Kassetas brought back Harley Davidson legacy

SANTA FE — New Mexico State Police Chief Pete Kassetas retired Dec. 31, 2018 after 26 years with the department.

Kassetas started his career with the NMSP in 1992. His first duty station was Grants. During his career, Kassetas worked in both patrol and criminal investigations as an officer and supervisor.

On Aug. 1, 2013, he was appointed as the 21st New Mexico State Police chief and deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety, Law Enforcement Program.

Kassetas directed the State Police, Motor Transportation Police, and Special Investigations Unit. Under his direction, he promoted an influential merger, which brought all three...

Boyd under fire for alleged oppression within department

For the past four years, Franklin Boyd has had a major role in running the Gallup Police Department, first as acting police chief when Robert Cron retired, then as deputy chief under Phillip Hart. When Hart left the department, Boyd became acting chief again as the city looks for a replacement.

Police officers who have worked under Boyd, and who have asked that their identities not be revealed for fear if retaliation, have reported an atmosphere of oppression within the GPD.

Morale is said to be at its lowest in decades, and officers have privately questioned Boyd’s ability to lead them. A number of officers have filed...

Theresa Becenti-Aguilar, Jeff Byrd and Stephen Fischmann join the commission

SANTA FE – Two of the three newly elected Public Regulation Comission commissioners, Theresa-Becenti Aguilar and Stephen Fischmann, were sworn in Jan. 1 at the offices of the PRC in the PERA Building at 1120 Paseo de Peralta in Santa Fe.

Elected Nov. 6, 2018, Becenti-Aguilar represents the Commission’s Western New Mexico District 4 and Fischmann represents the Southern New Mexico District 5.

The third newly elected commissioner, Jeff Byrd, who represents the Eastern New Mexico District 2, was separately sworn in at the Quay County Courthouse in Tucumcari Jan. 1.

Becenti-Aguilar previously served as...

Gallup Police Department officers were dispatched to Allsup's convenience store at 112 Arnold St. at about 11:18 pm on Jan. 9 in reference to a subject who was shot.

The shooting victim, identified as 21-year-old Logan L. Francisco of Gallup, was transported to the hospital, but did not survive, GPD Capt. Marinda Spencer said.

Gallup Police detectives are investigating the incident as a homicide. Anyone who has any information on this case is asked to contact GPD detectives at (505) 863-9365 during business hours, or (505) 722-2231 after business hours.