“The New Mexico Department of Public Safety mourns the passing of Ruidoso Downs Police Chief Mark Collins Hargrove on January 27, 2026. Chief Hargrove served New Mexico with distinction for decades, including leadership roles spanning municipal policing and county...
DPS Press Releases
‘A second chance’: Expungement Unit services New Mexicans looking to seal records
Imagine getting a second chance in life. A chance to start over if you will. That’s probably the most fulfilling part of the job at the Expungement Unit of the Law Enforcement Records Bureau of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety according to their management...
New dedicated team at New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy strengthens statewide law enforcement training, compliance: Use of ACADIS ensures complete, accurate, career-long record
There’s a new team at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy. That three-member team led by Katie Reimann, now powers New Mexico’s statewide system of training records, certifications, credentials, and employment history for all officers and dispatchers. The team uses...
‘Hearing them out’: Active-listening; remaining calm, keys to crisis and hostage negotiation; class held at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy in December
When it comes to crisis and hostage negotiation for law enforcement, it takes a team. “I believe that it’s a team effort, no one person is responsible for a win or loss in a negotiation,” said Kimberlee Thetford, a 13-year peace officer for the Lubbock Police...
Officer Survival – a culmination of training for law enforcement in New Mexico
Cadets prepare for "Officer Survival" training. The pinnacle of Basic Police Officer Training at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy is 3-days known as “Officer Survival.” This part of the course is composed of reality-based scenario and de-escalation...
New Mexico Department of Public Safety partners with CNM to develop cutting-edge legal training for police officers
Officers attending New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy will complete required criminal and civil legal training with a newly developed curriculum featuring modernized learning techniques The New Mexico Department of Public Safety and several Central New Mexico...
Fitness, not just a requirement for Basic Police Officer Training- a ‘lifestyle’ for the future
For aspiring cadets selected to attend the Basic Police Officer Training at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, health and fitness is not just a requirement it is a commitment for life. These local, state and tribal law enforcement selectees in New Mexico both...
Internal affairs training continues to aid ‘agency legitimacy and community trust’ for New Mexico’s law enforcement
Agency legitimacy and community trust – these are the pillars of a strong law enforcement agency. In order to maintain these pillars, it’s imperative that law enforcement have a strong internal affairs department, per George Perez, lead instructor for the recent...
‘Having their back’: Forensic Law Clerks manage subpoenas, scheduling pre-trial interviews, much more, allowing forensic scientists to focus on casework
Serving 300 law enforcement agencies and 13 judicial district courts in the state along with federal prosecutors, it’s no wonder the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Forensic Laboratory recently hired two law clerks to respond, track and manage subpoenas,...
‘One piece of the puzzle’: New Mexico Department of Public Safety Hobbs Forensic Laboratory ‘quietly’ meeting their mission of analyzing evidence
Their building is unlabeled. They quietly determine scientific objective results behind the scenes. They don’t want recognition. They take pride in their work. This describes the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Hobbs Forensic Laboratory. Meet the Hobbs Forensic...