ABQ Times

Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS) has launched an expanded 12-week training academy aimed at preparing new responders to address various community issues, including mental health, homelessness, crisis intervention, and substance use. The ACS Academy Class 2025-01, comprising thirteen recruits, is undergoing a comprehensive program designed to equip them with the skills needed for trauma-informed community support.

The previous eight-week program has been extended to twelve weeks to provide more in-depth training in behavioral health, conflict resolution, and crisis intervention. "This expanded training program is a reflection of our commitment to providing the best possible support to both our Responders and the community," said Karen Boise, ACS Organizational Growth and Community Relations Manager. "By extending the academy, we are ensuring that our team has even more specialized skills to effectively address the ever-evolving complex challenges they’ll encounter."

Additional training includes an 8-hour mental health first aid class from CNM Ingenuity, a 3-hour deaf cultural sensitivity course from the Deaf Culture Center of New Mexico, and Alzheimer's First Responder Training provided by the Alzheimer’s Association. Notably, the WE CARE training program has doubled its duration from 40 hours to 80 hours for enhanced hands-on learning.

"Albuquerque Community Safety continues to grow and adapt to meet the needs of our city," said Mayor Tim Keller. "This department is the first of its kind in the nation; there is no road map from other cities to follow, so we’re charting a new course and extending training so our Responders are as prepared as possible for the calls they will see in our community."

With these additions, ACS aims to handle more service calls through 911 and 311 efficiently. Since its inception, ACS has responded to over 95,000 calls offering compassionate alternatives for non-emergency situations. This increase in responders strengthens ACS's commitment to enhancing public safety.

ACS functions as Albuquerque’s third branch of public safety. It handles service calls related to behavioral health and other non-criminal issues. Residents can request an ACS responder via 911 for emergencies or 311 for non-emergencies. Additionally, until April, ACS offers Emergency Overnight Shelter Transportation from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., available by contacting ACS at 505-418-6178.