Sheriff Files Proposed Amendment to Charter

Sheriff Marco Valentino Lucero filed in the Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office Thursday a proposed amendment to Los Alamos County Charter 304.3 “Duties of the Sheriff and Police.”

Current Charter Reading:

Duties of the Sheriff, Police department and Peace Officers. The Council shall establish as a department of the County, [sic] a Police Department to be charged with conserving the peace and enforcing the laws of the State and the enforcing the laws of the State and the ordinances of the County. The Sheriff Shall have those powers and duties assigned to sheriffs by state statutes, including the powers of a peace officer, but The Sheriff shall not duplicate or perform those duties in this Charter or by ordinance or resolution assigned or delegated to the County Police Department.

Proposed Amendment:

Duties of the Sheriff, Police Department and Peace Officers. The Council shall establish a department and an office of the County, a police Department and an Office of the Sheriff. The Police Department to be charged with conserving the peace, enforcing the laws of the State and the ordinances of the County. The Sheriffs’ Office shall have those duties assigned to Sheriffs by State Statutes to include the duties of peace officer, but the Sheriff or the deputies shall not have criminal law enforcement authority without having successfully completed a Law Enforcement Academy

The County Clerk’s Office has forwarded the proposed amendment document to the County Attorney’s Office.

“I need to obtain signatures on a petition from 15 percent of registered voters, which equates to about 1,400 signatures,” Lucero said. “I must do this within 180 days to get the proposed amendment on the November ballot.”

Lucero retired as a lieutenant from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office after 22 years of service. He explained that he participates in required training updates that allow him to maintain his law enforcement certifications.

Search
LOS ALAMOS

ladailypost.com website support locally by OviNuppi Systems