Village faces new challenges; Trouble in MPD

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MILAN, N.M. – The Milan Police Department has built up a reputation for chasing down bad guys and going to extreme lengths to get local drug dealers taken into custody on federal charges. The department received a series of new police vehicles to aid in their pursuit of justice and not long ago had a fully staffed department.

Entering 2021 the department looks different. There is no chief; former MPD Chief Lionel Desiderio resigned his post after promoting Officer Gilbert Gonzales to the rank of lieutenant, which made Lt. Gonzales the highest-ranking officer in the department and the person currently in charge.

The department currently has five total law enforcers; the unfilled positions are creating a danger not only for the officers on shift but for the community, according to Milan residents.

Sources inside the village say that Desiderio submitted his letter of resignation, but by the time that email got to the computers of village officials, the file had been corrupted. Allegedly Desiderio has gone radio silent with the village and has gone to work for a different law enforcement agency outside of Cibola County.

To help supplement the department, Village of Milan Manager Sarah Austin said that the Cibola County Sheriff’s Office has been an incredible help. CCSO has been assisting with support to MPD more than any other agency in Cibola County, including the New Mexico State Police.

“They’ve really stepped up,” Manager Austin said, “We really appreciate their help.”

Previously MPD and the CCSO often teamed up to tackle drug traffickers in Cibola. They would enlist the help of NMSP, local prison units who are familiar with handling drug cases, and sometimes the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office. While CCSO has continued their efforts with other law enforcement agencies, MPD has not joined in any of these drug task force operations for several months, according to the CCSO.

Manager Austin said that MPD is looking to get back to its previous working order, and that there have been two applications for Milan Police Chief and two applications have been submitted for a new officer.

One of these applicants for MPD chief is newly promoted Lt. Gonzales, who shares a child with Milan Mayor Felix Gonzales’ daughter. Sources say that the two have been living together for some time, raising questions of impropriety.

Village policy, Personnel Rules and Regulations [for] The Village of Milan, Section 2.7 (B) reads, “[N]o one in the immediate family of any other Village employee shall be supervised by that employee. These criteria will also be considered when assigning, transferring, or promoting an employee. For purposes of this title, ‘immediate family’ includes: the employee’s spouse, brother, sister, parent, children, stepchildren, father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, putative spouse, domestic partner, and any other member of the employee’s household and any member of the immediate family of the putative spouse or domestic partner.”

Given the nature of Lt. Gonzales’ relationship with the mayor’s daughter he cannot become police chief based on the existing policy; he is considered a domestic partner under village policy.

Crime has not seen an increase in the village, but since the beginning of the pandemic the law enforcement across the county has seen an increase in the number of domestic violence calls and suicide threats/attempts.

Manager Austin said that MPD will continue to provide the best service that they can and are looking at ways to improve the department, especially looking for a chief who can stand strong and bring unity to the department.

The Cibola Citizen will continue to follow developments to this story.