Organ Mountain News report

LAS CRUCES - The Las Cruces Police Department will hold a town hall meeting on Thursday, Jan. 23, to discuss community safety concerns and potential solutions. The event will take place at 6 p.m. in council chambers at Las Cruces City Hall, 700 N. Main St., and is expected to last about two hours.

Police Chief Jeremy Story will open the meeting with a presentation of 2024 crime statistics and an overview of issues affecting public safety, including mental health, addiction, pre-trial detention and accountability challenges. The discussion will highlight how these factors contribute to crime in Las Cruces and explore legislative changes that could address the problems.

The town hall aims to engage residents and business owners, providing a platform for questions, feedback and collaboration with police officials.

“The legislative session is about to start, and there is hope that meaningful change can happen with our community’s help,” Story stated in a news release announcing the event. “Waiting won’t work. It’s time to address crime, untreated mental illness and addiction.”

For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be televised live on CLCTV, Comcast Cable channel 20-SD and 928-HD, and livestreamed on the City’s YouTube channel and the Las Cruces Police Department’s Facebook page.