Gallup lawmakers, local leaders push to revive regional police academy with state funds

Representative John Lindstrom presented House Bill 48 to the New Mexico House Education Committee, saying the bill is aimed at reestablishing a regional law enforcement training academy in Gallup to address local staffing shortages.

The bill’s chief outside witness, Sabrina Ezell, chancellor of the University of New Mexico–Gallup, told the committee, “This bill will help fund existing law enforcement academies where ING and tuition do not cover the combined cost of instruction, materials and faculty salaries, including the director and adjuncts.” She said UNM Gallup is in the process of bringing back a law enforcement academy and that certification would be required before the campus could draw the funding authorized by the proposal.

Local advocates and officials described workforce gaps they say the academy would help fill. Bill Lee, president and CEO of the Gallup–McKinley County Chamber of Commerce, said when the academy previously operated it produced as many as 30 graduates per program and served as a pipeline into area departments. Frank Chappetti, city manager for Gallup, said the city is contending with “a growing transient drug and crime problem” and that keeping trainees in Gallup rather than sending them to Santa Fe would reduce turnover. Shavona Hanks, deputy superintendent for Gallup–McKinley County Schools, said the district plans a law-enforcement pathway that could feed the academy and noted recent student hospitalizations after ingesting THC-laced edibles as part of the public-safety context.

Sabrina Ezell provided program and cost estimates to the committee, saying the current projection for funding the law enforcement protection fund portion tied to this request is $300,000 per year to support the three currently eligible regional academies. She said the department projects it would not likely exceed four eligible higher-education institutions in FY26–FY29, bringing an estimated annual total to $400,000 if one additional site is approved. Ezell also said UNM Gallup could need initial local funding (a separate one-time ask referenced in committee discussion was described as $100,000 by the sponsor) to hire a director before state funds would be available because certification by the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council is required before the academy could access the proposed law-enforcement-protection funds.

The Department of Public Safety told the committee it supports the concept but urged lawmakers to consider a different funding source because the law enforcement protection fund currently supports multiple statewide programs and is reported to have a low balance. Deputy Secretary Sylvia Serna said the Department and State Police receive monies from that fund and that some accounts are currently diminished, making draws difficult.

Committee members asked about program length, curriculum alignment and degree articulation. Ezell said the regional academies generally follow curricula approved by the New Mexico Law Enforcement Standards and Training Council and that many higher-education programs articulate certificates into associate degrees. She said program length can vary (roughly a four-month certificate up to a year, depending on structure). She confirmed recertification would be required because the academy has been dormant since 2005 and the curriculum must meet current standards; the campus would not be eligible for the bill’s funds until recertified.

At the committee’s close on the item, the sponsor agreed to "roll" the bill to give the committee time to work with Department of Public Safety staff on funding amendments requested by members. The committee did not vote on House Bill 48.

The item drew broad local support from municipal and education leaders but also raised sustained committee concern about the proposed funding source and the timing of certification before state funds could be accessed.