KOAT 7 News (Albuquerque, NM) published an article today (12/17/2024) regarding Reporter Alyssa Munoz’ recent interview of Albuquerque Mayor, Timothy (“Tim”) M. Keller, 47, who has been mayor since 2017 and is expected to run for reelection in 2025.
Among other topics, Mayor Keller said that this year’s achievements included the development of a system of five Gateway Shelters (homeless shelters with various services), with medical detox services at the Gibson Gateway; ongoing construction of a ‘teen gateway’; and remodeling of the West Side Gateway – which now has working showers and bathrooms, a full-service kitchen, and ‘treatment services’ scheduled to begin in January 2025 with a new provider.
Regarding crime in Albuquerque, Mayor Keller mentioned the installation of additional gunshot detection systems, a reduction in the number of murders over the last two years, and that there were “actually more businesses opening than closing” – saying that in Knob Hill, three businesses recently closed but five new businesses had recently opened. He did acknowledge, however, that businesses have left the Central Avenue corridor of Albuquerque and cited a rash of broken downtown business windows needing more attention by the Albuquerque Police Department (“APD”).
The KOAT 7 News article and complete interview transcript may be read HERE.
KOAT 7 News also reported on Mayor Keller’s ‘Public Conversation to Discuss Homelessness in Albuquerque’ held on December 8, 2024. During the discussion, Mayor Keller stated that Albuquerque had about 5,000 persons living on the streets. He said that the city had spent about $57 million on homelessness, which was three times more than was spent prior to 2017. He also said that the problem of homelessness was an issue needing to be better addressed by the State of New Mexico, not only the City of Albuquerque.
Here is a YouTube video uploaded by KOAT 7 News regarding the Mayor Keller’s December 8, 2024 ‘Public Conversation to Discuss Homelessness in Albuquerque’:
My brothers and sisters, although it’s easy to simply ‘arm chair quarterback,’ it seems that Mayor Keller’s responses lacked any answers or discussion as to WHY there is so much crime, violence, trafficking, and the presence of so many homeless persons and/or migrants living on the streets with drug addiction, mental challenges, and a lack of food and/or basic hygiene in the first place.
Yes, it’s easy to ask the question, but the question still needs to be asked! What has the mayor done, or perhaps better yet, what does he envision doing during a future term as mayor, to PREVENT or seriously MITIGATE the recurrence of these problems in Albuquerque? Will he examine the causation and then correct the problem? The resolution is way beyond simply spending more and more taxpayer money to put band-aids on issues of the heart and mind.
Perhaps our civil governments need to seriously look at Sanctuary City and crime prevention policies. Perhaps it is time to look hard at why so many offenders are arrested by law enforcement and then are back on the streets the next morning. Perhaps, along with showing genuine love and support for those who are in need and less fortunate, ‘hard love’ should also be employed with those who are unwilling to work to improve their situations – as opposed to helping those who genuinely have mental or physical justifications to receive substantial and long-term assistance, whether by our government or the church.
For example, increasing the detection of gunshots helps police to locate where a crime may have occurred, but is there any evidence that, in-and-of-themselves, these gunshot detection units actually DECREASED violence in the city or INCREASED the capture and incarceration of criminals?
This writer has lived in the same neighborhood of Albuquerque since April 2001, and over the years, our vehicles have been broken into multiple times. Responding APD officers used to tell us to report the thefts or vandalism to the insurance company and file complaints online with APD, with no actual police investigation or collection of tool marks or other evidence obtained. Nothing is done.
I can also tell you that a person was dragged from his car a few months ago only 200 feet from my residence’s driveway. A father who had just dropped off his children at a local school was shot and killed in the middle of Pennsylvania Street NE (Albuquerque) during a carjacking, as FGGAM reported HERE. I’ve never seen a report indicating whether the murderer was even captured.
I can also tell you that just a few nights ago, my wife and I heard seven (7) very loud, back-to-back gunshots right outside our window along the street – causing my wife to hit the deck – and we never heard another thing about it nor noticed any police response. Of course, this is not really fair to APD, as they are swimming in such crimes – yet, ISN’T THAT THE POINT?
THE ANSWER
My brothers and sisters, the answer will always be trusting upon Jesus as our Savior, who came and suffered an agonizing death upon the cross, washing away our sin by the shedding of His precious blood – the only acceptable sacrifice to the Father – as we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. There is nothing you or I could ever do that would justify us before the Father and bring eternal life, except for the blood of Jesus!
Sin is the great equalizer between those with much and who think too highly of themselves, and those with little and who are weak or completely broken in the natural world. The Father loves everyone with incredible love and desires for all to come unto salvation!
The blood of Jesus is the answer to the evil one, who came to steal, kill and destroy, and to corrupt our hearts and minds so that even when the truth stares us right in the face, we either don’t recognize it or we choose to lean upon our own understanding (i.e., the flawed wisdom of the world).
The Answer is a Person and His name is Jesus! We need to hit our knees and seek the wisdom of God! In this, we can begin to see clearly how to best address the issues of humanity, and how best to love others, and in this case, how best to address the situation on the ground in Albuquerque (and many places throughout the nation and the world).
The Bible reminds us that: 1) Jesus is the Truth; 2) that we are to love others and walk in humility; 3) that we are to seek godly wisdom in our lives; and 4) that we are to bring all things to God in prayer, with thanksgiving, trusting that He will answer our prayer. Amen!
John 14:6 (NKJV)
“Jesus said to [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV)
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
1 Corinthians 3:19 (NLT)
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, ‘He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.’”
Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God…”.