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Mesilla Valley MPO approves MOU with Las Cruces Police Department to use TRACS crash data for research
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Summary
The governing board approved Resolution 25-06 authorizing a memorandum of understanding with the Las Cruces Police Department to allow the MPO controlled access to TRACS crash records for research and safety reporting; the MOU restricts distribution of identifiable reports.
The Mesilla Valley MPO governing board unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with the Las Cruces Police Department that gives the MPO access to law-enforcement crash records for research and safety-reporting purposes.
Resolution 25-06 passed by roll call. The agreement, as described in the MPO staff presentation, allows MPO analysts to use TRACS records — the traffic and criminal software that law enforcement agencies use to create crash reports and citations — “for research purposes only” and prohibits the MPO from distributing crash reports that contain personal information.
In a presentation to the board, MPO staff described the federal and regulatory context for the data-sharing arrangement and the MOU’s purpose. Staff noted that the MPO is responsible for reporting certain safety performance measures within its planning area and that the MOU formalizes cooperation with the Las Cruces Police Department’s traffic division to improve crash-data analysis. MPO staff summarized that several local agencies within the Mesilla Valley planning area use TRACS, including the New Mexico State Police, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the Las Cruces Police Department, the Mesilla Marshal, and New Mexico State University Police.
“Makes it easier for law enforcement to share and transfer electronic data and also maintain those records,” MPO staff said, describing TRACS, and added that TRACS “does allow officers in New Mexico to complete uniform traffic citations, crash reports, vehicle inspections, incident forms, tow sheets and other supplemental forms that are used daily by law enforcement.” The MOU limits the MPO to using the data for research and prohibits dissemination of personally identifiable crash reports to third parties. The draft MOU had been reviewed and accepted by the Las Cruces Police Department, staff said, and MPO staff said they intend to expand similar agreements to other local law-enforcement agencies in the planning area as needed.
Board members had no questions on the MOU as presented. The roll call recorded yes votes and the chair announced the resolution passed.
The MOU responds to MPO reporting responsibilities discussed by staff; the board will not rank or adopt new policy with this vote but authorized the data-access agreement with LCPD for research and performance reporting.
