Internal Affairs

Overview

The goal of the Internal Affairs Office is to ensure that all complaints or allegations against the Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) or any of its employees are investigated in a thorough, fair, and impartial manner. The rights of all citizens and employees of the Las Cruces Police Department shall be protected and confidentiality shall be maintained at the highest standard. We strive to earn the trust and confidence of the citizens we proudly serve while maintaining the highest level of ethical behavior and integrity for the Las Cruces Police Department by identifying, recognizing, and resolving public safety concerns.

Structure

The Internal Affairs Office, previously known as the Professional Standards Unit (PSU), is overseen by Lt. Rob Gutierrez and contains one sergeant and two detectives. Internal Affairs reports directly to the Chief of Police. The Internal Affairs lieutenant, sergeant, and detectives can be reached via email if you have general questions about LCPD’s internal investigations.

Compliment an Officer or Employee of LCPD

You can compliment or recognize the fine work done by a Las Cruces Police officer or any employee of the department. To formally recognize, compliment or praise an employee of the Las Cruces Police Department, please complete and submit a Compliment Form that can be electronically submitted to us. We always like to hear of the good work we’re doing in our community.

Citizen Complaint Procedure

It is the policy of the Las Cruces Police Department to thoroughly investigate all allegations of administrative violations, criminal activity, or other misconduct by its employees.

You are encouraged to bring any questions or concerns about procedures to the Police Department’s attention through a supervisory team member or Internal Affairs. An attempt will be made to resolve any issues informally or formally.

The steps for filing a formal written complaint and procedure are as follows:

Anyone wishing to file a formal complaint against the Las Cruces Police Department, a unit, team officer or employee, can complete and submit a Complaint Form. These forms can be submitted electronically. They can also be obtained at the Las Cruces Police Department located at the following address or by contacting any LCPD supervisor.:
217 E Picacho Avenue
Las Cruces, NM 88001

When completing this form, please include as much detail as possible including the date, time, and location of the incident, the identities of the officer(s) involved, if known, and a statement of circumstances surrounding your complaint. Please include your name and phone number so an investigator may contact you if further information or clarification is needed.
Internal Affairs will receive the Complaint Form and conduct a preliminary inquiry into the allegations contained in the complaint. Contact with any Internal Affairs investigator may be electronically recorded (audio or video).
The preliminary inquiry findings will be forwarded to the Chief of Police who will then determine if a formal investigation will be conducted, the matter will be referred to the employee’s supervisor, or the matter closed due to no misconduct or policy violations discovered.
All formal investigations conducted by Internal Affairs will be reviewed by the Chief of Police or his designate.
Most investigations and findings are completed within 180 days after the complaint has been filed.
Citizens filing complaints will receive a written notice of the disposition through certified mail. Any questions you have concerning the complaint process may be directed to Internal Affairs at 575-528-4726.

Formulario De Queja Ciudadana En Español

Cualquier persona que desee presentar una queja formal debe completar un formulario de reclamación por escrito. Estos formularios pueden obtenerse en el Departamento de policía de las cruces ubicado en 217 E Picacho Avenue, o poniéndose en contacto con cualquier supervisor de DBPC. Cuando complete este formulario, por favor incluya tanto detalle como sea posible incluyendo la fecha, hora y ubicación del incidente, las identidades del oficial(es) involucrado(s), si se conoce, y una declaración de circunstancias que rodean su queja. Por favor incluya su nombre y número de teléfono para que un investigador pueda ponerse en contacto con usted si necesita más información o clarificación.

Making False or Malicious Allegations

Internal Affairs serves as a means for the public to file legitimate complaints. While supporting this process, the department holds the public responsible for filing only legitimate complaints and not those that may be false or contain malicious allegations. The investigation process is time-consuming, and false or malicious allegations serve only to impede the department’s ability to provide quality law enforcement services.

Criminal Offense

It is a criminal offense to knowingly make a false report to law enforcement authorities. The Las Cruces Police Department will initiate appropriate legal action in cases involving intentional false reporting.