New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham holds public safety town hall in Las Cruces

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Hundreds of southern New Mexico residents attended a public safety town hall hosted by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in Las Cruses Thursday afternoon. ABC-7 livestreamed the event:

“Ensuring the safety and security of every New Mexican remains my top priority,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham in a statement earlier in the week announcing the event. “The town hall in Las Cruces this Thursday is an opportunity to hear directly from New Mexicans grappling with the state's crime problem and collaborate as a community on effective strategies to enhance public safety statewide.”

Topics discussed during the town hall included the issues with fentanyl, crime and homelessness. Gov. Lujan Grisham allowed everyone to share their comments and concerns. Gov. Lujan Grisham talked about treatment services for drug addicts and mentally ill residents but also stressed the importance of holding criminals accountable for their crimes.

Gov. Lujan Grisham was receptive to all comments, even when residents expressed disappointment in some of the decisions she has made. The governor offered solutions to some residents, for others with more complex concerns she promised to personally follow up with them.

Gov. Lujan Grisham will be hosting a series of town halls on public safety around the state. The governor had called a special legislative session focused on such issues earlier this month, listing 8 top priorities to be addressed in a proclamation.

The session lasted less than a day with one bill passed. Gov. Lujan Grisham called the lack of results of the session "one of the most disappointing days of my career" in a statement.