FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 5, 2022
Contact: Curtison Badonie | [email protected]

Local Organizations Urge Mayor Keller to Create a ‘Domestic Violence Investigatory Unit’ within the Albuquerque Police Department

Albuquerque, N.M.— A diverse coalition of local advocacy groups and community leaders are elevating their urgency for Albuquerque Mayor, Tim Keller, to create a ‘Domestic Violence Investigatory Unit’ within the Albuquerque Police Department, in a letter signed and sent Wednesday afternoon.

The letter comes during the month of October, designated nationally as ‘Domestic Violence Awareness Month’–an issue that continues to be prevalent in every community, and affects all people regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.

Tiffany Jiron, Policy and Advocacy Director for the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW), one of the advocacy groups that signed Wednesday’s letter, feels this is the moment to elevate the needs of Indigenous communities. “As part of the Bernalillo County Domestic Violence Multidisciplinary Team, I am very proud to represent the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women and tribal communities that I bring into the space with me when sharing what is happening in our communities and what our needs are.”

Indigenous communities particularly, are disproportionately impacted by domestic violence in the U.S. More than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native adults (83 percent) have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime. That’s almost 3 million people who have experienced psychological aggression or physical violence by intimate partners, stalking, or sexual violence.

“We were happy to support the letter that was sent to Mayor Tim Keller today because we at CSVANW know that our Indigenous women are most impacted population by the lack of APD domestic violence specific investigations when a native woman living in Albuquerque or passing through is in need of protection,” Jiron said. “All survivors deserve justice and that begins with our first responders and leaders taking domestic violence seriously.”

The request to Mayor Keller comes just days after Albuquerque City Councilor, Tammy Fiebelkorn, presented a proclamation to Angel Charley, Executive Director of CSNNW, recognizing October as ‘Domestic Violence Awareness Month’.

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