Hobbs Police Chief August Fawns told the Hobbs City Commission on June 2 that the department recorded a 7% decrease in total reported crime for 2024 while total arrests increased 11%.

The chief presented statistics and operational priorities during a regular meeting, saying the department remains “committed to being responsive to our community in the delivery of quality service, recognizing our responsibility to maintain order while affording dignity and respect to every individual.” He said the department is authorized for 86 sworn positions and 71 civilian support staff, with 17 sworn and 13 civilian vacancies at the time of the report and multiple applicants in various stages of hiring.

The nut graf: the report pointed to notable declines across several major categories but flagged continuing and rising problems — juvenile violent crime, mental-health and homelessness calls, and officer assaults — that the department plans to address through programs and new staffing and technology efforts.

Fawns told commissioners the department saw consequential decreases in murder, robbery, assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft in 2024. He said traffic crashes were down 18% and citations were up about 5%. He also reported that officer-assault incidents rose substantially and that failure-to-appear warrants (FTAs) continue to demand “an inordinate amount of time.”

Fawns described other agency activity and investments: expansion of de-escalation and mental-health response training, upgrades to the Eagle records/analysis system and the body-worn camera program, and testing of artificial intelligence tools with attention to Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) requirements. He said the department processed 4,847 public-record (IPRA) requests in 2024 and handled roughly 200 inmate transports per month.

On staffing, Fawns said recruiting and retention are priorities; he reported recent restructuring and a new recruiting team that has brought applicants into the hiring pipeline and that roughly 10 applicants were in process for sworn vacancies. Commissioners asked about academy and hiring timelines; the chief said some candidates were moving toward the next academy and that background checks, polygraphs and other vetting remain gating steps.

Fawns outlined program goals for 2025–26 that include launching a dedicated retail-crime prevention unit (contingent on staffing), expanding neighborhood partnerships with code enforcement, scaling mental-health and homelessness response through a proposed Hobbs Community Safety Program, enhancing officer wellness and peer support, and expanding public-private camera partnerships and real-time crime center capabilities.

The presentation included a list of recent accomplishments: New Mexico Municipal League law-enforcement accreditation with zero findings, graduation of 10 new officers during 2024, and upgrades to IT systems and body-camera management. Fawns said accreditation with zero findings is exceptional in the state and credited staff for the result.

Ending: Commissioners thanked the chief and department staff for the report; the commission did not take formal action on the presentation but discussed follow-up items including the proposed Hobbs Community Safety Program and continued attention to recruitment and technology needs.