Local sheriff's department stretched thin

By Mike Marino
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Crimes are committed every day in every community across the country, including Cibola County. The public is always demanding more law enforcement to help curtail crime, but there is not always enough law enforcement personnel available to stay on top of the growing problem. Usually it is a matter of economics not enough funds are available. Cities have a large but confined area to patrol. In rural communities like Cibola County, the problems are compounded by the fact that the police have larger areas to patrol.

Lt. Harry Hall of the Cibola County Sheriff's Department said, "We only have so many officers on duty, and in any community it works best if the local citizens do their part to help fight crime by keeping an eye out for their neighbors and taking other precautions themselves, such as locking their cars and homes and not making the commission of a crime tempting to a criminal."

Cibola County is 4,180 square miles, according to State of New Mexico statistics, and is home to a population of approximately 26,000 citizens and 25,000 motor vehicles. Hall said, "The sheriff's office has 11 officers including the sheriff, and we have to patrol the entire county as well as respond to basic police service requests."

The sheriff's department also provides assistance to Indian police by contacting non-tribal members on tribal lands, and they also assist federal officers on government lands in remote areas on dirt roads where four wheel drive vehicles may be required.

The sheriff's department also handles transportation duties, taking prisoners from all over the state to courts located in Grants. They also serve subpoenas, handle accidents and arrests; it is a big job in a large area.

Hall said, "A lot of times we do get tips from citizens that will lead to an arrest, and we appreciate their efforts. It helps make our job easier and more effective, and helps keep the level of crime down in the community."