Submitted July 15, 2024
By Silver City Police Chief Freddie Portillo

It's unfortunate that Town Councilor Nick Prince saw fit to publicly criticize my department, Town Manager Alex Brown, our hard-working, dedicated officers, our tactics and strategies at last week's town council meeting, rather than meet with me directly to address his concerns, as do the other town councilors. His comments are not based in fact, and are detrimental to our department, my officers' morale and to the community at large. These are officers who are willingly sacrificing their own personal time—time away from their families—to serve and protect this community, while Manager Brown and I are working hard to recruit officers, and bring our department up to full staff once again. Even our administrators are out patrolling the streets to ensure the safety of this community. They don't have to do this, but they and every single member of my team go above and beyond each day because they care, and because they, too, want to live in a safe, secure community.

I take exception to the councilor's disinformation campaign, which alleges that the public does not trust the SCPD and that they do not feel safe. As part of our ongoing community engagement efforts, officers talk to residents during regular patrols. These "citizen contacts" show year-after-year that the vast majority of residents trust the police and have no complaints. I always welcome people to contact me directly with their concerns.

Let me take the councilor's comments one-by-one and set the record straight:

1. Efram Duran's body was not found by children. It was found by an adult male, and the police blotter clearly documents this fact.

2. As I have stated publicly many times, patrols are ongoing and constant, and based upon data. SCPD administrators constantly monitor crime data and calls to central dispatch to determine where the majority of criminal activity is occurring. Patrols are dispatched accordingly, though the entire town is always being patrolled. The historic downtown area and local business community is often patrolled on foot, both day and night.

3. Rewards for information, especially in homicide cases, is a standard tool of police departments all over the world and have been so for centuries. Why? Because they work. We've already received more than a dozen tips since offering the reward for information in the Duran case. Calling the use of this age-old tool a "poor substitute for public safety" is inaccurate, mean-spirited and divisive. Now more than ever, we need to come together as a community, not throw pot shots in lieu of civil public discourse.

4. Regarding the proposed 2025 SCPD budget, I suggest that anyone who has concerns contact Town Manager Brown. He and I have worked closely together on this budget, and yes, we are recommending a $400,000 increase, primarily for wages and inflation. Together, working with the police union, we were able to adjust the union contract to create a "lateral program" which allows us to hire experienced officers at the same pay rate that SCPD officers with similar experience receive. This has already delivered results, and we are in the process of hiring new officers.

5. Finally, with regard to officers "having the time to file grievances, endorse candidates, and call us for erroneous CTWs" (criminal trespass complaints), members of the local police union have the right to do all of these things, and the criminal trespass complaint was not erroneous. Clearly the union felt the need to file a grievance against Councilor Prince, which they have the right to do when they believe that someone has acted unethically, unprofessionally, or abused their power.

Moreover, union members have the right to endorse any candidate of their choice, and the citizen trespass complaint made against Councilor Prince came from a private business owner, who has the right to decide who is welcome or not in their establishment. SCPD officers responded to that complaint. No one, regardless of their position in the community, is above the law, nor deserves special treatment.

In the future, I hope that Councilor Prince, his constituents, and anyone else who has constructive, supportive ideas for the betterment of public safety and the quality of life in our community comes to me directly with their concerns and suggestions. I can be reached at (575) 538-3723, or by email at fportillo@silvercitynm.gov . Disinformation is destructive and divisive. Now more than ever we must work together for the health, welfare and safety of our community.