Current Interim Chief of Police Dr. August Fons has accepted a conditional offer of employment from the City of Hobbs to become the city’s next Police Chief. City of Hobbs Director of Communications Meghan Mooney made the announcement in a Tuesday, April 12 press release (PDF).
What Is A Conditional Offer of Employment
A conditional offer of employment is a standard recruitment tool. It means that Dr. Fons will need to meet certain conditions before obtaining the job. “A conditional offer does exactly what it sounds like – it makes an offer of employment, based on certain requirements the candidate must fulfill in order to secure the job,” states the background screening solutions website Asurint.com.
Dr. Fons Experience in Hobbs
Late last year the Lea County Tribune informed the public of Dr. Fons appointment to serve as the city’s Interim Chief, effective December 13, 2021.
Before becoming Interim Chief, Dr. Fons served “… in all uniformed supervisory ranks through the position of Deputy Chief of Police, including 10 years as a Special Weapons and Tactics team member and Commander, narcotics and special investigations detective, and the position of Criminal Investigations Division Commander,” states Mooney in the press release.
Other Experience
Chief Fons is a certified master law enforcement trainer and criminal justice educator. He has worked and traveled extensively as a contractor for Law Enforcement and Training International and has provided training on an advanced level to law enforcement agencies. He has served as a trainer at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy, as well as with the Albuquerque Police Department, the Santa Fe Police Department and the New Mexico State Police.
Chief Fons’ expertise spans “training in Use of Force [Response to Resistance], Firearms, Defensive Tactics, Search and Seizure, Special Weapons and Tactics, Reality-Based training, Physical Fitness, and Supervision and Leadership,” states the press release.
Chief Fons is certified by the United States Department of Homeland Security as an Active Shooter. He, also, serves as “an adjunct criminal justice and MBA faculty member” at the University of the Southwest.
Chief Fons previously held the positions of Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department of Public Safety/State Police and Divisional Dean of Public Safety for New Mexico Junior College.
Statement from Chief Fons
About his conditional appointment Chief Fons said, “It is an honor to serve as the Chief of Police in the community I call home. I look forward to working alongside other agencies and strengthening partnerships between them and the Hobbs Police Department. I thank City Staff, City Manager Gomez, and the City Commission for their support and this opportunity.”
Statement from City Manager Manny Gomez
City Manager Manny Gomez is pleased with the “extensive experience” that Chief Fons brings to both the job and the city. About Dr. Fons Gomez states, “He is familiar with community members, has a solid understanding of police work, and holds a clear vision for the direction of the Hobbs Police Department. His management, communication, and training skills will place the department in a position to excel as a top performing law enforcement agency in the region with community-focused personnel.”
Chief Fons’ Education
Chief Fons holds a Doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from Texas Tech University. He has a Master’s of Arts in Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, both from the University of the Southwest. Further, he has successfully completed more than 10,000 hours in law enforcement training.
Chief Fons may be contacted by phone at (575) 397-9281 or by email at afons@hobbsnm.org.
