UNM Gallup to Open Local Law Enforcement Academy in 2026

UNM Gallup is advancing plans to establish a local Law Enforcement Academy aimed at expanding recruitment and training capacity within McKinley County and surrounding communities. The campus has hired David Eberhardt to serve as academy director and secured a $400,000 appropriation from the legislature to pilot the program. Officials expect to welcome an initial cohort of roughly 12 to 15 cadets in summer or fall 2026.

The academy will deliver an 18 week, about 748 hour curriculum that slightly exceeds the state minimum for basic training. Course topics planned include state law, patrol procedures, criminal investigation basics, ethics, defensive tactics, and report writing among other core subjects. A stated objective is to structure training so cadets can return to their homes at night, reducing the burden of long relocations and improving local retention of officers.

UNM Gallup intends to partner with municipal, county and tribal law enforcement agencies to certify recruits for service in those jurisdictions. The program is presented as a community focused effort to create a local talent pipeline, increase the diversity of candidates who remain in the region after training, and shorten the time between recruitment and deployment.

Local impact includes potential relief for departments facing staffing shortages and reduced overtime costs if more recruits are trained close to home. For tribal governments, municipal leaders and county officials, the academy offers a new option for culturally informed training and for coordinating hiring with local needs. The pilot nature of the program means its long term effects will depend on continued funding, enrollment numbers and measurable outcomes for recruitment and retention.

Questions remain about oversight and evaluation, including how success will be measured, who will conduct ongoing assessment, and how tribal partners will be formally consulted in curriculum and recruitment practices. Interested applicants and partner agencies are encouraged to contact UNM Gallup and academy director David Eberhardt for enrollment and partnership details as the program moves toward its first class in 2026.