Education
Graduate of Las Cruces High School, Graduate of 17th Las Cruces Police Academy
Campaign Phone
575-639-1556
Occupation
retired law enforcement/working part-time for B and G Automotive, B and G Total Alignment
Filing County
Dona Ana
mailingaddress
PO BOX 2159
mailingcity
MESILLA PARK
mailingzip
88047
mailingstate
NM
I graduated from the 17th Las Cruces Police Academy in 1985 and became a certified Law Enforcement Officer for NM. In my 31 plus years of law enforcement, I worked for the City of Las Cruces, The State of NM and the Dona Ana County sheriff's Office. I was appointed by the Board of County Commissioners in 2005 and became the Dona Ana County Sheriff when Sheriff Juan Hernandez stepped down due to illness. After completing his term, I ran for the Office of Sheriff, in Dona Ana County and was elected Sheriff by the county residents for two more terms. I completed, nine years and eleven months as the Dona Ana County Sheriff, retiring in December of 2014.
That is a decision I would have to make after becoming the Sheriff of Dona Ana County. I would evaluate the Office at that time and make changes if required.
I see the need to restore relationship within the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office and its employees. After working on the restoration and morale within, I would work on restoring relationship with all law enforcement agencies within the county. I believe these to be two very important issues, to ensure the best service and professional working relationship for all the residents of Dona Ana County.
I would address these issues by working with all the employees of the Sheriff's Office to obtain their confidence, better define our goals and objectives, work on professionalism within the Office, to bring the best service to the community and its law enforcement. The Sheriff's Office must be willing to obtain community buy in on what those needs are. Looking for better ways to connect and work with the community and servre as professionals.
As law enforcement learns more about mental health issues, we will train and serve as best we can. As Sheriff, I will work with our state and local law makers regarding mental health issues, and look to provide the best up to date training possible for all involved.
As the Sheriff, I would expect the Office to uphold the laws and treat everyone fairly as our constitution provides. I would work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement as I would any other law enforcement agency, professionally.
Education
Masters Degree Criminal Justice Administration/Advanced Leadership Development/Law Enforcement Executive Program
Campaign Phone
575-323-0622
Occupation
Law Enforcement/Military Senior Enlisted Leader
Filing County
Dona Ana
mailingaddress
2855 MADDOX LOOP
mailingcity
LAS CRUCES
mailingzip
88011
mailingstate
NM
I bring a proven record of chief executive-level leadership, backed by more than two decades of combined law enforcement and military service. As a combat veteran and former Police Chief, I led my agency to become the #1 Safest City in New Mexico (2025). I’ve managed multi-million-dollar budgets, revised policies and procedures, and improved accountability across organizations. I serve on key criminal justice boards, bringing a collaborative, system-wide approach to public safety. As a domestic violence and mental health instructor, I’ve trained others to respond with both professionalism and compassion, ensuring our approach to public safety reflects the realities and trends our communities face.
My focus would be on strengthening accountability, communication, and public trust. I would ensure clear expectations and consistent accountability at every level. Leadership must be responsible for outcomes, not just activity. I would improve communication and coordination within the agency and with partner organizations. Public safety is strongest when law enforcement, the courts, and community partners work together effectively. I would continue strengthening training, policies, and professional development. We need to continuously ensure deputies and staff have the tools and training they need to succeed and so they can provide quality services to our community.
Communities expect transparency, professionalism, and fair, consistent policing. That means strong policies, and clear oversight. We’re seeing an increase in complex calls for service, especially involving mental health crisis and juvenile crime. These situations require more than a traditional law enforcement response. I know the importance of training deputies to respond with both skill and compassion, while also strengthening partnerships with community-based services. Interagency collaboration is also essential. Public safety doesn’t happen in a silo. We need strong partnerships with local law enforcement, legislators, courts, behavioral health providers, and community organizations to create real, lasting solutions.
We address this by turning priorities into action and strengthen transparency through clear policies, consistent supervision, and accessible public data. Accountability must be built into the culture. We expand training and partnerships to better respond to mental health and other complex calls, including co-responder models and stronger coordination with service providers. We also formalize interagency collaboration by regularly bringing together all stakeholders to align efforts and close gaps. Investing in our deputies, ensuring they are trained, supported, and equipped to serve effectively is also critical. This is how we deliver real, lasting public safety solutions for our community.
Officers should receive ongoing crisis intervention training (CIT) to recognize and safely respond to mental health crises. This includes de-escalation techniques, active listening, and identifying signs of mental illness or emotional distress. Trauma-informed policing is also important so officers understand how past experiences can influence behavior. Scenario-based training helps officers practice real-world responses in a controlled setting. They should also learn how to connect individuals to appropriate mental health resources instead of relying only on enforcement. Collaboration with mental health professionals and crisis teams should be included. Regular refresher training is essential to ensure skills remain current and effective.
Under a county sheriff’s perspective focused on local public safety, the key principle is keeping responsibilities clearly defined at the local level. A sheriff’s office is primarily tasked with enforcing state and local laws and maintaining trust with the entire community it serves. From that standpoint, involvement with federal immigration enforcement like ICE should be limited and strictly guided by law, not expanded into routine local policing. When local agencies become involved in immigration enforcement, it can create fear in communities, making victims and witnesses less likely to report crime or cooperate with investigations. That can undermine overall public safety.
