Drones, DNA, and Donuts: Rep. Vasquez Tours Carlsbad Police Department

By R. Gabriel Villalobos

During a recent tour of the Carlsbad Police Department headquarters, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-NM) got an up-close look at how the department is using a quarter of a million dollars in federal funding that he secured for infrastructure and technological upgrades.

On May 7, the congressman saw how CPD is leveraging cutting-edge technology to combat staffing shortages and modernize policing in southeastern New Mexico. Hosted by Chief Jessie Rodriguez, the tour highlighted the department’s evolution from the “stone age” to a data-driven force focused on recruitment, regional cooperation, and advanced surveillance tools.

Chief Rodriguez, a 24-year veteran, explained that the tour would begin in the community services division, a key recruitment pipeline. The department is hiring local 18- and 19-year-olds into three-year starter positions. By age 21, they are ready to be certified to become officers.

“They know the community, they know the families,” Rodriguez said. “It makes them more reliable choices to stay and serve.”

Mayor Rick Lopez was on the tour, too, and talked about his experience in the fire department. He expanded on the extended sense of community that defines this region of New Mexico, even among first responders.

“We get a call, and it doesn’t matter where it’s from, we’re going.” Lopez said,” We’ve gone as far as Roswell during their floods.”

The former hospital that now houses the department is undergoing a floor-by-floor redesign. In one classroom, Vasquez observed a tense legal training session where a senior instructor grilled officers on case law regarding home entry. The instructor cited Storey v. Taylor, emphasizing that ordering a person out of their home requires probable cause for arrest, highlighting the department’s focus on constitutional policing.

Chief Rodriguez then led the congressman through the old morgue, now repurposed as an armory and evidence area, before discussing a major partnership with Axon. The department recently signed a $3.8 million, five-year contract with the company, bringing body cameras, Tasers, and a real-time crime center online.

Sergeant Tyler Barker demonstrated body cameras capable of live language translation. This feature was already used to assist Chinese and Spanish speakers after a local crash.

Perhaps the most striking advancement is the drone-as-first-responder program. Three drones stationed across the city will automatically deploy to in-progress calls, such as burglaries or fights. The drones can be operated remotely from a new real-time crime center on the fourth floor, with live video feeds sent directly to officers’ devices.

“It’s a huge force multiplier and keeps officers out of danger,” Rodriguez said, “especially in pursuits.”

Vasquez, who previously worked with Axon on federal legislation to classify long-range Tasers as less-lethal devices rather than firearms, was pleased to see those tools in use.

“Officers told me that if we want to reduce mortality in these incidents, this is a really useful tool,” he said. “It took an act of Congress to reclassify that taser.”

The tour also revealed a local DNA analysis system called Rapid Hit, which allows detectives to build a departmental database from consenting individuals. A match provides probable cause for a warrant, which is a potential game-changer for investigations.

Vasquez was briefed on the department’s need for nearly $1 million to upgrade to a statewide radio system. “Carlsbad could talk to Santa Fe or other cities and counties, but it’s huge money,” Rodriguez noted. The congressman acknowledged the challenge, saying he had asked New Mexico’s senators to review the project for federal funding.

Vasquez also raised concerns about public surveillance, including Flock camera systems, noting that constituents worry about privacy and civil rights. He said this would be an important conversation for New Mexicans to engage in at the statewide level to balance concerns about privacy with those about safety in communities throughout the state.

The tour concluded on the top floor, where a $1 million training center is under construction. The state-of-the-art classroom will seat 80 officers and host nationally recognized training programs. Chief Rodriguez joked about a necessary amenity, a donut serving area.

“It’s great to see what you guys do here,” Vasquez said. “Taking care of our police departments and officers is a priority.”

The congressman’s visit ended with a moment of admiration for the department’s beautifully restored antique Plymouth squad car. He sat down, started her up, turned on the light, and, with a smile on his face, he let the siren wail.