Portales police chief talks department image, 'spice'

link Pat Gallegos

Portales Police Chief Pat Gallegos has been on the job for about a year. Gallegos took over as interim chief in September 2013 after the resignation of Chief Doug Jones and was hired as the acting chief in December 2013.

Gallegos has been working in law enforcement since 1998 and joined the Portales Police Department in 2008.

We asked him about his first year on the job and more.

What have you learned during your first year as chief?

This past year was full of learning experiences for me. Prior to be to becoming chief I did not have too much experience working the administrative part of the police department. I have learned everything from the budget to the importance of a sound policy. One of the biggest issues that I learned was the importance of communication between command staff and the patrol officer.

When you first took over as chief you said the department was understaffed. What have you done to address that and where does the PPD staff stand today?

When I became interim police chief, I was able to get a new pay plan that allowed me to start a certified police officer off at a higher rate that coincided with their years of experience. Since the new pay scale took effect we have been able to hire officers with experience.

Before the pay scale took effect the PPD was hiring officers with no experience at all. Over the last year, the average years of experience with each officer hire is about seven years.

I have also worked hard in bringing up the morale of the officers and one way we have accomplished this is by getting the officers’ input on different issues within the department, like uniform design and the new police badges.

As of Friday we have 22 officers and hopefully if the city budget improves, we can hire one more.

What has been done to improve the department’s public image in the wake of problems that took place prior to your hiring as chief? Do you think the image of the department has improved?

I do believe that the image of the department has changed over the past year. The first thing that we did was restructure the hiring process.

Officers now have to go through a rigorous hiring procedure that includes filling out a background package that is about 30 pages long and is followed by a background investigation that is conducted by one of the investigators here at the department. This process allows us to better see the character of the person that is applying to be an officer.

We are also involved in several programs that allow officers to meet the community in situations that aren’t calls for service.

About this time last year the synthetic marijuana drug “spice” was a problem in the community. Is “spice” still a problem? What steps have been taken to address the issue?

We have seen a decrease in the amount of incidents related to spice or synthetic marijuana. Synthetic marijuana is still a concern for the community and more specifically juveniles. We have addressed the issue by conducting investigations into incidents where synthetic marijuana is sold in or around the community. We have also begun preparing an educational campaign to educate juveniles on the dangers of using this illicit substance.

What goals do you have for the department in the future and how do you plan to reach those goals?

The goal for the department is to adhere to our mission statement, which is “The Portales Police Department is committed to fairness, compassion, and excellence while providing police services in accordance with the law and sensitive to the priorities and needs of the people.”

I believe if we stick to the following goals we will accomplish our main purpose:

• Provide realistic departmental guidelines and policies

•Recruit and retain the best possible officers

•Provide quality training for entry-level positions

•Promote police conduct that is responsive and sensitive to the needs of the community.

•Require aggressive crime fighting to further utilize patrol and investigative resources in the identification, arrest, and conviction of criminals in our jurisdiction.

•Require a professional worth ethic and professional work product by officers engaged in routine police duties and preliminary and follow-up investigations.

•Enhance the role of department personnel in the planning and developing process.

•Recognize exceptional work by police personnel.

•Stress the responsibility of all employees to be accountable to the department and the community for all of his/her actions.

Who is your favorite on-screen cop?

I really don’t have a favorite on-screen cop, but I like to watch “Criminal Minds” and “CSI Las Vegas.” I dream of a day when we may be able to solve crimes as quickly as they do on television.

In the wake of the Ferguson, Missouri, incident and the subsequent protests, has the department made any changes to policy or training regarding lethal force or crowd control? If so, what are those changes?

Prior to the Ferguson, Missouri, grand jury decision I had purchased on-body cameras for all officers in the department and officers have been wearing the cameras since August.

We also have a policy that requires officers to wear the cameras to document all calls for service, traffic stops and citizen contacts. We have also been preparing a training program that will require officers to get updated on less-lethal, use-of-force and policy reviews on a yearly basis.

Were there any other career options you considered before you became a police officer?

Prior to law enforcement I was in the United States Marine Corp and when I was separating from the Corp I applied for the Gallup Police Department and the Gallup Fire Department. I received a job from the Gallup Police Department first so I entered law enforcement, but I was pretty close to becoming a firefighter.

The department’s Santa Cop program has been distributing toys to less fortunate children in the community for years. Are there any other programs the department has going on that involve contact between officers and the community?

We currently have two other programs: “Adopt-A-Cop” and “A Walk in Their Shoes.”

The Adopt-A-Cop program lets second-grade classes at James Elementary adopt a cop during the school year. Over the course of the year the officer will go to their classroom and conduct lessons with the children that range from firearm safety to the dangers of narcotics. Children get to see the officers in a different light and it shows them that police officers aren’t just there to take people to jail. I believe this program is successful because, to this date, I still have children who remember me as their Adopt-A-Cop and talk to me around town.

“A Walk in Their Shoes” is a program that we work together with the Portales Municipal Schools. The program is for needy children in the district that are in need of shoes. Teachers refer children to the department that are in need of shoes. The department then attempts to find out if any other children in the family also need shoes. The children are provided with new shoes that are paid for by funds that have been donated by community members and businesses. This program takes a little bit of the burden off of the teacher who I have seen purchase shoes, coats, and other items for needy children in their classes.

— Compiled by staff writer Joshua Lucero