Ex-Bosque Farms chief tapped to lead APD academy
Byrd previously served as director of academy in Hobbs
The Albuquerque police chief announced that a neighboring chief has been picked to head the police training academy.
Angela Byrd, the now-former chief of the Bosque Farms Police Department, will be the next commander of the Albuquerque Police Department Academy.
Byrd’s resume also includes six years as a deputy sheriff in Wichita, Kan., and eight years as the director of the Southeastern New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy in Hobbs.
While in the later position, Byrd is credited with putting in place “community service protocols” in the basic police academy to improve communityrelations policing, according to a news release from the city of Albuquerque.
“As we bring in talent from outside the department, we have an incredible opportunity to work with our cadets right from day one in the academy,” Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement. “Commander Byrd brings the kind of dedication to the values of community policing that will guide our officers as they begin their important work of keeping the public safe.” The academy is currently being led by David Salidin, who replaced Cmdr. John Sullivan, who recently retired.
“I am pleased to bring my understanding of the inner-workings of law enforcement agencies and the importance of training from a nearby community and nationally to APD,” Byrd said in a statement. “Based on my experience, training is where it all begins and it continues throughout an officer’s career.”