Debate Heats Up Over Columbus, NM, Law Enforcement
by ABC-7 Reporter Martin Bartlett
COLUMBUS, N.M. — The safety of Columbus is in question now that the village is without local law enforcement patrols.
Problems started for the village of Columbus when the drug war in Mexico started scaring off their police officers. The solution all comes down to cash.
Who is responsible for watching over Columbus? It is a question that has been vexing village leaders for months.
Mayor Pro Tempore Allen Rosenberg said the high concentration of federal law enforcement does a good job of keeping the village safe.
He also said Luna County deputies do a good enough job as it without special payments.
“I’d be glad to pay ’em a fair rate but I don’t want to finance the whole department,” Rosenberg said.
The sheriff’s office said their overtime costs soared since picking up the slack in Columbus.
Their deputies are already stretched thin covering a county bigger than Rhode Island.
The fight over contracting with the sheriff’s office uncovered festering resentment.
Columbus resident Roger Odom asked several members of the village to quit over the deal. He said the decision-making process was not on the up and up. He is also tired of watching Columbus operate in a way that he says isn’t fair.
“It’s like teaching a pig to sing, all you do is aggravate the pig and frustrate yourself,” Odom said.
At Wednesday night’s meeting Mayor Eddie Espinoza said the village is already looking for a new police chief and they will start a new department from there.
