The 1990s

The unmarked units employed in 1989 proved to be effective in traffic enforcement, and in 1990, the department once again deviated from tradition by purchasing six Ford Mustangs.  Two were fully marked units dressed out to resemble regular patrol units. The remaining four were unmarked units of various colors. The pilot project proved to be effective in apprehending unsuspecting law violators.  

During 1990, the department elected to transition from the traditional revolver the state police had carried for years, to a semi-automatic.  The officers were allowed to vote on what type of weapon would be carried.  They voted for the .45 automatic pistol, but Chief Curran overruled the vote and the officers were issued the Smith and Wesson 9mm automatic.  This year was also the first time state police officers were issued hand-held radios to be carried on the Sam Browne belt.  The new radio was such that radio traffic was transmitted from the hand-held, to the unit, through a repeater, and on to the district base station. 

The year 1991 brought another change to the department’s leadership when Governor Bruce King appointed retired State Police Chief Richard C de Baca as the DPS Cabinet Secretary.

On January 26, 1991, at about 2:11 p.m., Rio Arriba County Deputy Jerry Martinez arrived at the Ricky Abeyta residence in Chimayo, New Mexico, with a restraining order filed by Abeyta’s live-in girlfriend, Ignacita Sandoval-Vasquez.

At 3:52 p.m., Deputy Martinez left the Abeyta residence when the owner of a stolen pickup advised him he had located his truck in a nearby arroyo.  Subsequent investigation revealed that after Deputy Martinez left the residence, Abeyta approached the residence with a 7mm rifle and a .357 magnum handgun.  Abeyta was heard to yell “¡Con esto pagan, jodidas!” (With this you will pay!).  He first shot Macario Gonzales, who was a boyfriend to Ignacita’s daughter, in the back with the 7mm rifle while Macario was standing in the back of a U-Haul moving van. 

Thirteen year-old Eloy Sandoval started running away and was shot by Abeyta in the upper chest.  Eloy fell and was shot again in the buttocks with the .357 magnum.  Ignacita’s daughter, Mary Ellen, was shot in the back of the head with the .357 handgun as she reached the front steps of the residence.  Mary Ellen was holding her five month-old son, Justin, who fell from his dead mother’s arms and rolled under a pick-up.  Abeyta then shot Justin in the side of the head with the handgun. 

Abeyta entered the mobile home where he shot Cheryl Rendon, Ignacita’s sister, in the back of the neck.  Abeyta then shot Ignacita in the left jaw with the .357 magnum.  Officer Glen Huber, along with two other state police officers and Deputy Martinez, were at the scene of the stolen pickup when Deputy Martinez turned the investigation over to the state police and returned to the Abeyta residence.

Witness statements indicated that Deputy Martinez, unaware of the slayings, returned to the scene and was confronted by Abeyta.  Abeyta was standing near the left front fender of the police car and Deputy Martinez was standing behind the front left door.

Abeyta was heard telling Deputy Martinez to turn off his police radio.  A witness stated he observed Abeyta lean over and fire a shot at Deputy Martinez as he leaned into his police unit.  Deputy Martinez was shot twice in the left side of the head.  The witness stated he took the officer’s service revolver away from Abeyta’s sister, who was trying to make it operate.  The witness then threw the weapon up on the garage roof.  The Rio ArribaCounty Sheriff’s office began receiving phone calls, reporting shots fired and two men down.  Officer Huber was dispatched to the scene with other backup officers on the way.

Officer Glen Huber arrived at 4:27 p.m. and stopped what he probably thought was a tactically safe distance from the residence to assess the situation.  While hiding behind trees and shrubbery, Abeyta ambushed Officer Huber from a distance of about 200 feet with the 7mm rifle, while the officer sat in his patrol unit with his radio microphone in his hand. The bullet struck Officer Huber in the left side of the face, killing him instantly.

As State Police Officer Chris Valdez arrived at the scene, Eloy and another witness told him that two officers had been shot.  As backup officers arrived, Abeyta made his escape and remained in hiding.  A host of various law enforcement officers conductive an intensive search throughout north-central New Mexico; many state police officers from around the state were requesting to respond to assist in the search for Officer Huber’s murderer.  As Abeyta cowered in hiding, he became worried that officers would choose to kill him rather than take him into custody if they found him. After a few days of hiding, Abeyta, accompanied by members of his family, turned himself in at the state police office in Albuquerque.

Officer Huber was commissioned in October 1981, and was stationed in the Española District.  He later transferred to Angel Fire and remained there a few months before resigning and becoming the City Marshal of Pecos.  Officer Huber worked for the City of Pecos for two years until he was reinstated with the state police and was assigned to Española.

Chief Neil Curran retired from the state police on January 31, 1991; Major John Denko, Jr., was appointed to succeed him.  Chief Denko was commissioned by the state police in December 1974.

The unmarked patrol program was gradually phased out.  This was also true of the Ford Mustang Project.  In the year 1993, the last state police Mustang patrol unit was retired.

The rank of lieutenant colonel was abolished and replaced by its former title of deputy chief.

Effective October 1, 1991, the department implemented a mandatory physical fitness program, which was designed to give all officers ample time to meet at least minimum standards.  Physical fitness time was also allotted to the officers so they would be able to take one hour at a time, during a regular work shift, for up to three hours a week.

During 1991 and 1992, the officers were again polled as to their preference for a duty sidearm.  Once again, the majority chose the .45 caliber and this time they got their wish. As the 9 mms were sold, the department purchased  Smith and Wesson 4506 semi-automatic .45s.  However, the officers still had a choice to carry the .45, the 9mm, or stay with the .357 revolver. The department also purchased, issued, and trained each officer on the Colt AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle.  Rifle racks were installed in each patrol car between the front bucket seats to house either the AR-15 or the issued 12-gauge shotgun, at the officer’s discretion.

During the year 1993, the department changed the style of their fatigues from gray trousers and shirts with a black baseball cap, to the black military type battle fatigues.  The uniform underwent another minor change in 1994.  Chief Denko implemented a policy requiring uniform patrol officers to wear rank chevrons, which made a distinction  between a junior patrolman and a senior patrolman.  The junior patrolman on the two-year probationary status wore no stripes, junior patrolman off of probation wore a single chevron similar to that of a private first class in the army.  The senior patrolman wore double chevrons, similar to that of a corporal.

On August 11, 1993, Major Arthur Eugene Archibueque was jogging during his lunch hour at headquarters in Santa Fe.  After jogging two miles, he realized he might be having a heart attack and quit running.  He was rushed to St. Vincent’s Hospital where he was placed in C.C.U.   Several hours later he died of heart failure.

Major Archibueque graduated from the State Police Academy on January 1, 1978, and was stationed in Alamogordo. In April 1986, he was promoted to sergeant and transferred to Las Vegas for a year, until he was transferred back to Alamogordo.  On October 31, 1987, Sergeant Archibueque was promoted to lieutenant and transferred to headquarters in the Planning Division.  He was promoted to captain on June 9, 1990, and remained in the Planning Division until January 18, 1992, when he was transferred to the Criminal Investigations Bureau.  On April 24, 1993, Captain Archibueque was promoted to major and transferred to the Internal Affairs Division, where he served until his death.

In November 1994, Gary Johnson was elected governor of the State of New Mexico.  Major Frank Taylor was appointed Chief of the New Mexico State Police.  Chief Taylor joined the state police in December 1973.

In March 1995, reorganization within the Department of Public Safety transferred the duties of Director of the Special Investigations Division to the chief.  In addition, the reorganization placed the State Police Training and Recruiting Bureau under the State Police Division and out of the Department of Public Safety Training and Recruiting Division.

As a result of the reorganization of the Department of Public Safety, Chief Taylor saw a need to reorganize the structure of the state police.  The result of the reorganization within the State Police Division was that the Uniform Patrol Operations, Fleet Management, State Police Training, Aircraft and Special Operations response teams, were placed under the direction of the Uniform Deputy Chief. The investigative operations of State Police Narcotics, Criminal Investigations, Special Investigations, and Alcohol and Gaming, fell under the direction of the Operations Deputy Chief.

During the reorganization and staffing under Chief Taylor, a need was seen to bolster the State Police Criminal Investigations Section. Seven state police officers previously assigned to the Special Investigations Division were returned to the State Police Division and most were assigned to criminal investigator positions throughout the state. The remainder were reassigned to the uniform patrol functions.

In June 1995, there was a restructuring of communications operations and the Santa Fe patrol districts.  The restructuring moved half of the communications personnel from headquarters radio room, and the radio consoles back to the Santa Fe patrol district.  Radio Communications had been moved out of the patrol district several years earlier, leaving the Santa Fe District as the only patrol district which did not have its own radio communications operation.  The communications operators and supervisor moved back to Santa Fe District, operations were transferred from the Technical and Emergency Support Division to the direction and control of the State Police Division.  The remainder of headquarters communication personnel remained under the Technical and Emergency Support Division.  They would monitor and maintain the computer and switcher operation that supports statewide access of all law enforcement agencies to the National Crime Information Center and National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System.

Officer Larry Blount encountered this rattler on U.S. 285 

near Santa Fe. 

In 1995, members of families of state police officers killed in the line of duty were given the newly designed Medal of Valor.  On May 14, 1998, members of the state police, for the first time, were awarded Medals of Valor, Distinguished Service Medals, and the Meritorious Achievement Award.  Governor Gary Johnson presented the awards to the officers.

The Medal of Valor recipients must have displayed conspicuous gallantry and integrity at the risk of their own life, above and beyond the call of duty, and in the line of duty, sustained some type of injury or grave risk of life.  The award recipients were as follows:

Officer Fred Laird: On March 8, 1990, he stopped a 1976 Volkswagen driven by Michael Handa.  Handa, a convicted felon, shot Officer Laird point blank in the chest, knocking him to the ground.  As he fell, Handa continued firing at him and then fled the scene.  Officer Laird was wearing a bulletproof vest at the time.  He got back into his unit, called for assistance, and pursued Handa at the risk of being shot again.  After a three-mile pursuit, the Officer Laird forced Handa off the road and a foot chase ensued.  Handa escaped apprehension until the following day.  Officer Laird did manage to arrest the passenger. 

Agent Greg Spain: On April 7, 1993, while a uniformed patrol officer, was operating radar on I-25 when he encountered a stolen vehicle that eventually led to a confrontation with the driver, Manuel Gonzales.  Officer Spain sustained injuries to his back, leg, groin, and ankle.  The violator fled the scene, and despite his injuries, Officer Spain pursued him.  A second confrontation followed and six rounds were fired by the officer from his AR-15.  Officer Spain drew his service weapon and managed to accomplish the arrest.

Sergeant Thomas Dobson: On May 19, 1994, while working as a patrolman on I-40, Tucumcari District, he arrested four subjects in a stolen car.  One subject managed to get into the driver’s seat of his unit and accelerate the vehicle, pinning the officer between the stolen vehicle and his unit.  When this happened, his leg was shattered and bled profusely.  The suspects fled while he fired shots at them.  Officer Dobson waved down a passing motorist and pursued them.  Eventually they were all apprehended.

Officer Darrell Jaramillo: On October 27, 1994, in the nighttime hours, he engaged in a high-speed pursuit of felon Jerry Dunlap, who had shot a Dona Ana County Deputy Sheriff.  After the pursuit, a foot chase ensued.  Shortly thereafter, Dunlap turned and advanced toward Officer Jaramillo in a threatening manner, which resulted in the use of deadly force, stopping the violator, and leading to his arrest.

Officer Freddie Barela: On November 6, 1996, he engaged in a high-speed pursuit of a fleeing felon who had pointed and fired a 12-gauge shotgun at his unit.  He continued the pursuit, eventually stopped the offender and arrested him.

Officer David Martinez: On November 26, 1996, he saved the life of an incapacitated woman who was trapped in a burning vehicle.  Officer Martinez entered the vehicle and removed the victim at great risk to himself.

The Distinguished Service Medal   The Distinguished Service Medal recipients have distinguished themselves by an act of extraordinary heroism, were unaware of the personal danger initially, but performed in a commendable manner upon becoming aware of the personal danger they were in, or performed a physical act that saved the life of another person.  These officers are as follows:

Agent Rudy Mora: On April 11, 1994, Agent Mora saved the life of an 11-month-old infant in Thoreau, New Mexico.  He administered artificial respiration to the child who had been wedged between a bed and a dresser, and was no longer breathing.  His immediate response saved the baby’s life.  Only four months later, on August 15, while working the Indian Tribal Ceremonial Parade in Gallup, he again saved the lives of a two year-old boy and a ten year-old girl, who were overcome by the heat and had stopped breathing.  Knowing exactly what to do, he again responded by administering artificial respiration, reviving both.

Agent Alfred Lovato: On December 17, 1995, while working patrol, he located a drive-by shooting suspect’s vehicle and a short pursuit ensued.  After the vehicle was stopped, Finiano Vigil pointed a rifle at Officer Lovato’s unit and fired eight to ten rounds at him, and again fled the scene.  Officer Lovato continued the search and once again located the suspect and the suspect once again fired several shots at the officer, resulting in a momentary exchange of gunfire.  The suspect again fled the scene.  Sufficient backup eventually arrived and all suspects were arrested. 

Officer Orlando Cordova: On  December 17, 1996, he initiated a traffic stop on a 1988 Chevy Suburban for speeding on I-25.  As Officer Cordova attempted the arrest of the driver, he observed the him discarding two kilos of cocaine.  As Officer Cordova attempted to finalize the arrest, the suspect attacked him.  A fight ensued, resulting in both men rolling onto the freeway into the path of oncoming rush hour traffic.  Officer Cordova continued the fight despite the risk to his own life, and with the help of a Good Samaritan, the suspect was eventually arrested.

Officer Michael Applegate: On May 22, 1997, Officer Applegate stopped a vehicle for speeding on I-25.  The driver of the vehicle held him at gunpoint and took him hostage in his vehicle.  When the offender was stopped at a roadblock, he was able to remain calm. Officer Applegate used his reasoning to convince the suspect to surrender without further incident.

Meritorious Achievement Award  This award is open to civilian and commissioned personnel.  Each received a copy of their nomination letter and each possesses extraordinary work ethics and dedication to duty, have performed above and beyond the call of duty in an effective and efficient manner that exemplifies a true commitment to excellence, despite their personal sacrifice. 

The 1999 Meritorious Achievement Award recipients were:

A special award was given to a New Mexico Mounted Patrolman.  The mounted patrol often assist New Mexico State Police Officers without any compensation.  Lieutenant Martin “Pat” Rowe was selected as Mounted Patrol Officer of the Year.  Lieutenant Rowe was assisting a state police officer investigating a call of shots fired when Lieutenant Rowe was suddenly shot in the calves of his legs with rounds fired from a 12-gauge shotgun. The sacrifice he made may have prevented the state police officer from being shot.

In 1998, during the 43rd Legislature, there were two bills that were passed by the legislators in through the efforts of the association and the state police administration.  One of the bills resulted in the largest salary increase in the history of the department and the other brought about the largest increase in state police commissioned personnel in the history of the department. These bills were introduced by retired State Police Captain, and current state Senator R. L. Stockard of Farmington.  The Department of Public Safety Cabinet Secretary was also entertaining the prospects of having two bills introduced for the same purposes, but with a substantially smaller increases in salary manpower.  There were many disagreements between the DPS administration and the association concerning these bills, which resulted in the association backing Senator Stockard’s bills.  The reputation of state police officers and the New Mexico State Police Association helped win over the legislators.  Association President Norman Rhoades, Treasurer Mike Gibson, and Lobbyist Mike Bowen were active in lobbying at the legislative session and were asked many times during committee meetings for their input.

Senate Bill 56 was an act making an appropriation to the Department of Public Safety for the purpose of recruiting, employing, training, and equipping additional state police officers and authorizing the issuance of severance tax bonds for the purpose of equipping additional police officers.  $2,800,000 was appropriated from the general fund to the Department of Public Safety for such expenditures in the fiscal year 1999.

The severance tax bonds would be issued and sold in compliance with the Severance Tax Bonding Act, in an amount not to exceed $5,800,000 once the Department of Public Safety certified the need for the issuance of the bonds. The proceeds from the sale of the bonds were appropriated to the DPS for the purpose of equipping 40 additional state police officers each fiscal year from 2000 through 2002.

Senate Bill 57 was an act for increasing educational requirements for prospective state police officers and increasing salary levels for all state police officers.  This act added the a requirement that state police officers, at the time of their appointment, have completed not less than 60 hours of college credit.  For the salary increase, $4,073,400 was appropriated from the general fund for expenditures in fiscal year 1999.

Both bills passed the House of Representatives and the Senate almost unanimously, and on July 1, 1998, the bills became law. The state police administration and representatives from the Association served on a committee to decide how the new funds should be distributed into the pay scale. The committee’s efforts resulted in a total restructuring of the state police pay package, which eliminated overlapping in salary ranges between ranks. Eighty-seven percent of the total funds were distributed to patrolmen/agents and sergeants.  Officers whose anniversary dates were in 1988 or after, received a twenty percent or more salary increase. This was one of the best salary structures in the history of the department.  The salary funding allowed for incentives to be implemented for education, shift differential, and hazardous duty.

A special legislative session was called in the spring of 1998 and during the session, the Motor Transportation Department (MTD) was removed from the Taxation and Revenue Department and placed under DPS. 

During the fall of 1998, the DPS Cabinet Secretary devised a plan that would consolidate members of SID and MTD into the ranks of commissioned state police officers. The Association Board met with the cabinet secretary and requested to participate in the planning committee for this transition. The association’s input was kept minimal and the cabinet secretary kept the transitional plan confidential.  Rumors were widely circulated that each commissioned member of SID and MTD would attend a four to six week special state police school, commonly referred to as a ‘Gentleman’s School”.

Upon completion of this school, each graduate would become a fully commissioned state police officer, maintaining their rank held previously in their original division. The association and many members of the state police administration vehemently opposed the cabinet secretary’s confidential proposal. With no open review of the proposal, the cabinet secretary forwarded it to the governor’s desk for approval. The governor disapproved the proposal and it was never was introduced by way of legislation.

Due to questionable tactics of the cabinet secretary, the association polled its members in July 1999 as to whether or not a “Vote of Confidence” should be conducted on the cabinet secretary.  Approximately sixty-two percent of the members polled responded and approximately ninety-five percent voted to conduct the “Vote of Confidence.” The cabinet secretary received word of the vote and commented that if the association conducted such a vote, he would no longer recognize us. In August 1999, ballots for the “Vote of Confidence” on the cabinet secretary were mailed to each member, with a deadline of thirty days set for return. In September, the returned ballots were counted and resulted in two hundred forty-three members stating they had no confidence in the cabinet secretary; thirty-one members stated they did have confidence in him.

The results of this vote created much publicity in the news media around New Mexico and resulted in several legislators writing letters to the governor recommending he reconsider the fitness of the cabinet secretary. The incident also resulted in a unanimous vote among the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) members to introduce legislation that would separate the State Police Division from DPS and the cabinet secretary.  The association met with several key legislators and expressed their backing for making the state police a separate department again, with the chief in charge as it was prior to the creation of DPS in 1987. The association continued to pursue the prospects of seeing all laws relating to DPS repealed, thus completely abolishing the DPS system. On November 16, 1999, the cabinet secretary submitted his resignation to Governor Johnson, resigning immediately.       

More photos from the 1990s