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DPS seeks recurring support for intelligence-led policing and warns DoIT/risk-premium hikes squeeze budgets
Summary
DPS Secretary Jason Bowie and law-enforcement leaders told the committee the intelligence-led policing program has integrated large metro areas and covers over half of crime data/population; they asked for recurring funding while warning steep DoIT and insurance/risk premium increases threaten staffing and services. The committee adopted the LFC recommendation with follow-up requests on data reporting and recruitment funds.
Secretary Jason Bowie told the Appropriations & Finance Committee the Department of Public Safety’s request was narrowly framed and conservative: recurring base requests focused on health and liability rate increases and a modest new ask (1.2% of the law enforcement program) to sustain growth in core programs. Bowie highlighted three priorities: fleet replacement (special appropriation request reduced by LFC), recurring maintenance for state systems, and ongoing funding to sustain the intelligence-led policing (ILP) program.
Bowie and Chief Troy Weasler described ILP as a statewide initiative that aggregates formerly siloed law-enforcement data to assist investigations and resource allocation. Chief Weasler said ILP now includes multiple agencies (APD, BCSO, State Police and several local agencies including Las Cruces) with “over 50% of the crime data and population covered” and that a proof-of-concept is underway to link post‑arrest case tracking to district-attorney systems.
“Bringing all the data and law-enforcement resources together lets us be more efficient with what we have,” Chief Weasler said, citing recent integrations in metro regions.
Committee members raised operational concerns: several rural agencies are not reporting NIBRS data reliably (the deputy secretary told the committee noncompliance rose from nine agencies to 54); DPS staff capacity to support reporting is limited (one FTE supporting 136 agencies); and rate increases from the General Services Department and DoIT (telecom/DoIT assessments and risk-premium spikes) have compounded budget pressure. DPS said risk premiums climbed sharply (risk premium increases and a reported 78% jump in certain liabilities year‑over‑year) and DoIT telecom rates rose about 8% from FY25 to FY26, producing a projected $5.4M shortfall if not addressed.
Lawmakers also discussed recruitment and retention programs. Deputy leadership said a law-enforcement retention stipend had paid out to nearly 2,900 officers across 127 agencies but will exhaust current funding by FY27 unless replenished. Committee members pressed if federal funds (SORNA and equitable-sharing) could be accessed: DPS staff said noncompliance with SORNA has cost about $2M per year and that the state forfeited roughly $10M in equitable-sharing proceeds in 2025 due to policy changes that made the state ineligible.
On action, Vice Chair Dixon moved to adopt the LFC recommendation for DPS, the committee adopted it without recorded opposition, and members asked for follow-up material on data reporting noncompliance, DoIT rate drivers, recruitment fund balances and the ILP proof of concept.
What’s next: LFC and DPS will return with clarifications on NIBRS/nonreporting agencies, technical needs to improve interoperability, projected sustainability of the recruitment/retention fund, and further documentation on DoIT and risk-premium calculations.
