HOUSE BILL 508

48th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2007

INTRODUCED BY

Thomas C. Taylor

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY; CREATING A UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM; REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO COMPILE STATISTICAL DATA ON CRIME INCIDENT AND ARREST REPORTS STATEWIDE; REQUIRING LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO SUBMIT CRIME INCIDENT INFORMATION TO THE DEPARTMENT.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. UNIFORM CRIME REPORTING SYSTEM ESTABLISHED--DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT.--

          A. The department of public safety shall develop, operate and maintain a uniform crime reporting system and shall be the central repository for the collection, storage, retrieval and analysis of crime incident and arrest reports generated by all law enforcement agencies in this state. The system shall be operational as of January 1, 2008.

          B. The department shall:

                (1) compile statistical data and forward such data as required to the federal bureau of investigation or the appropriate department of justice agency in accordance with standards and procedures of the national system;

                (2) provide forms, standards and procedures and related training to state and local law enforcement agencies as necessary for the agencies to report incident and arrest activity for inclusion in the statewide system;

                (3) annually publish a report on the nature and extent of crime in New Mexico and submit the report to the governor and to the legislature;

                (4) maintain the privacy and security of information in accordance with applicable state and federal laws; and

                (5) establish rules as necessary to implement the provisions of this section.

          C. Every law enforcement agency in the state shall:

                (1) submit crime incident reports to the department of public safety on forms or in the format prescribed by the department; and

                (2) submit any other crime incident information as may be required by the department of public safety.

          D. The annual report and other statistical data reports generated by the department shall be made available to state and local law enforcement agencies and the general public.

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