Sunland Park Police Chief steps down to spend more time with family

Police Chief Jaime Reyes is stepping down so he can be reassigned to his former position as a patrol officer, according to a letter obtained by ABC-7’s New Mexico Mobile Newsroom.

In the letter, City Manager Bob Gallagher states he accepted Reyes’ request.

The letter states Reyes and his wife recently had a baby and he felt the need to spend more time with his family. Reyes served as police chief since 2012 and oversaw 25 other officers.

Effective immediately, Lt. Stephen Calzada will assume the position of Acting Chief of Police while the city looks for a new chief of police.

Gallagher told ABC-7 he hopes to hire a new chief by the end of the year. The city is already advertising for the position, which will pay in between $50-$65,000 a year.

Coinciding with the search for a new chief, the letter states the city is signing a contract with FKR Consulting to perform an operational audit of the police department, to “establish our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and problems and provide the new chief with a move forward plan.”