GRANTS, N.M. – A ‘Coffee with the Managers’ meeting was held on November 4 at 8 a.m. at the Coyote Del Malpais Golf Course clubhouse. At this meeting, Cibola County Manager Kate Fletcher, Grants City Manager Vanessa Chavez, and Village of Milan Manager Linda Cooke made themselves available to the public, provided updates, and opened up the floor for local law enforcement agencies to do the same.
Cibola County Sherriff Tony Mace, Grants Interim Police Chief Jeff Marez, and Milan Police Chief Carl Ustupski all made an appearance at the meeting to introduce themselves and answer questions from those in attendance. Each of the three department heads started off by letting those at the gathering know a little about themselves, just in case they weren’t already familiar.
Something Sheriff Mace touched on was the importance of working together. Mace wanted to emphasize collaboration and strength in numbers because “the criminal element doesn’t know jurisdiction,” the county sheriff later said. At times, crime occurs in one area but then later leads law enforcement into another area. Due to this, Sheriff Mace said it was important to establish a healthy working relationship among departments, help each other out when possible, display unity, and all while keeping the different communities safe.
Chief Ustupski was able to provide those in attendance with information on his experience in the field of law enforcement, as well as updates on the Milan Police Department. MPD is currently in the process of obtaining new equipment, including some new laptops which are still making their way to MPD. The department is also adding some new policies to their policy manual, including a drug recognition expert program policy and a chaplain program policy. Ustupski touched on the benefits of the chaplain program and how he believed it would be helpful in aiding officer mental health at MPD. MPD is also short two officers and is currently searching for applicants to fill those positions. According to Ustupski, the audience asked a lot of good questions and also even contributed some good ideas at the meeting.
When asked why he thought it was important for the public to stay informed on what the departments are doing, Chief Ustupski said, “I think it’s good feedback. I mean, obviously if we’re going along, doing what we normally do and we think it’s working, and it’s not, I think the only way we’re going to be able to change things is if somebody in the public brings it up… I think it’s important. I mean, we get a lot of positive and negative feedback, and we accept both obviously. I wish it was more positive but you’re gonna get your negative, and that’s how we try to fix things and do a better job for our community.”
Ustupski also later agreed with the topics Sheriff Mace spoke on, acknowledging that while the working relationship between departments has had its setbacks in the past, he is hopeful for an improved and collaborative working relationship moving forward, starting with their display of unity at the Nov. 4 ‘Coffee with the Managers’.
As for the City of Grants, Jeff Marez was introduced to the meeting as GPD’s interim police chief, following the recent resignation of former GPD chief Steven Chavez. Marez addressed the community members by first bringing light to a situation in which people are going around drilling holes in gas tanks and stealing the gas, likely due to rising fuel prices. After making citizens aware of that situation and encouraging the installation of security camera systems, if possible. Marez also spoke on the working relationship among departments and said he works very well with CCSO’s Sheriff Mace and MPD’s Chief Ustupski.
According to City of Grants Manager Vanessa Chavez, the City of Grants is about to begin the process of searching for a permanent police chief for GPD. At the Nov. 4 gathering, Sheriff Mace shared his thoughts regarding that process, saying he hoped the City of Grants would give the process the diligence and accurate protocol it deserves. Manager Chavez later said Mace wanted to make sure that the city “will always test whether it be physically and written, for uncertified officers, [that it is] written after the officers have passed the academy, because I found out in that meeting, that wasn’t being done under the previous chief.” Chavez said that the city is going to form a hiring committee and is going to conduct the search for the new GPD chief accurately. Advertisements for the position have already been distributed.
Finally, Manager Chavez extended an invite to any and all citizens who would like to celebrate Veteran’s Day on Thursday, November 11 by joining veterans at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Santa Fe Avenue shortly before 11 a.m. for a ceremony, which will be followed by a walk to Fire and Ice Park, where food and beverages will be served.