Bernalillo County, NM Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

Section 58-12 is the "Penalty and prohibited conduct" section of the Park and Recreation Facilities article. Subsection (a) makes any violation of the article's prohibited-conduct list punishable under the Code's general Section 1-6 penalty except where otherwise stated. Subsection (b)(20) states the specific rule: urinating or defecating anywhere in a park or recreation facility is banned outside a plumbing fixture or chemical toilet placed there for that purpose. Enforcement is split under Section 58-6: the parks and recreation department is responsible for enforcing the article's rules where its employees have authority, posting rule signage, and notifying the sheriff's office when a violation exceeds staff authority or needs law-enforcement response; the sheriff's office responds to those requests; and the county manager may contract with a law enforcement agency or security service for dedicated park patrol.

Section 58-8 exempts county employees and elected officials, county-manager-authorized volunteers, emergency responders, and law enforcement or animal control officers acting within the scope of their duties, along with the service, emergency and law-enforcement vehicles they use, from the article's prohibited-conduct provisions while on duty. The prohibition sits alongside a related but separate rule at Section 58-12(b)(10)(d), which bars allowing an animal to urinate or defecate in a park pool, fountain or body of water, showing the Code addresses human and animal waste in the parks system as distinct offenses.