Rio Rancho’s police and fire departments handled tens of thousands of calls in 2025, with new data showing faster fire response times but a notable rise in structure fires and a wide spread in police response times depending on call urgency. The Rio Rancho Police Department received 66,232 total calls for service between Jan. 1 […]
Courts, Justice & Safety
Posted inRoute 66 Independent
BCSO Sergeant fatally struck during traffic stop in East Mountains: Investigation underway
By Jesse Jones — A Bernalillo County sheriff’s sergeant was killed Monday evening after a tractor-trailer crashed into his patrol unit during a traffic stop on Interstate 40 near the East Mountains, Sheriff John Allen announced Monday night. Sgt. Michael Schlattman, a 13-year veteran of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, called in the stop just […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Gary King campaigned on prosecuting child sex offenders – while courting Epstein at lunch and accepting donations through companies designed to avoid “press coverage” for King
By Pat Davis, Julian Paras, NM Political Report — The Epstein files revealed lots of new details about people and places connected to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein — including former attorney general and candidate for governor, Gary King. When reporting from New Mexico Political Report and others showed that King used a jet arranged […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Rio Rancho
Man arrested on kidnapping, sexual assault charges involving 13-year-old girl
New Mexico State Police have arrested a 34-year-old man on charges of kidnapping and sexual assault following an investigation involving a 13-year-old girl from Rio Rancho, authorities announced. The suspect was booked into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center following his arrest Feb. 15. He faces charges of first-degree kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration of a […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Rio Rancho, The 528 Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho Fire and Rescue ready to break ground on new fire station
After years of planning, data collection and funding pursuits, Rio Rancho Fire Rescue is on the verge of breaking ground on Fire Station 8 — the city’s first new fire station since 2011 — with a bid closing March 26 and shovels expected in the ground as early as late April. Fire Chief James Wenzel […]
Posted inEast Mountains
Child dead, two others injured in East Mountains shooting
A 4-year-old boy is dead and two others remain in critical condition following an early-morning domestic violence shooting at Leisure Mountain RV Park located on NM-333 between Tijeras and Zuzax, according to a release by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional details provided Tues. afternoon by the […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Rio Rancho, The 528 Rio Rancho
‘Hustle’ busted: Man in fake Target vest used magnet to steal $1,000+ in electronics
A 34-year-old Cedar Crest man faces shoplifting and larceny charges after police say he used a magnet device to steal more than $1,180 worth of merchandise from a Rio Rancho Target store. Rio Rancho police responded to the Target at 4225 Crestview Drive SE at approximately 12:42 p.m. Sunday after asset protection staff reported a […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Rio Rancho, The 528 Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho police invite the public to Coffee with a Cop
The Rio Rancho Police Department will host a Coffee with a Cop event on Feb. 10, inviting community members to meet with local law enforcement officers over coffee. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Brekki Brekki, located at 3755 Southern Blvd. in Rio Rancho. Coffee with a Cop is […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety, Moriarty, Route 66 Independent, Sandoval County
Firearm incident leads to massive drug bust in Moriarty
A 43-year-old man faces multiple drug trafficking and assault charges after allegedly firing a gun during an argument and authorities discovered large quantities of narcotics at his home, according to the Torrance County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to a report of an altercation involving a firearm on Belgian Avenue in Moriarty at approximately 2:59 p.m. […]
Posted inCourts, Justice & Safety
Last year, 389 people were denied a gun in Bernalillo County. Then they got a friendly visit from the sheriff.
For most gun buyers in Bernalillo County, a background check is a routine step. But for 389 people last year, that check ended in a denial and a visit from the sheriff’s office. Instead of a raid, these individuals often received a “knock and talk” from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Behavioral Health Unit (BHU). These visits […]