The partnership brings together higher education, public libraries and law enforcement in a collaborative effort designed to strengthen critical thinking and informed decision-making.
Source: NMSU Newsroom
By Tatiana Favela
Photo: Courtesy
New Mexico State University Library is partnering with the Las Cruces Public Libraries and the Las Cruces Police Department to launch a professional development initiative focused on information literacy and artificial intelligence, equipping law enforcement personnel with skills to evaluate information, interpret data and navigate emerging technologies in their daily work.
The partnership brings together higher education, public libraries and law enforcement in a collaborative effort designed to strengthen critical thinking and informed decision-making. Over the coming year, NMSU librarians Erin Wahl and Leslie Ross will lead a series of educational sessions exploring information literacy, data interpretation and the responsible use of artificial intelligence for LCPD leadership.
“AI has fundamentally changed how information is created, shared and evaluated,” Ross said. “The framework used to teach information literacy in higher education will be directly applied to AI literacy to help participants understand how AI tools shape the information they encounter every day.”
Wahl said the program also represents an opportunity to provide meaningful professional development while exploring an innovative approach to community partnership.
“This is professional development at a grassroots level – an opportunity to work with LCPD to train not just today’s officers but foster future leaders in the department,” Wahl said. “We haven’t seen anything in the literature that describes this type of collaboration. This is an opportunity for Las Cruces to be part of something innovative that can have positive results for LCPD officers and the larger community.”
The initiative reflects a growing need for professionals across industries to understand how information is created, shared and evaluated. In law enforcement, where officers regularly collect, analyze and communicate information, those skills are increasingly important for effective decision-making, public communication and community trust.
According to LCPD leaders, information literacy has become an essential professional competency as officers at every rank encounter artificial intelligence and digital information tools in their work. Strengthening those skills can help personnel critically evaluate information, communicate more effectively and make informed decisions.
“This partnership is important for several reasons,” said Jeremy Story, chief of the Las Cruces Police Department. “Effective leaders understand that growth and learning must be continuous. Through this partnership with NMSU, our department can leverage an outstanding local resource to develop our personnel’s knowledge and skills further. Information literacy is especially important in policing because we routinely collect, analyze, interpret and communicate data and information. The ability to evaluate information critically and use it responsibly is essential to making sound decisions, serving our community effectively and maintaining public trust.”
Beyond classroom instruction, the partnership connects participants with library resources that support continued learning and professional development. Las Cruces Public Libraries will help provide access to course materials and other educational resources throughout the program.
“We are excited to partner with LCPD and NMSU to demonstrate the importance of lifelong learning,” said Sarah Booth, deputy director of Las Cruces Public Libraries. “These materials will be available to LCPD for this course and will then be available to the public as e-books through the Libby app.”
For NMSU Library leaders, the initiative represents an opportunity to strengthen ties among local institutions while investing in the long-term success of the community.
“It was important for NMSU Library to build this partnership because it brings together three local institutions that share a commitment to community success,” said Kevin Comerford, dean of NMSU Library. “By collaborating with LCPD and Las Cruces Public Libraries, we’re able to support officers with important information literacy training while strengthening connections between campus, the city and the regional community.”
Organizers believe the initiative may serve as a model for future collaborations between libraries and law enforcement agencies. While libraries have long partnered with schools, nonprofits and community organizations, opportunities for librarians to provide information literacy and artificial intelligence training within law enforcement settings remain relatively unexplored.
“We wanted to develop this program because we have not seen other libraries offering this type of training in this format,” Wahl said. “As the world changes, opportunities to refresh our training and knowledge are valuable. We see real potential to continue working with LCPD and Las Cruces Public Libraries to bring these experiences to officers and strengthen our community.”
The partnership underscores a shared commitment among NMSU, Las Cruces Public Libraries and LCPD to professional development, lifelong learning and innovative community partnerships that address evolving workforce needs.
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