By Frost McGahey
Investigative Journalist
Silver City Daily Press Photo -Silver City Police Chief Freddie Portillo, left, shakes hands with Code Enforcement Officer Thomas Hernandez at June 12, Town Council Meeting.
(Editor's Note: Source requested name be withheld for fear of retribution.)
In 2019, the Chief had an opening for a Captain's position within the Investigations unit. Two individuals were considered: a male lieutenant and a female sergeant. Although interview scores are typically evaluated by a board, the Chief opted to make the decision by himself, which he acknowledged was atypical. The male candidate was selected.
Several months later, an armed suspect fired at civilians and officers. The new Captain arrived in an unmarked municipal vehicle and appeared to be drunk. Responding personnel smelled alcohol and noticed slurred speech as he attempted to provide direction. The incident was reported to Chief Freddie Portillo, who arranged transportation for the individual rather than initiating a formal investigation. This is despite internal policy requiring action when substance the impairment is suspected. The individual was later reassigned to a patrol role, and the female candidate became the acting captain.
In 2020, the female acting captain was formally promoted to the role. Despite having greater tenure than her counterpart in patrol, her pay rate remained significantly lower. The disparity was brought to the notice of supervisory and executive officials including both the assistant and town managers, but was never corrected. She retired earning $3.11 less per hour than the other captain. A patrol lieutenant was paid only .50 less than her rate.
In subsequent months, several new positions were created under questionable circumstances. One such position—Lieutenant—was filled by an employee previously reassigned following disciplinary actions. After returning to patrol and preparing for medical leave, the individual was promoted through a selection process that included only two applicants and was overseen by a small board. The final selection was made by the Chief.
Internal investigations appear to be inconsistently assigned, and some individuals avoid consequences for serious policy or legal violations. This includes violations of protective orders, knowledge of felons in possession of firearms, and suspected impairment while on duty. In contrast, the less favored officers receive multi-day suspensions for minor infractions suggesting inconsistent disciplinary practices.
During a period of elevated turnover in the prior year, Chief Portillo was frequently absent from duty creating a leadership vacuum. Mid-level administrators filled the gap taking on scheduling responsibilities and initiating retention meetings to prevent further loss of personnel. The Chief later expressed suspicion that these efforts were attempts to undermine his authority. Around this time, he also appeared at work with visible facial injuries saying he had fallen, which raised questions among the staff.
The functioning of the department appears to depend heavily on administrative staff. Recruitment and staffing efforts have stalled, particularly in specialized units such as narcotics, where outgoing staff have not been replaced. While Chief Portillo often speaks about organizational goals, there is minimal follow-through with critical responsibilities being deferred to subordinates.
To be continued…
