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.At the Silver City Town Council meeting on June 24, 2025, animal control officers and code enforcement officers recognized Police Chief Freddie Portillo. He was presented with a letter of appreciation and a plaque. However, only two police officers showed.
The recognition came eleven days after the Grant County Beat filed an Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) to obtain a copy of the Vote of No Confidence filed by the Police Union in 2024 against Chief Portillo. The IPRA request was denied by the city.
The setting for the ceremony was ironic as police officers are forbidden to go directly to the Town Council members if they have a problem with Portillo. They have to go to him first, then Alex Brown, the town manager. From the praise the Council members heaped on Portillo, they probably don’t realize that the Chief’ might have created a Potemkin Village.
A Potemkin village is a deliberately constructed façade to deceive others into thinking a situation is better than it really is. It’s a fake display of prosperity or competence that masks an underlying reality of dysfunction or bad management.
The term comes from Grigory Potemkin, a Russian military leader and lover of Catherine the Great.During her 1787 tour of Crimea, Potemkin had elaborate fake villages erected along her route to impress her with the region’s supposed prosperity. These were façades, with happy-looking peasants and fresh paint, designed to hide the area's true unrest. (Why have Experienced Silver City Police Officers Left the Department? (grantcountybeat.com)
The reality of Portillo’s leadership is on display in the following story:
Graveyard Shift Police Officer gets no help.
Editor’s Note: Source wants to remain anonymous because of the possibility of retribution.
“I worked the graveyard shift (10pm-6am) for more than 6 years straight without a break. That was due to other officers refusing to switch shifts with me, and Portillo refusing to intervene. Working nights taxed my physical and mental health. My marriage was falling apart, and I didn’t see my children.
On numerous occasions I asked for help. Nothing was changed, but I was offered counseling.
The last time I asked for help, I told a Captain that both my physical health and mental health were deteriorating. I couldn’t sleep, and my anxiety was through the roof. I asked for a change of shift or a break or just some sort of help in any way shape or form. I was met with a pat on the back and was told by the Captain, ‘You know what you signed up for, you’ll be alright.’ I left his office furious and within 2 days I applied for a different job.
I was also tired of the corruption and favoritism that existed. I was passed up for trainings and promotions because I was not a close friend or family member of Chief Portillo. I also believe that is why nothing changed when I asked for help. I was also constantly placed in Internal Investigations for no reason. All Internals were unfounded, and I was exonerated. That was a mind game that was played with officers that didn’t align with Chief Portillo.
Constant pressure and harassment were handed to those that pushed back. Numerous officers expressed strong dislike and frustration with the way Chief Portillo ran the department. Complaints and concerns had been brought to his attention about the corruption of his cousin who is a SCDP sergeant. Complaints fell on deaf ears and nothing changed. All this makes for an uncomfortable and dangerous workplace.”
To be continued…
