00:00New Mexico has declared a state of emergency, not for a natural disaster, but in response to rising violent crime.
00:09Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an order Wednesday requesting federal help to support overwhelmed resources in Rio Arriba County, Española and nearby Pueblo areas.
00:21Española, one of the state's oldest towns along the Rio Grande, blends Native American and Spanish culture, but struggles with high unemployment and limited access to social services.
00:33Officials say rising crime is making these challenges worse, contributing to homelessness and deadly drug overdoses.
00:40Police calls have doubled in two years, with dispatches to businesses jumping fourfold.
00:45Rio Arriba County also leads New Mexico in overdose deaths.
00:50Fentanyl was involved in 65 percent of cases in 2023, methamphetamine in 51 percent, and most victims were aged 25 to 64.
01:00The governor's order releases up to $750,000 to bring federal resources to the hardest-hit areas, remaining in effect until funds are used or services are no longer needed.
01:11The order doesn't specify if or when the National Guard will be deployed.
01:17In June, guardsmen in plainclothes were sent to Albuquerque to assist police in areas officials described as war zones.
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