Overview

Albuquerque operates under a mayor–council system of government, established in its 1917 charter and transitioning to its current form in 1974. The executive branch is led by the Mayor, supported by a city administration, while legislative power resides with a nine-member City Council representing separate geographic districts.

Executive Branch

The Mayor of Albuquerque is the chief executive officer, elected to four-year terms. Responsibilities include submitting the annual city budget (typically due by April 1), implementing city ordinances, and overseeing day-to-day operations. In recent years, the mayor’s office has prioritized expanding mental‑health crisis services, infrastructure improvements, and public safety reform.

Legislative Branch

The Albuquerque City Council consists of nine part-time councilors elected from distinct districts. It passes ordinances, approves the budget, authorizes contracts, and holds committee meetings covering finance, planning, public safety, and intergovernmental relations.

Public Safety & Services

Public safety is managed by multiple departments:

• Albuquerque Police Department (APD): the city’s primary law enforcement agency, with approximately 1,000 sworn officers and operating under a federal consent decree to reform use-of-force policies.
• Albuquerque Community Safety (ACS): a civilian-led responder team for nonviolent mental-health and substance-use crises, operating alongside APD to reduce unnecessary police involvement.
• Albuquerque Fire Rescue: the fire and emergency medical services department, with 22 stations and over 700 staff, also handling hazardous-material and technical rescues.

Other Key Departments

The city maintains numerous departments, including public transit (ABQ RIDE), cultural services, planning & zoning, water utility, solid waste management, parks & recreation, animal welfare, technology & innovation, and aviation services. These are managed by department heads, overseen by city administration, and coordinated via the centralized 311 Community Contact Center.