Nine apply for Rio Communities Police Department chief job

RIO COMMUNITIES—The city of Rio Communities is looking for its second police chief, months after firing it’s first one.

Felix Nunez was hired in September 2023, and terminated in July. A total of nine people applied to be the next police chief of the Rio Communities Police Department.

The Rio Communities City Council held an executive session to discuss the applicants on Monday, but no decisions were made.

Rio Communities Mayor Joshua Ramsell said the council might have another special meeting to further review the applications and narrow down the candidates.

“Once the council has narrowed down the candidates they would like to interview, we’ll set those up and then work on selecting the person we want to hire,” Ramsell said. “There is no time line, but I’m hoping for a police chief in the position by the end of the year or hopefully sooner. I believe that’s what’s best for the community and department.”

Ramsell will nominate the person he believes to be the best candidate, and the council will then consider and vote.

“I would like to see someone with leadership experience, ready and willing to move our department forward, which is a relatively young department,” the mayor said. “I want to make sure we have someone with the experience and knowledge to move the department forward.”

The police chief applicants include:

•Robbin Burge, of Peralta, is the former chief of police for the Pueblo of Isleta. He also had worked as a patrol officer in Isleta, and in security at Isleta Resort and Casino. He was a detective with the Albuquerque Police Department, where he worked from 1989 to 2012, when he retired.

•James Harris, the former police chief in Bethel, Alaska, and in Belen. Harris has worked as a lieutenant for the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office and a law enforcement ranger for New Mexico State Parks. He was a former sergeant at the Belen PD and was a detective at the Los Lunas Police Department.

•Abraham Henson, of Veguita, is currently an area supervisor with the New Mexico Livestock Board. He has been a police officer with the UNM-Valencia Campus, and worked in several positions with the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office from 2007 to 2019, and served with the Mountainair Police Department from 2004 to 2007.

•Isaac Martinez, of Albuquerque, is currently a detective sergeant with the Albuquerque Public Schools Police Department. He was also a lieutenant with the Cuba and Jemez Springs police departments and the Rio Arriba Sheriff’s Office.

•Christopher McCord, of Albuquerque, has been a commander at the Santa Fe Police Department from 2008 to 2025. McCord has been a firefighter and EMT at Kirtland Air Force Base, Living Cross and Belen Fire Department. He has also been a police officer with the Belen Police Department.

•Alan Montano, of Rio Communities, is currently a probation officer with Valencia County courts. He has been a patrol sergeant with Isleta Police Department, retired as a sergeant with the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office and was a captain with Cornell Corrections.

•Owen Pena, of Albuquerque, is currently a lieutenant for the Cibola County Sheriff’s Office. He worked as an investigator for the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. He has also worked for the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office and for the Gallup Police Department. In his application, Pena is also a U.S. Air Force veteran.

•Jose Rodriguez is currently the patrol sergeant with the Rio Communities Police Department. He was hired in 2023. Rodriguez has worked as a field patrol officer for the Albuquerque Public Schools, a patrol officer in Estancia, and the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office.

•Paul Szych, of Rio Rancho, is the chief of public safety and director at the Goodman Realty Group in Albuquerque. He is also a part-time faculty instructor at Central New Mexico Community College, and is the owner and operator of Real Training, LLC in Rio Rancho. Szych was a police commander at the Albuquerque Police Department from 2001 to 2021.