By Diana M. Alba
Las Cruces Sun-News
He doesn’t have an official badge, gun or uniform, but he’s now this city’s first police chief.
Why the lack of gear?
Chief Steven Foldy, 53, has been on the job only since Monday afternoon. The city council members OK’d the hire Saturday, Anthony Mayor Ramon Gonzalez said.
Also the first-ever officer in Anthony, Foldy will have the task building a police department from scratch.
Until Monday morning, Foldy worked at the Department. He was first hired as a deputy in October 1997 under former Sheriff Juan Hernandez.
Before that, Foldy had a 21-year career in the U.S. Army, where he was involved in military policing and administration.
Anthony, which had a population of 9,400 in the 2010 census, struggles with a high rate of poverty. In recent years, it’s been a hotbed for gang activity.
Challenges ahead
Foldy is familiar with the town. Of his 13-year career with the Sheriff’s Department, Foldy said, he worked some years as a patrol supervisor in Anthony. He worked an additional seven years as a patrolman in the area.
Foldy described himself as a “firm believer in community policing,” in which officers are stationed in neighborhoods for long periods in order to know the residents personally. And he said cultivating relationships between the Police Department and other organizations, such as the schools and nonprofit groups, is important.
Foldy also said creating positive outlets for youth, such as a boxing gym or arts activities, is needed. “I want to get the kids off the streets and get them occupied,” he said.
The new chief was selected from six applicants by the city council, Gonzalez said. Foldy’s experience in the military and Sheriff’s Department were assets, he said. In addition, Gonzalez said, he doesn’t seem like a “hard nose.”
“His vision is to make Anthony the safest city, and he brings a lot of programs we can tap into,” he said. “He seems like the type of person who’s wanting to, instead of issuing tickets, he’s going to be constantly talking to people to make sure they abide by the law.”
A spurt of gang violence in 2007 was part of what prompted some residents to promote an incorporation effort. Foldy said that though the criminal activity might not be as high-profile, the gangs still maintain a presence and the violence could happen again.
Even so, Foldy said, Anthony has plenty of residents who aren’t involved with gangs. He said the town gets a bad rap because of “that 1 percent that spoils it for everybody else.”
Foldy said he’ll promote a “zero-tolerance” policy when it comes to law enforcement.
“But sure, we’ve got to look at the human elements,” he said. “Sometimes the law is actually served by, saying, ‘Hey, just don’t do it again.’ ”
The new police chief will earn $35,000 annually, excluding benefits, Gonzalez said.
Building from scratch
The city hall is in a rented, former classroom space at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church Parish Hall. Gonzalez said Foldy will work out of that office space until the small government has enough money for another building.
Anthony voters in January 2010 opted to become a municipality. The city council was seated July 1 of the same year.
Wednesday, Foldy visited the county offices to obtain a more-detailed map of Anthony’s boundaries. It’s just the start of the work he’ll have to do to establish the department. He’s set a goal of having the infrastructure in place in time to hire additional personnel within 10 months, he said.
Career redirection
Asked why he applied for the position, Foldy said he felt his chance for advancement was limited in the Sheriff’s Department, and his training and experience weren’t being put to use. He said one of his major strengths is creating and implementing new policy, especially useful in the new role.
At the Sheriff’s Department, Foldy was placed on administrative leave with pay on July 19, 2010, and suspended July 30 of the same year, according to county records. He was reinstated Aug. 20, 2010. County officials declined to comment about the action.
Foldy declined to say much about it. “The bottom line was, I left on my terms, and I’m very happy,” he said.
Foldy has run unsuccessfully as a Republican candidate for sheriff and magistrate judge in Do?a Ana County.
A native of Connecticut, Foldy later moved to Florida, where he graduated from high school. He joined the military after graduating and first moved to Las Cruces in 1992, when he was stationed at White Sands Missile Range. He said he liked the area and decided to stay after his military retirement.
Foldy said his dream since age 14 was to become a sheriff in a small town. His new job comes about as close as possible.
“I feel really honored, very humbled,” he said. “To me, I’m at the pinnacle of my career.”
Copyright 2011 El Paso Times, a MediaNews Group Newspaper