SANTA FE – The governor of New Mexico has created a special law enforcement unit to arrest hundreds of fugitives across the state.
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Tuesday that the Fugitive Apprehension Unit would be responsible for finding people charged with violent crimes who have failed to appear in court.
Authorities said this unit would help reduce the more than 1,600 outstanding bench warrants for people charged with violent crimes.
Authorities say New Mexico has the second-highest violent crime rate in the nation.
Grisham said the unit would be made up of at least seven state police officers and at least seven state corrections department staffers chosen by Public Safety Secretary Mark Shea and State Police Chief Tim Johnson.
She said the unit must make monthly reports to her documenting arrests.
