Albuquerque Police Department

The chief law enforcement agency, also known as APD, responsible for policing the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The APD's mission statement is as follows: "We, the members of the Albuquerque Police Department, believe in the shared responsibility of police personnel, government leaders and citizens to improve Albuquerque's quality of life and to defend our community. We vow to uphold the U.S. Constitution, to fairly enforce the laws of New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque in order to protect life, property and rights. In partnership with the community, we will engage in policing to maintain order, reduce crime and the fear of crime through education, prevention and enforcement."

In April 2014, the U.S Department of Justice found that the APD "has engaged in a pattern or practice of excessive force that violates the Constitution and federal law," mandating reforms that constitute a complete overhaul of APD's protocols, specifically the department's "use-of-force" policies, training on the use of verbal warnings instead of stun guns, enhanced awareness of and training to humanely deal with people with mental illness, and psychological assessments of prospective officers prior to employment.