Bernalillo County sheriff flags human trafficking, fentanyl and homelessness surge; seeks drones, AI, deputies and behavioral-health staff

Bernalillo County Sheriff told the county oversight panel on an early-January meeting that human trafficking, fentanyl and related public-safety problems have increased in the county and that his office will expand technology, behavioral-health staffing and deputy ranks to respond.

"Human trafficking is rampant in Bernalillo County," the Bernalillo County Sheriff said, adding the office is coordinating with other agencies and planning press conferences to explain planned technology uses. "We're coming to an agreement [with civil-rights groups] because we all understand the big brother concept."

The sheriff described several immediate priorities: expanding the department's drone program, moving into responsible use of artificial intelligence to reduce administrative burdens, retaining license-plate readers and other camera systems, and creating an internal accountability position to audit how deputies use those tools. "It will not be a budget request," he said of the accountability post; he said the office plans to fill the role from a frozen position in the department.

Why it matters: the sheriff framed the moves as responses to increasing criminal activity and to operational gaps the office found during recent incidents. He also tied technology and staffing to lifesaving outcomes, saying the drone program and cameras have helped save lives and assisted officers in multiple cases.

Key numbers and staffing plans

The sheriff gave specific staffing figures during his remarks. "Right now, we have 313 deputies. The good news is we are only 26 short. We are allotted for 339 deputies," he said. He said he has hired nine lateral officers recently, is planning an academy in April that could bring 20–30 recruits, and hopes to run a second lateral academy in the same timeframe. The sheriff said his long-term target is closer to 400 sworn deputies.

He told the panel he will ask the county commission for recurring increases to add 10 deputies per year "once we hit our mats" and that he had requested a county budget expansion of $1,700,000 to fund technology and civilian accountability staff.

Training and field deployment

The sheriff described the department's training sequence for laterals and new deputies. He said the lateral academy will be 10 weeks, followed by a three-month Field Training Officer program, after which recruits would be expected to enter field service in mid-summer. He also said the agency revised its FTO program to a three-month model to balance training demands for experienced lateral hires.

Behavioral health and homelessness

The sheriff said he is enlarging the department's behavioral-health work and civilian staff. He said he hired a permanent behavioral health manager and believes the department may have "the number one behavioral health unit in the nation." He asked the panel for support for civilian clinician positions and for the department's efforts to pair law enforcement with behavioral-health resources when responding to homelessness and addiction.

On homelessness he stressed a balance between enforcement and services: "You have to be very careful also to make sure that you're not criminalizing being homeless," he said, but added community businesses and residents are asking for enforcement when public health and safety are threatened.

Interagency coordination and trafficking

The sheriff said his office is coordinating with Albuquerque Police Department and other agencies on trafficking and related crimes, citing surveillance and a recent Metro unit response. "We were getting them in traffic," he said of coordinated activity with APD and other partners. He identified a pattern of trafficking and sex-work activity in some districts and said his office has placed surveillance and used intelligence units to target networks.

Technology, transparency and civil liberties

The sheriff acknowledged privacy concerns and said the department does not use facial recognition. He said the county's unincorporated areas had not previously benefited from live cameras and license-plate readers, and that expanded technology has helped in a kidnapping-in-progress and other critical incidents. He pledged to be transparent about new uses of technology and said his office will follow FAA and legal requirements for drone operations and coordinate reporting and oversight for any AI use.

Coordination with schools and juvenile work

The sheriff said he will increase school engagement and juvenile diversion work and that he plans smaller, targeted school visits rather than large assemblies. He mentioned collaborating with existing school programs and said he will be more visible in schools during 2025.

What the panel asked

Panel members asked about operations in unincorporated areas such as Pajarito Mesa and the East Mountains, about surplus equipment options for remote access, and about coordination with city police and other jurisdictions. The sheriff said the drone program, open-space vehicles and specialized units are intended to improve patrol coverage in areas with limited roads and infrastructure.

Ending

The sheriff said several press conferences and legislative engagements are planned for the coming months to explain his technology plans, and that he will work with the county commission on funding requests. "You'll see what path I'm taking," he said, and that many initiatives will be public within the next three to four months.