On Thursday, Jan. 25, the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office hosted a Breakfast with the Sheriff from 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Alma’s in Artesia. The breakfast was intended as an opportunity for the public to meet with Sheriff Mark Cage, Undersheriff Matthew Hutchinson, various deputies, and other employees of the sheriff’s department face to face.
According to Hutchinson, this event is part of a larger initiative led by himself and Cage to promote a culture of transparency and accessibility between the sheriff’s department and the public. Hutchinson said the purpose of the breakfast is to humanize relations with law enforcement officials and to open lines of communication so department leaders can receive honest feedback on their work in Eddy County. “I think that’s what our community wants and needs,” Hutchinson said. “We want that footprint in our community.”
Several members of the sheriff’s department command staff attended the breakfast, as well as four deputies, some of whom still have yet to attend the training academy.
Training and Recruiting Sgt. Gracie Gonzales expressed the value of the event in general, as well as the importance of the presence of the deputies. For Gonzales, Breakfast with the Sheriff provides an opportunity for the public to interface with law enforcement without the pressure of an ongoing emergency, stating these events “give the community a voice” and a chance to share concerns with the leaders of the department.
Breakfast with the Sheriff humanizes the public as well, allowing law enforcement officers and officials to conversate with civilians about topics large and small, with the goal of those conversations leading to positive, long-lasting relationships with community members and ultimately, a culture of policing built on the idea that both sheriffs and civilians are human.
Civilians unable to attend Breakfast with the Sheriff are encouraged to reach out to the sheriff’s office by phone at 575-887-7551 or on the Facebook Eddy County Sheriff page to share feedback and begin building relationships.
