A Lincoln County sheriff's deputy is facing a professional reckoning after being arrested in El Paso in what Sheriff Michael Wood described as a prostitution sting. Wood identified the deputy as Michael Galardo and said Galardo previously spent 18 years as a peace officer with another agency before joining the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff said he plans to send the arrest information to the county academy board for a review of Galardo's peace officer certification and offered no additional details.
According to KFOX14, Wood said Galardo traveled from Lincoln County to El Paso on Thursday, where he was then arrested in the sting operation. The station reported that Wood did not say where Galardo was booked or specify what charges, if any, were filed.
How certification review works in New Mexico
Peace-officer certification in New Mexico is governed by the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy and state statutes that authorize the director and the academy board to investigate alleged misconduct. The Academy's rules and state law outline how complaints are filed and how suspensions or revocations of certification can proceed. Those procedures are detailed in N.M. Stat. §29-7-6 as compiled by Justia and in the New Mexico Administrative Code.
What we know about the deputy
KFOX14 reported that Galardo logged 18 years as a peace officer with another agency before moving to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. The Lincoln County website lists Michael Wood as sheriff, and Wood told KFOX14 he would forward Galardo's arrest information to the county academy board for review.
Wood did not release any arrest records, booking details, or a list of charges in his public comments. This article will be updated if the county academy board, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, or authorities in El Paso release additional documents or statements.
