Tularosa First Otero County Town or City to Hire a Female Police Chief: Geraldine Martinez

Tularosa village leadership has now made history in appointing Otero County’s first ever female police chief: Geraldine Martinez. Tularosa under the past mayor had significant issues with the police department not able to maintain a certified police chief, and a department embroiled in controversy to include a finding by the Attorney General of noncompliance with IPRA requests.

This has changed and the department has been on a path of being cleaned up under the most recent mayor and village trustees. The hiring of Mrs. Martinez adds a new level of professionalism to the department.

Mrs. Martinez is a high profile public servant with almost 2 decades of experience in public safety and community policing. Her most recent experience was as the Under-Sheriff of Lincoln County where she broke the glass ceiling as the first female Lincoln County Undersheriff. Appointed as the Lincoln County Undersheriff in with a term to begin in January of 2021 she was appointed by Lincoln County Republican Sheriff Michael Wood.

When Sheriff Michael Wood appointed Ms. Martinez he said of her appointment: "My choice for selecting Geraldine Martinez is because of all her experience she has had in law enforcement over the years. She is more than qualified and I have the utmost confidence she will serve the communities of Lincoln County to the greatest of abilities," he said.

The experience she brings to Tularosa as the new police chief is:

A degree in Criminal Justice

22 years law enforcement experience

U.S. Navy veteran

Several years served as Otero County sheriff's deputy and the Lincoln County Undersheriff since 2021

Worked as a sergeant and narcotics unit Commander

Mescalero Tribal resource officer.

The new Tularosa Chief, Geraldine Martinez began her career a few decades back having served in the U.S. armed forces in the US Navy, she worked with the Mescalero Apache Tribe and soon attended the police academy. Furthering her a career in law enforcement, she was hired as a deputy with the Otero County Sheriff's Department, then worked as a sergeant with the narcotics unit, and was then hired by the district attorney's office in Otero County.

As undersheriff of Lincoln County she was extremely visible during the fires the last year. She was vocal along with the Lincoln County Sheriff and the New Mexico State Attorney General in squishing false rumors of mass looting but all the while championing regulations to prohibit price gouging.

Tularosa has had difficulty in maintaining a stable police force under the past mayor and continuity in leadership the past several years. Geraldine Martinez brings a record of stability, experience and is known in the area as a respected law enforcement professional. Congratulations to Geraldine Martinez on her new appointment as police chief.

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