Office of Professional Standards

The Office of Professional Standards (OPS) exists to promote the core values of the New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) and carries out this mission in three ways:

1.  Vigorously investigating allegations of staff misconduct within the NMCD.
2. Identifying trends in misconduct and recommending policy changes to the Secretary of Corrections.
3. Providing training to NMCD personnel and training recommendations to the New Mexico Corrections Academy Division Director.

OPS Special Agents oversee and conduct administrative investigations and coordinate criminal investigations with external criminal justice partners, such as the New Mexico State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation or other applicable law enforcement agencies.

OPS maintains an excellent working relationship with the NMCD Security Threat Intelligence Unit (STIU) and the assigned personnel of the respective units assist each other regularly.

OPS is led by a Bureau Chief and currently has approximately 100 certified OPS investigators with extensive experience in numerous operational backgrounds throughout the New Mexico Corrections Department.

If you wish to report a complaint or allegation of employee misconduct, please send information via e-mail NMCD-OPSReferrals@state.nm.us.