Eyewitness Identification Reform in New Mexico
In 2019, New Mexico passed a law that requires all agencies that conduct eyewitness identification procedures to adopt written policies for eyewitness identification procedures by January 1, 2020, and to provide their written policies to the Secretary of Public Safety no later than February 1, 2020. Law enforcement agencies must adopt policies that include: blind administration, proper instructions; proper fillers, and confidence statements. The law provides that the Secretary of Public Safety shall create and conduct training programs for law enforcement officers on eyewitness identification procedures. Additionally, law enforcement agencies will be required to biennially review their eyewitness identification policies to incorporate new scientifically-supported protocols. Effective: January 2020.