City works to rebuild HPD
Christina Holt/News-Sun
As the Hobbs Police Department works through months of leadership upheaval, the City of Hobbs’ immediate focus is to restore stability and leadership within the department.
City Manager Manny Gomez said his appointment of interim chief Jimmie Jones this week is intended to place both the community and the department on a positive trajectory.
The city has not yet established a timeline for recruiting and selecting a permanent police chief, though Jones could be considered for the position, Gomez said.
And, while Jones no longer holds a New Mexico law enforcement certification, he said he plans to attend a two-week waiver academy to regain his certification.
A waiver academy consists of 80-hours of training meant to bring former law enforcement officers who were previously certified in New Mexico up-to-date on the law without having to attend a full 17-week basic certification academy, Southeastern New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy Training Instructor Nathan Eubank said.
Jones began his law enforcement career with the New Mexico State Police. Then he transitioned to HPD and the Eunice Police Department, where he served as chief for about seven years. He has almost 20 years of law enforcement experience and eight years in the judicial system.
Gomez said public input will continue to play a role in the chief selection process. Previous chief searches have included interview panels made up of community stakeholders and the city has hosted public meet-and-greet events with candidates.
“…we value any input on police chief selection,” Gomez said. “Thus far, the naming of Interim Chief Jones has been received well from the public.”
Jones will be tasked with addressing three key challenges facing the department: Providing leadership, restoring stability and rebuilding trust, both within the agency and across the community, Gomez said.
Other goals Gomez has for the department include improving recruitment and retention efforts, providing strategic direction, strengthening accountability and improving communication.
The department has faced staffing challenges for more than a year, with figures showing the certified officer vacancy rate increasing from 33 percent in 2025 to 35 percent this year, leaving more than one third of the certified officer positions unfilled.
Data from this past March showed HPD had 26 certified police officer positions vacant out of 74 total budgeted positions, which is a 35 percent vacancy rate.
However, in March 2025, the department had 86 certified police officer positions budgeted with 28 of those vacant, equaling a 33 percent vacancy rate.
In late 2025, Hobbs city commissioners approved a 26.5 percent pay increase for patrol officers while sergeants received an 18 percent increase as part of the city’s strategy to attract and retain certified officers.
