Las Cruces, NM Mobility & Curb Rules: Red-Light Cameras (2026)

STOP is enacted as a civil nuisance-abatement article, not a criminal traffic code, with the city council declaring in Sec. 2 that red light violations are a nuisance causing serious injury and that state law penalties are inadequate to address it. A camera or speed device (CSD) captures evidence, a police officer reviews it, and if a violation is confirmed, a STOP fine notification is mailed to the vehicle's registered owner, who is strictly and vicariously liable unless a listed defense applies. 00 fine, file an owner's affidavit nominating the actual driver, or request a hearing before a hearing officer appointed by the presiding judge of the district court's civil division.

00 penalty. Available defenses include the vehicle being stolen (with a police report), a completed sale before the violation, insufficient evidence, or identifying the actual driver via nomination. A hearing officer's decision can be appealed to the Third Judicial District Court within 30 days under Rule 1-074. This is distinct from a criminal citation: an officer who personally witnesses a violation in real time can still issue an ordinary traffic citation instead, since STOP doesn't limit that existing enforcement authority. All revenue collected goes to the police department and traffic engineering department for service enhancement and public safety.