RECOGNIZING AND CONGRATULATING PARTICIPANTS IN "OPERATION AVALANCHE", A COMBINED AND COORDINATED FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORT IN TAOS COUNTY.

WHEREAS, drug law violations have been a serious problem in Taos county; and

WHEREAS, to respond to the illicit activities of persons buying and selling drugs, a coordinated and combined law enforcement effort was planned and implemented over a period of more than sixteen months, culminating in the arrests of law violators and a reduction in the crime rate of sixty-five percent; and

WHEREAS, law enforcement personnel often worked eighteen to twenty hours a day, accruing a total of more than one thousand six hundred overtime hours in bringing Operation Avalanche to its successful conclusion; and

WHEREAS, Operation Avalanche demonstrated the willingness and ability of various local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to work together and succeed in making arrests of dangerous criminals; and

WHEREAS, both the participating agencies and the individuals deserve recognition by, congratulations from and the sincere thanks of the citizens of the state; and

WHEREAS, the senate of New Mexico is an appropriate body to speak for the state's citizens;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the following persons and organizations be recognized for their participation in Operation Avalanche and be congratulated on their achievements in making Taos county a safer and more desirable place to live:

A. special agents J. D. Shelton and Matthew McCullough of the federal bureau of investigation;

B. special agent Mike Webster of the federal drug enforcement administration;

C. Donald Gallegos, district attorney for the eighth judicial district;

D. the special investigations division of the state police and the state police officers of region 3;

E. the sheriffs and their deputies of the Taos and Santa Fe sheriffs' departments;

F. chief Frank Gallegos and sergeant Chris Oskins of the Questa police department; and

G. the police departments of the cities of Taos, Santa Fe, Espanola and Los Alamos; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to each of the organizations and persons named.