A. The chief is the executive officer of the New Mexico state police and is subject to the control, supervision and direction of the secretary. The appointee, at the time of appointment as chief by the secretary, shall have been a member of the New Mexico state police holding a permanent commission for ten continuous years immediately prior to the appointment and shall have served not less than three years in a supervisory capacity. Appointment shall be made with the consent of the senate.
B. The chief shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary.
C. The seniority and retirement rating of the chief shall be continuous as for any other member.
D. The chief shall maintain an office in Santa Fe in such quarters as are provided by the New Mexico state police for that purpose.
History: 1953 Comp., § 39-2-18, enacted by Laws 1977, ch. 257, § 34; 1979, ch. 202, § 28; 1981, ch. 185, § 1; 2015, ch. 3, § 17.
ANNOTATIONSRepeals and reenactments. — Laws 1977, ch. 257, § 34, repealed former 39-2-18, 1953 Comp., relating to executive duties of chief, removal, seniority and retirement, location of office and residence, and enacted a new 39-2-18, 1953 Comp. Laws 1977, ch. 257, § 107, also repealed former 39-2-18, 1953 Comp., as it existed before the enactment of the new section.
The 2015 amendment, effective July 1, 2015, provided for the reorganization of the department of public safety by clarifying the qualifications of the chief of the state police; in Subsection A, after "police and", deleted "shall be" and added "is", after "direction of the", deleted "New Mexico state police board. He shall" and added "secretary. The appointee"; in the second sentence of Subsection A, after "time of", deleted "his", after "appointment", added "as chief", after "by the", deleted "board" and added "secretary shall", after "prior to", deleted "his" and added "the", and after "capacity", deleted "and said"; in Subsection B, after "pleasure of the" deleted "New Mexico state police board" and added "secretary"; and in Subsection D, after "maintain", deleted "his" and added "an".