The typical politician, to me, shakes a lot of hands and speaks with empty platitudes.  However, Adan Mendoza is not, by any means, a typical politician.  At the La Cienega Valley Association meeting held on June 4th, 2018, Adan presented his case for becoming the Sheriff of Santa Fe County to a receptive and connected audience.

To begin, Adan outlined his vision for the Sheriff’s office.  His top three objectives as Sheriff will be to:

  1. Address the Opioid problem in Santa Fe County from a mental/behavioral health perspective.  He will seek to partner with other law enforcement agencies and the treatment community to find alternatives to incarceration.
  2. Be tough on repeat offenders, especially those who have a history of crimes against children and/or other violent crimes.  He will do all that he can to ensure that these repeat offenders be removed from the streets.
  3. Implement his vision for community policing.  Adan’s community policing means that officers will “get out of their cars” and meet with people within the communities they serve.  Not only will Adan seek to add patrolling deputies to rural areas (such as La Cienega), these deputies will seek to learn what communities need from them. Says, Adan, “Each community is different.  Chimayo’s needs may be different from La Cienega’s needs and it’s up to me to set the tone that will allow the Sheriff’s department to learn what those needs are and then address them, community by community.”  In addition, Adan will add technology to the Sheriff’s department; he will seek to deploy a web-based portal through which citizens can obtain police records and other matters that can be addressed through this self-service portal.

What struck me was that Adan didn’t offer platitudes, but real and tangible solutions.  Those in attendance asked several questions and Adan thoughtfully responded to each with a hard solution. For example, someone asked about speeding within La Cienega and Adan responded by saying that officers could be placed in high traffic areas such that their presence becomes a real deterrent.  To me, this was an extension of community policing, as a deputy present where before there was no presence would demonstrate Adan’s commitment to being a resource within the communities of Santa Fe County.

I strongly believe that Adan is not a politician, but a leader who knows law enforcement. Even though his talk wasn’t at a political rally, I felt energized that a law enforcement professional could stand before a group of people and humbly offer real solutions.  Adan Mendoza will be the best leader of a law enforcement agency in New Mexico, bar none.  I implore the citizens of Santa Fe County to vote Adan Mendoza our Sheriff.  He will become the template that all elected leaders should follow.