the area who had a felony warrant. As the officer tried to make contact, the woman fled into a residence. The homeowner flagged down the officer, indicating that the woman was inside their home without permission.

SW PRT officers set up a perimeter around the home and called K-9 to assist. The female exited and officers took her into custody. Everyone inside the home was safe. Annette Aguilar was charged with a felony warrant for auto theft, criminal trespass, and battery.

On August 28, a Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) Operator located a vehicle through video surveillance with a stolen license plate at Adam’s Market on Central and relayed the information to dispatch. A Southeast PRT officer located the vehicle at Louisiana and Central put on his emergency equipment, utilized Starchase and the vehicle fled.

GANGS and the Felony Apprehension Support Team (FAST) monitored the vehicle while Air Support assisted from above. The vehicle was then located in SW Albuquerque where SW officers used spike belts. The suspect abandoned the stolen vehicle and committed an aggravated burglary.

Shortly after, Jose Alejos Ceja was arrested for aggravated fleeing, receiving and transferring a stolen vehicle, aggravated burglary, leaving the scene of a crash, and two misdemeanor warrants.

Also on August 28, a University PRT Officer on proactive patrol near Central and Aliso NE spotted a male on a moped without a license plate passing on the right. The officer conducted a traffic stop. The driver attempted to conceal his identity but was identified by the officer who then conducted a warrant check. The driver, Dwight Weir was wanted for vehicular homicide and trafficking meth/controlled substances. Weir was arrested and transported to MDC.

“I can’t express enough how valuable our PRT Officers are to this community,” said Chief Harold Medina. “Earlier this year, through an operation along Central, PRT officers located a violent offender wanted by the U.S. Marshal Service who’d been on the run for years. Had it not been for our officer’s proactive work that individual may still be wanted.”