Update!

The State Police Impact operation has to date netted the following results:

-13 “Operations” conducted since November 9, 2006
-17 Arrests (7 Felony, 10 Misdemeanors)
-5 Recovered Stolen Vehicles
-1 Recovered Stolen Camper
-1 Seized Firearm
-1.5 lbs. Marijuana Seized
-3 grams Cocaine Seized
-3 grams Meth Seized
-2 Search Warrants Served
Our sincere thanks for their continuing vigilance.

Robert Shilling reported the following:
"We are continuing to receive good information and intelligence. Please advise all the folks to keep the calls coming with respect to suspicious activity, residences and vehicles! 841-9218…P.S. License plate numbers and house descriptions are VERY helpful!!!!"

He further passed on the following reminder:
"In an effort to impact crime in the area, including dangerous and/or illegal driving, the State Police will randomly conduct DAYLIGHT Driver’s License, Registration, and Insurance compliance roadblocks.
The New Year is a good reminder for the residents to check out their vehicles and make sure everything is current and up to date. Don’t forget to check your driver’s license!"

To date, we have a total of 75 people registered for the Refuse to Be A Victim class which will be held on Jan 27th as listed on the Meadow Lake Residents Association website.
Those of you with Internet access, are welcome to check out the online version of this course.

Reminder:
Next regular meeting will be held on Jan 13 2007

Meadow Lake still making Headlines

Here are some Excerpts:

There are places in Valencia County where homes are protected by barbed wire, businesses' doors and windows are covered with wrought iron and residents don't go out at night.
Belen ranks No. 1 in property crime.Nationally, Los Lunas is in the top 1 percent in violent crime, and Belen is in the top 4 percent for cities their size.
Police say drugs, gangs and criminals from Albuquerque seeking refuge in rural areas are fueling the problem.

"There is more than just a sense that there are more bad guys than good guys. It is a reality in Valencia County," said State Police Lt. Robert Shilling. "Hats off to Albuquerque. They have done a good job at addressing their crime problem. But the reality is they have not squashed it. They have just moved it."

Det. Steve Flores, one of two officers in Valencia County who investigates narcotics full time, said the drugs are also coming from Albuquerque gang members."Before I came here, drugs were running rampant. No one was working it," he said. "The second day on the job, I seized 60 pounds of marijuana. There is plenty of work here."

In the midst of it all are residents like Bill and Rosemary Lebrecht. The couple lives in a nice one-story home on two acres in Meadow Lake.Their home is well kept, the house is graffiti-free and they take pride in their community.But they are surrounded by burned trailers. The never go on extended vacations, and every time they leave, they lock their driveway with a large farm fence.At night? "We never go out," Rosemary Lebrecht said.

Last month, the impact team conducted a special operation in Meadow Lake, seized a significant amount of narcotics and arrested four people who had warrants in Bernalillo County.
Lt. Shilling said, "Crime prevention doesn't start with law enforcement. It starts with citizens not wanting crime in their neighborhood."

This is precisely why the Meadow Lake Residents Association was formed.
We, the Meadow Lake residents, are like minded citizens united in a common goal. In unity, there is strength and together we plan to restore our community so that it will again be considered:
"Safe, Beautiful and a Desirous place to live".


The full article article can be found here:
http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/67453-12-16-06.html

Snow - Snow - Snow

Mother nature is getting ready for Santa in Meadow Lake

Los Lunas Mew Mexico

Click on the links for Full size pictures

TopLeft ..... TopRight

BottomLeft ..... BottomCenter ..... BottomRight

Meadow Lake begins work on crime and cleanup.

Here are some highlights from our last meeting held on 12-09-2006:

The Directors of the Meadow Lake Residents Association are taking their concerns before the county commission, law enforcement agencies, judges and the governor. We've made contact with newly elected State Rep. Andrew Barreras and newly elected County Commissioner David Medina, and they've promised to help us with our efforts.

Sam Aragon offered a special thanks to Cyndi Sluder of Tierra Bonita, the county's Keep New Mexico Beautiful agency for procuring dumpsters for us to help in the continuing effort to clean up our community.

Rosemary Lebrecht explained that the association dues have been established at $5.00 per month per family for those that can afford it. These dues are needed to help cover association costs.

Joe Morse was asked to organize three committees at the meeting, and residents were asked to sign up and volunteer to work on them immediately.
The three committees will focus on trash and weeds, a Neighborhood Watch program and an abatement program to get burned-out mobile homes removed.

State Police Sgt. Andy Baldridge explained that he is stationed in Los Lunas and understands that the residents of Meadow Lake have been having problems.
"I'll be one of your primary points of contact, and one of my specialties is community policing," Sgt. Andy Baldridge said. "We're committed to doing as much as we can, and when we're not on other calls, we are specifically detailed to come out here and spend as much time in the area as we can." "The police, are a tool, but we're not the answer to the problems out here," Baldridge said. "We want to educate you guys and give you more tools on how to deal with these things."

Sheriff's Deputy Jorge Trujillo talked a little about the Neighborhood Watch program the residents can organize and said they will start at the first of the year to get those established.
"The best weapon you can have is a pair of binoculars, not a gun or a knife," Trujillo said. The long process of removing abandoned or burned-out buildings was spelled out, and John Mirabal,
county code enforcement officer, and Tony Savilla, an abatemant officer for the county, took residents through the 12 steps that have to be taken.

We also received an education of the trials and tribulations of a 911 operator thanks to the great insight Faye Mitchell shared with us.

An association Web site was created by Bob Gostischa and is now in place. The association's e-mail and blog, which were set up earlier, can all be reached by visiting: http://mlra.newmexico.googlepages.com/
"It's the quickest way to find out what's going on between meetings," Bob Gostischa said.

In closing, Sam Aragon emphasized: "We don't have to live like this. We formed the association to revitalize Meadow Lake and bring it back to what it used to be."

Jackie Schlotfeldt of the Valencia County News-Bulletin has done an excellent job of writing up the complete minutes of our last meeting. Their newspaper is an excellent way to stay up-to-date with local news.

The next meeting of the Meadow Lake Residents Association will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at the community center.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays And A Happy New YearTo All The Meadow Lake Residents

An Early Holiday Surprise.

Mother Nature surprised us today with a little reminder that winter isn't far away.
Since we only have just over 25 days till Christmas, this should get every one into

the holiday spirit!
You can see the full size image HERE . Remember, the next scheduled meeting is on Saturday, December 9th at 10 AM.

Visit our Website

Meadow Lake Community Center Cleanup.

Saturday was cleanup day at the Meadow Lake Community Center.

Some of the members of the Meadow Lake Residents Association got together on

Sat. 11-18-06 for the start of the Community Center's cleanup campaign.

It was truly amazing to see the drastic change that occurred in just a short amount of time.

When people work together, the effort seems minimal and the rewards are truly magnified. Hopefully every one is able to see the small Slide Show I've put together.

Unfortunately the day didn't start of as we had hoped.

Apparently some Vandals had gotten to the center sometime during the night.

I'm sure this issue will be covered more fully at our next regular meeting on Dec. 9, 2006.

We Are Here To Stay!

The Meadow Lake Residents' Association isn't going away.

That was the very clear message sent at last Saturday's meeting. One of the association founders, Rosemary Lebrecht, said she felt it was only fair that the group contact the governor.
"We sent him a letter," she said. "We got a letter back stating that our information had been forwarded to the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. I contacted his office again, and we're now on a three-page list of people who want to see him. This will take time, and we will keep going."
Several law enforcement officers were on hand at the meeting to update the association and the gathered citizens on what steps they would be taking to increase police presence in Meadow Lake.
New Mexico state police Sgt. Pat Garrett said either he or officer Randy Baldridge would be at the association's monthly meetings from now on. "We are both familiar with the problems here," he said. "We will work to assist you with the limited resources we have."
Garrett said he has sent e-mails to all uniformed officers who patrol the area and asked them to hit Meadow Lake and El Cerro harder. "We know these are areas of concern," he said.
According to Garrett, state police will also be stepping up speed enforcement, setting up a field sobriety checkpoint in the Meadow Lake area on Nov. 17 and trying to serve arrest warrants on wanted individuals living in or known to frequent the area.
Garrett also said the state police would be meeting with the Valencia County sheriff's department. "We can't do this alone," he said.
Garrett said he had been told that many citizens hesitate to call law enforcement for fear of retaliation. "You can remain anonymous," he said. "You can go through Samuel (Aragon) with a sealed letter. You don't have to tell us exactly where you live. Just give us the area. We're not going to send officers to your house so everyone knows you called us."
An operational plan will be developed to address problems and issues in Meadow Lake, he said. "We have nine officers and two sergeants," he said. "We will work on prioritizing your area to address these issues."
Valencia County Undersheriff Bill Martinez apologized for missing the meeting last month. "I'm sure you've had questions and concerns on your minds for the umpteenth time," he said.
One woman took the opportunity to speak her mind. "I've lived here for 20 years," she said. "Drug dealers and illegal aliens have moved in ... I've called the sheriff's department and, before they can get here, everything is gone.
"I called the DEA and the FBI and told them, 'don't call the sheriff's department until you're on site.' They caught the guy. Think about what I'm saying."
Martinez asked if what she was saying is that somebody is tipping criminals off. Marsh indicated she was. "Unfortunately, that's not new to me," he said. "We are trying to look at ourselves internally and trying to work on the issue. You are not the first person who has told me that."
One man in the audience voiced concern over the non-emergency dispatchers for the sheriff's department. "Please don't tell me I'm not a priority," he said.
Martinez said the county is in the final stages of getting a regional dispatch center set up.
The center will handle calls not only from the county but Los Lunas, Belen and Bosque Farms as well. "It will be one centralized center," he said. "It will have more resources, and hopefully, the people who take the calls will be more professional."
An audience member asked if the location of sobriety checkpoints had to be advertised in the newspaper. Martinez said they did. "As the sheriff's department, we usually say Valencia County," he said. Garrett said they are required to give the general area and date of the checkpoints.
Martinez was asked if the sheriff's department has a gang unit. He said it does, but it is a small one. An audience member wanted to know how many deputies are on duty between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. "That's when most of the problems happen up here," he said.
The department has two 12-hour shifts in a 24-hour period, Martinez said, and, in that time, there are four to five officers on duty.
A temporary substation in Meadow Lake was brought up again. Martinez pointed out that the department has a substation in El Cerro. "Very often it isn't manned," he said. "We don't have the resources."
Martinez said the department recently received $10,000 to implement a tactical plan focusing on Meadow Lake. "To improve the quality of life, we have to improve public safety," he said. "I'm going to go out on a limb and promise you will see a marked improvement."
Lt. Robert Shilling, a detective with the state police, said Meadow Lake has been on his radar for a long time. Shilling said his agency is planning what is called an "impact" on the area. "We dedicate full-time detectives and narcotics agents, and the sole purpose is to improve the quality of life in an area," he said. "We also ask local agencies to get involved if they have the resources."
Shilling said the primary purpose of the impact would be gang issues. "We will be identifying gang members and putting the pressure on them," he said. Shilling went on to say the state police is prepared to dedicate anywhere from $40,000 to $70,000 over the next fiscal year to impacting violent crimes in the Meadow Lake area.
"We need information," he said. "I'll have a dedicated phone number for the impact team next month, but until then you can call me at my office." Shilling's number is (505) 841-9218.
He said if he wasn't available, to leave a message and he would get back in touch. "If you want to wait until the middle of the night and leave an anonymous voicemail, go ahead," he said. "Just get us the information."
Shilling volunteered to present the Refuse to Be a Victim program to the association. "It starts with you saying you won't be a victim," he said. "I would love to give this program here." Another association founder, Bill Lebrecht, asked Shilling to present the workshop, and he agreed.
Any individual interested in attending the workshop can contact Lebrecht at 306-1549. The workshop will be held Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Meadow Lake community center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. "Everybody bring a lunch," Lebrecht said.
The next two meetings of the Meadow Lake Neighborhood Association will be held on Saturday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Jan. 13, at the community center. Both meetings will start at 10 a.m.

All are welcome.

Thanks to Julia M. Dendinger News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jdendinger@news-bulletin.com for the excellent minutes of our first official meeting.
http://www.news-bulletin.com/news/66657-11-15-06.html