My Future Role

Originating in 1958, this unique program provides high-quality airborne law enforcement services, allowing us to patrol and provide support from the air. Staffed by four full-time pilots, six full-time tactical flight officers, and one highly qualified FAA mechanic, this team can deploy statewide on short notice to respond to a variety of missions including, search and rescue, airborne patrol, tactical law enforcement operations, surveillance operations, border security missions, and other complex criminal investigations.

The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement team’s mission is to promote safety on New Mexico highways by providing law enforcement traffic services to ensure the safe and legal operation of commercial motor vehicles. They work hard to prevent the introduction of illicit contraband and reduce crashes involving commercial vehicles. They are responsible for enforcing the state’s Criminal Code, the Motor Transportation Act, The Motor Vehicle Code, and additional federal and state commercial motor vehicle safety regulations in order to facilitate legal trade on New Mexico’s roadways.

The Crisis Response team helps bridge the gap between police officers and people suffering with mental illness who are going through a mental or emotional crisis. Consisting of eight negotiation team members, 25 intervention members, and one full time commander, this team functions statewide to help diffuse situations. In 2016, they added a full-time position to oversee and coordinate the Crisis Negotiation Team, as well as implement a Crisis Intervention Team, to further facilitate understanding and cooperation during crisis situations, including effectively and efficiently defusing tense emergency response situations to bring about a positive result for all parties.

Conducting investigations as a New Mexico State Police officer covers a wide range of activities, including working to identify, arrest, prosecute, and convict offenders in New Mexico. NMSP also assists municipal, county, state, and federal agencies with their investigations of major criminal offenses in New Mexico. They investigate violent crimes, including homicide, criminal sexual penetration of adults and children, robbery, aggravated assault and/or battery, and narcotics. As part of these investigations, they also conduct forensic examinations of computers, cell phones, and other digital devices used in the commission of a crime.

The K-9 team works one on one with specially trained dogs to help investigate crimes, especially with drug-sniffing dogs in narcotics investigations. The first narcotic-detecting canines started working with New Mexico State Police in the 1970’s. The K-9 Team is a unique and effective tool in the war on illegal drugs, and these specially trained drug-sniffing dog units have been involved in some of the largest narcotic seizures in the history of the state.

The use of motorcycles in law enforcement here in New Mexico began in 1933, with the creation of the New Mexico Motor Patrol, a precursor to the New Mexico State Police. Since then, motorcycles have proven to be an essential tool in traffic enforcement and in responding quickly to calls in high traffic areas. Founded in 2002, the Motorcycle Unit is a key component of law enforcement throughout the state, and also in escorting visiting dignitaries, including President George W. Bush, The King of Spain, and the President of Mexico.