By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
To help each other fill gaps left by staff vacancies, the Gallup Police Department and the Navajo Nation Police Department have entered into a mutual aid agreement.
Gallup Police Chief Erin Toadlena-Pablo presented the agreement to the Gallup City Council during their May 12 regular meeting. She explained that the agreement allows the GPD and NPD to voluntarily assist one another during emergencies. Specifically, either department can request backup when facing a disaster or emergency that requires an immediate response within their jurisdiction.
While the agreement doesn’t change either department’s legal jurisdiction or sovereign powers, Toadlena-Pablo noted that it will foster better cooperation and communication. This is especially crucial in a region often described as a “checkerboard jurisdiction” due to its overlapping boundaries. Although the Navajo Nation has signed similar agreements with other bordertown municipalities, this agreement marks a first for the City of Gallup.
Before bringing the proposal to the council, Toadlena-Pablo wanted to ensure that the GPD would not be stretched thin by minor incidents.
“We wanted to make sure we weren’t putting ourselves out there to handle a lot of cases,”she said.
The departments will only trigger the agreement for major events. Past examples include the April 2024 downtown explosion—which occurred when a BNSF train carrying liquid petroleum derailed—and the 2022 incident where a drunk driver drove through the opening parade of the Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial.
The city councilors enthusiastically backed the partnership, with Mayor Marc DePauli calling it “one of the best things that can happen for the area.”
“I think this is a great beginning to work with the Navajo Nation that we’ve been wanting, and I believe this is just the beginning,” Councilor Linda Garcia, Dist. 1, said.
However, former sitting Deputy Attorney Erika Pirotte noted one remaining legal hurdle: state law requires the governor to approve the mutual agreement.
“I’m not too sure why the state would have an interest, but nonetheless to comply with that statute, we would be sending a copy of that agreement once it’s approved by the city and the Navajo Nation to the governor for their approval as well,” Pirotte said.
With Pirotte’s amendment regarding the governor’s review included, the council unanimously approved the agreement.
