Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

All calm this New Year's eve

New Year’s eve was relatively calm and quiet compared to previous years, according to local law enforcement officials.

There were no major accidents or crimes reported in the area. Strong police presence in Clovis and check points along area roads may have helped reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic incidents this year, officials said.

Sgt. Jeff Vick with the New Mexico State Police said they combined forces with Clovis Police at a road block on South Prince Street. He said there was one arrest for DWI and two others for outstanding warrants. Other citations were issued for petty offenses that included expired licenses and lack of insurance.

Between 6 p.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Saturday, the Clovis Police Department responded to 43 calls. The calls were for a mixture of offenses, dispatchers said, including battery, shots fired and door knockers.

However, there were no reports of deaths, either intentional or accidental, they said.

An average graveyard shift for the Clovis police has 28 to 30 calls in a seven-hour period, or around four per hour, officials said. Friday night’s call volume was about average.

State police put 10 officers in the city Friday night in anticipation of the normal New Year’s eve hijinks. The increased exposure may have prevented any big problems, Vick said.

“It went pretty well,” Vick said.

His department received no shots-fired complaints, although he said shots could be heard in the night. However, the loud popping sounds easily could have been fireworks, he said.

“We’ve had busier New Year’s (eves) in the past,” he said.