New Mexico State Police | |
---|---|
Abbreviation | NMSP |
Agency overview | |
Formed | February 15, 1905 |
Preceding agencies |
|
Jurisdictional structure | |
Operations jurisdiction | New Mexico, United States |
Size | 121,665 square miles (315,110 km2) |
Population | 1,969,915 (2007 est.) [1] |
Legal jurisdiction | New Mexico |
General nature | |
Operational structure | |
Headquarters | Santa Fe, New Mexico |
State Police Officers | 671 State Police Officers (authorised, as of 2021) [2] |
Civilian Members | 141 Civilian Members (as of 2014) [3] |
Agency executive |
|
Parent agency | New Mexico Department of Public Safety |
Website | |
NMSP Website |
The New Mexico State Police (NMSP) is the law enforcement agency of the U.S. state of New Mexico. Administered by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, it has jurisdiction anywhere in the state, often working in tandem with local and federal law enforcement. Founded in 1905, NMSP's official mission is to protect the lives, property and constitutional rights of the people of New Mexico. [5]
During World War I, national security became a great concern, particularly in border states like New Mexico. The mounted police were reactivated and kept the border with Mexico secure, as well as provided general law enforcement services. For the next several years, the mounted police gained quite a reputation as an effective and professional police force, much to the disdain of the state's lawbreakers, who often had strong political ties in Santa Fe. Finally, on February 15, 1921, almost sixteen years after its inception, the New Mexico Mounted Police was abolished. In 1937, it was resurrected once again as a volunteer police organization. In 1941, New Mexico Governor John E. Miles made the volunteer police organization an official state law enforcement agency as it stands today called the New Mexico Mounted Patrol. [6]
The advent of the automobile again highlighted the need for a statewide law enforcement agency. No other police force had jurisdictional authority to enforce laws throughout the state. In 1933, the New Mexico Motor Patrol was established, primarily to enforce traffic laws. The patrol had a civilian oversight board consisting of Governor Arthur Seligman, Attorney General E.K. Neumann, and Highway Engineer Glenn D. Macy. The state of Texas had recently created their own motor patrol, and they detailed Captain Homer Garrison to conduct the first New Mexico Motor Patrol recruit school at St. Michael's College in Santa Fe. 135 men applied for the school, eighteen were selected to attend, and ten were finally chosen and commissioned as the first motor patrol officers. Each officer was issued a Harley Davidson motorcycle with siren, red light, and other accessories. One of the ten graduates, Earl Irish, was appointed as the Chief and was given a monthly salary of $150; Patrolmen made $125 monthly. Officers were allowed $10 per month to maintain their uniforms.
The Motor Patrol proved to be a great success and within a few months of its existence, had generated more than enough revenue to fund itself. A radio broadcasting system was set up that depended on a commercial radio station, KOB, in Albuquerque. Every week, officers would wire law enforcement matters to be disseminated to the chief in Santa Fe, who would see that KOB broadcast the information twice each day, except Sunday. In this way, motor patrol officers communicated information to each other such as descriptions of wanted suspects and stolen goods.
By 1935, the need to expand the authority and responsibility of the motor patrol was widely recognized. The Twelfth State Legislature changed the name of the organization to the New Mexico State Police and gave its officers full police powers to enforce all laws of the state and complete statewide jurisdiction. The authorized strength was raised to 30 officers; the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, and captain were added; and salaries were increased. The uniform adopted in 1936 is still in use today, with the exception of the riding breeches and boots favored by motorcycle officers.
The service pistol of the NMSP was the Smith & Wesson .357, S&W 45, Glock 22 in .40 caliber, Glock 31 in .357 caliber until 2013 when they converted to the Smith & Wesson M&P in 9mm. [7]
The New Mexico State Police is under the command of the Chief of the State Police. The Chief is appointed by the Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, with the approval of the New Mexico State Senate. The Chief is assisted by two Deputy Chiefs. The Chief and Deputy Chiefs supervise a command staff of five Police Majors who serve as the Bureau Commanders of the State Police.
The Chief serves as the Deputy Secretary of Operations for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety, the Department's third highest-ranking member.
Title | Insignia |
---|---|
Superintendent | |
Assistant Superintendent | |
Major | |
Captain | |
Lieutenant | |
Sergeant | |
Senior Patrolman | NM SP |
Patrolman | NM SP |
NMSP is headquartered with the New Mexico Department of Public Safety at 4491 Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe, NM; this location also hosts the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy.
For operational purposes, the State Police divide New Mexico into 12 distinct Districts. Each district has a main office with a commanding officer who oversees day-to-day operations.
On July 1, 2015, the Motor Transportation Police Division (MTD) and the Special Investigation Division (SID) were merged within the State Police Division per the legislative action. Officers and Agents are now commissioned as New Mexico State Police officers and were removed from the state's employee classified system into the exempt system. The State Police is currently in the process to figure the most efficient and fiscally responsible way to implement uniform, vehicle and policy changes for all commissioned officers. As of November 2015, the decision to change all DPS vehicles and uniforms to match the current State Police identity was issued by the chief. Larger districts such as Albuquerque and Las Cruces will see cars, uniforms and badges issued out to the field first.
As of early 2017 all uniforms, badges and most vehicles (older higher mileage units being phased out) have been replaced with the traditional New Mexico State Police identity.
All commissioned New Mexico State Police Officers are vested with full statewide criminal, traffic and other duties as delegated by New Mexico Statutes. The most common State Police officers that the public observe on a day-to-day basis are officers from the Uniform Bureau. NMSP has three distinct Bureaus each responsible for the overall NMSP mission but serve different capacities in the carrying out of the goals of the department. The Uniform Bureau is responsible for patrol related activities such as answering calls for service, traffic enforcement and many other field related duties.
The Investigations Bureau serves as the department's investigative body and can bring specialized resources and experience to more complex and felonious level crimes.
The Special Operations Bureau is responsible for tactical level type of resources and managing of internal processes to include Fleet and Special Projects. Many of the members of the different specialized teams are part time members that are activated for that particular type of mission. Some specialized teams such as TACT, EOD and K-9 have full time members that are assigned to the team.
Specialized Divisions/Bureaus of the New Mexico State Police include:
Twenty-nine officers have died in the line of duty. [8]
Officer | Date of Death | Details |
---|---|---|
Walter G. Taber | September 28, 1937 | Motorcycle crash |
Leslie Delbert Bugg | August 21, 1946 | Motorcycle crash |
William T. Speight | February 24, 1949 | Heart attack |
Nash Phillip Garcia | April 11, 1952 | Gunfire [9] |
Sgt John Carl "Jake" Ramsey | August 5, 1953 | Automobile crash |
Joe Taylor Aven, Jr | August 6, 1953 | Automobile crash |
Robert E. Lee | August 16, 1960 | Automobile crash |
Captain James Edward Clark | September 19, 1960 | Struck by train |
Bennie D. Williams | July 9, 1963 | Automobile crash |
Antonio Jaramillo | February 2, 1965 | Struck by vehicle |
Agent Robert Romero | September 30, 1967 | Automobile crash |
Robert Rosenbloom | November 8, 1971 | Gunfire |
David L. Coker | November 18, 1979 | Gunfire |
Richard Gomez | April 17, 1980 | Gunfire |
David M. Smith | August 6, 1984 | Aircraft accident |
Lowell D. Howard | August 6, 1984 | Aircraft accident |
Manuel Olivas | February 1, 1985 | Vehicular assault |
Sherman L. Toler, Jr | March 5, 1986 | Gunfire |
Wayne G. Allison | February 13, 1988 | Aircraft accident |
Glen Michael Huber | January 26, 1991 | Gunfire |
Lloyd R Aragon, Sr | August 1, 2001 | Vehicular Assault |
Ramon Robert Solis | October 19, 2001 | Aircraft accident |
Damon Talbot | October 19, 2001 | Aircraft accident |
James Andres Archuleta | June 4, 2006 | Automobile crash |
Christopher Mirabal | June 13, 2007 | Motorcycle accident |
Lt. Michael C. Avilucea | May 30, 2008 | Automobile crash |
Sgt. Andrew Francis Tingwall | June 11, 2009 | Aircraft accident |
Patrolman Darian Jarrott | February 4, 2021 | Gunfire-Murder |
Justin Hare | March 15, 2024 | Gunfire-Murder |
The Highway Patrol are specialized units part of the Highway District with the Transportation Bureau of the New York City Police Department. The Highway Patrol is primarily responsible for patrolling and maintaining traffic safety on limited-access highways within New York City. The Highway Patrol's other duties and roles include accident investigations, advanced driver and radar/laser speed enforcement training for NYPD officers, field sobriety testing at the various testing locations in each Patrol Borough, dignitary and parade escorts, hazardous material and truck traffic enforcement, anti-drag racing programs, and anti-terrorist checkpoints at key bridges and intersections in the city.
The Michigan State Police (MSP) is the state police agency for the U.S. state of Michigan. The MSP is a full-service law enforcement agency, with its sworn members having full police powers statewide.
The Fresno Police Department (FPD) is the municipal police department for Fresno, California. Their headquarters is located at 2323 Mariposa Mall. Mindy Casto is the current interim Chief of Police for the Fresno Police Department since June 13, 2024 following a scandal of Former Chief Paco Balderrama who later resigned on June 25, 2024
The Wisconsin State Patrol is the state patrol for the state of Wisconsin and is a division of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The Wisconsin State Patrol enforces traffic and criminal laws, oversees the motor carrier safety and weight facilities (SWEFs), inspects and regulates motor carriers, school buses and ambulances, and assists local law enforcement agencies with traffic safety, civil disturbances and disasters.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) is the highway patrol agency for South Carolina, which has jurisdiction anywhere in the state except for federal or military installations. The Highway Patrol was created in 1930 and is an organization with a rank structure similar to the armed forces. The mission of the South Carolina Highway Patrol includes enforcing the rules and regulations in order to ensure road way safety and reducing crime as outlined by South Carolina law. The Highway Patrol is the largest division of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety and its headquarters is located in Blythewood. This department also includes the South Carolina State Transport Police Division, and the South Carolina Bureau of Protective Services.
The Miami Police Department (MPD), also known as the City of Miami Police Department, is a full-service municipal law enforcement agency serving Miami, Florida, United States. MPD is the largest municipal police department in Florida. MPD officers are distinguishable from their Miami-Dade Police Department counterparts by their blue uniforms and blue-and-white patrol vehicles.
The Virginia State Police, officially the Virginia Department of State Police, conceived in 1919 and established in 1932, is the state police force for the U.S. state of Virginia. The agency originated out of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles as an inspector and enforcer of highway laws. It is currently one of fourteen agencies within the Cabinet Secretariat of Public Safety. On January 18, 2018, Gary T. Settle was sworn in as Superintendent of the Virginia State Police. Colonel Settle replaced retiring Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, who had served since 2003.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) is a major state law enforcement agency of the government of Oklahoma. A division of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, the OHP has traffic enforcement jurisdiction throughout the state. OHP was legislatively created on July 1, 1937, due to the growing problem of motor vehicle collisions, the expansion of highway systems, and the increase in criminal activities.
The Colorado State Patrol(CSP) (originally known as the Colorado State Highway Courtesy Patrol), based in Lakewood, Colorado, is a division of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, and is one of the official state patrol agencies of Colorado, along with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control (DFPC), and Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM). Additionally, the Executive Director's Office supports operations of the five divisions and houses the Colorado School Safety Resource Center (CSSRC) and Colorado Integrated Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS). The CSP primarily enforces traffic laws on interstates and state highways and guards the state capitol and the Governor of Colorado.
The Texas Highway Patrol is a division of the Texas Department of Public Safety and is the largest state-level law enforcement agency in the U.S. state of Texas. The patrol's primary duties are enforcement of state traffic laws and commercial vehicle regulation, but it is a fully empowered police agency with authority to enforce criminal law anywhere in the state. Also, they respond to emergencies on Texas’s highways. Highway patrol troopers are also responsible for patrolling the state Capitol Complex in Austin and providing security to the governor. The current Chief is Lieutenant Colonel Dwight Mathis.
The police departments of the University of California system are charged with providing law enforcement to each of the system's campuses.
The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is the law enforcement arm of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), tasked with enforcing laws on the state's public lands and waterways, protecting fish and wildlife, and leading search and rescue efforts. The Natural Resources Police is also the state's maritime homeland security agency.
Akron Police Department is the primary municipal law enforcement agency for the city of Akron, Ohio, United States with 451 employees. The current Police Chief is Brian Harding.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is structured into numerous bureaus and units. As a whole, the NYPD is headed by the Police Commissioner, a civilian administrator appointed by the Mayor, with the senior sworn uniformed officer of the service titled "Chief of Department". The Police Commissioner appoints the First Deputy Commissioner as the department's second-in-command and the Chief of Department as the department's highest ranking uniformed officer. The commissioner also appoints a number of deputy and assistant commissioners who do not have operational command and are solely for support and administrative function. The department is divided into twenty bureaus, six of which are enforcement bureaus. Each enforcement bureau is further subdivided into sections, divisions, and units, and into patrol boroughs, precincts, and detective squads. Each bureau is commanded by a bureau chief. There are also a number of specialized units that are not part of any of the bureaus and report to the Chief of the Department.
The Columbia Police Department (CPD) is the principal law enforcement agency serving the city of Columbia, Missouri in the United States. It protects a metropolitan population of nearly 127,000 with 187 sworn police officers.
In the United States, the state police is a police body unique to each U.S. state, having statewide authority to conduct law enforcement activities and criminal investigations. In general, state police officers or highway patrol officers, known as state troopers, perform functions that do not fall within the jurisdiction of a county’s sheriff, such as enforcing traffic laws on state highways and interstates, overseeing security of state capitol complexes, protecting governors, training new officers for local police forces too small to operate an academy and providing technological and scientific services. They also support local police and help to coordinate multi-jurisdictional task force activity in serious or complicated cases in states that grant full police powers statewide.
The New Mexico Mounted Patrol is an all-volunteer state law enforcement agency. Mounted Patrol Troopers complete an intensive night/weekend academy and must meet the same strict requirements as any peace officer in New Mexico. State statutes dictate that the governor may call the Mounted Patrol to duty in case of emergency. Unless called out by the governor, troopers assist state, county and municipal law enforcement agencies and assume the same authority as peace officers in that agency.
The Raleigh Police Department is the municipal law enforcement agency of Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office is the principal law enforcement agency that serves Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. It provides law enforcement services for the county's freeways and outlying lettered County Trunk Highways, the Milwaukee County Courthouse, the Milwaukee County Criminal Justice Facility and House of Corrections, the county-owned Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, and the Milwaukee County Parks system, including all of the Milwaukee County lakefront, along with the county's few unincorporated sections.