Organ Mountain News report

LAS CRUCES - The Las Cruces Police Department’s community outreach unit will hold a six-hour operation Thursday aimed at working with local businesses to address ongoing safety and nuisance concerns that have impacted parts of the city.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 13, officers with the community outreach unit will meet with business owners to discuss issues such as vandalism, trespassing, squatting, soliciting, aggressive panhandling, criminal damage to property and abandoned shopping carts.

The effort comes as businesses in areas of Las Cruces have reported increased incidents of property damage and theft in recent years. Some business owners have raised concerns about graffiti, broken windows and other forms of vandalism, as well as homelessness-related issues, including individuals camping or loitering near storefronts. Abandoned shopping carts left on sidewalks and in neighborhoods have also been an ongoing problem for both businesses and residents.

City officials and law enforcement have acknowledged that homelessness and poverty are factors contributing to many of these challenges, and outreach programs have been working alongside enforcement efforts to connect individuals to services.

The goal of Thursday’s operation is to assist businesses in identifying ways to address these problems and to explore possible solutions through partnership with police and other city departments.

“As we’ve heard from local business owners, these issues don’t just affect property — they affect people’s sense of safety and the ability to do business,” the department said in a statement.

Business owners and managers dealing with any of these or similar issues are encouraged to contact the community outreach unit in advance to request a visit. Emails should be sent to CommunityOutreach@lascruces.gov by 9 a.m. Thursday, March 13.

For more information, visit www.lascruces.gov.