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In this Oct. 2, 2025, photo, UNM-�������˸��� Law Enforcement Academy Director David Eberhardt poses for a portrait at The University of New Mexico-�������˸���.

UNM-�������˸��� makes progress on new Law Enforcement Academy

Categories: Students   Faculty   Staff   Community  

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Training program for local officers aims to improve community policing and partnerships

By Richard Reyes, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025

GALLUP, N.M. — The University of New Mexico-�������˸��� is making progress toward starting a new law enforcement academy aimed at addressing the community’s need for training and recruiting certified police officers locally.

Dr. David Eberhardt was hired as the director of the UNM-�������˸��� Law Enforcement Academy in August. Over the past five months, he has been hard at work to get the academy started with the goal of accepting the first class of cadets by the summer or fall of 2026.

Currently, Eberhardt is going through the necessary steps of program approval to get the law enforcement academy up and running.

Strengthening community partnerships

If approved, the UNM-�������˸��� Law Enforcement Academy would offer a training program to certify police recruits to become officers for municipal and county governments, including the City of �������˸���, McKinley County, City of Grants, Village of Milan, and Cibola County.

Eberhardt is also planning to partner with tribal governments in the region, such as the Navajo Nation and Pueblo of Zuni.

“The Law Enforcement Academy demonstrates the partnership between our institution, our legislators, and our community,” UNM-�������˸��� Chancellor Dr. Sabrina Ezzell said. “It also shows how responsive UNM-�������˸��� can be to developing the local workforce and improving public safety.”

Eberhardt has been talking to officials from local law enforcement agencies to learn what challenges they’re facing when it comes to training and recruiting new officers. He learned that many young recruits from the �������˸��� area hesitate to attend academies in Albuquerque or Santa Fe because it requires spending extended periods of time away from their families.

“So what we’re offering is for the cadets or recruits to come to the academy and then be able to go home at night,” Eberhardt said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for people.”

Eberhardt believes that having an academy in �������˸��� may help increase the number of local recruits that agencies can hire and retain. Those recruits will also have more of a connection to the community and a familiarity with the area.

“I think local communities like locals policing their own communities,” Eberhardt said. “That’s what we’re going to offer. People who live here know the territory. They grew up here, so they’ll be able to police it better. And I think that’s what citizens want too.”

A responsive curriculum

Eberhardt hopes to start the new academy with a class of 12-15 cadets and have the first cohort graduate by the end of 2026.

The curriculum for the program will cover approximately 748 hours of training and instruction over the course of 18 weeks, slightly exceeding requirements from the State of New Mexico.

The curriculum will consist of subject matter such as state law and legal procedures, ethics, patrol procedures and operations, principles of criminal investigation, note taking and reporting writing, defensive tactics, and more.

The state requires a minimum of 16.9 weeks and 672 hours, but Eberhardt increased the length of the program based on feedback from local law enforcement.

“If my clients, the law enforcement community, are saying, ‘We want more of this,’ then it’s my job to give it to them because this is about them,” Eberhardt said. “This is service.”

An excellent leader

Eberhardt holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Iowa State University with minors in English and economics. He also holds a doctorate in international studies from the Joseph Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs at the University of Denver.

Eberhardt worked as an instructor in the Political Science Department at the University of Colorado Denver for 10 years. He then worked as a special agent for 23 years with the Diplomatic Security Service under the U.S. Department of State.

In addition to working abroad, Eberhardt gained domestic law enforcement experience as an agent in Washington, D.C., and as the special agent in charge of the Chicago Field Office.

“Diplomatic Security Service agents are doing kind of the standard law enforcement functions that any other federal, state or local law enforcement would do,” he said. “Our specialty was document fraud, dealing with passports and visas, which are important in terms of protecting the borders of our country.”

With a background in law enforcement and education, Eberhardt was thrilled to find out about the academy director position at UNM-�������˸���, which offered the chance to build something from the ground up.

“It fits with my desire to serve,” he said. “For me, it’s kind of like a capstone for my career in that I get to pull the pieces of my work experience over my lifetime to do something for this community and this university.”

Ezzell described Eberhardt as an excellent leader in his role as academy director so far.

“I can’t say enough good things about him,” Ezzell said. “He brings experience, excellent communication skills, and great leadership skills. He’s just the right person we needed for this initiative.”

To learn more about the UNM-�������˸��� Law Enforcement Academy, contact David Eberhardt at 505-863-6325 or ebarhardtdr@unm.edu.