Rio Arriba County Sheriff Joe Mascareñas’ tug-of-war with County Manager Lorenzo Valdez over whom to hire as undersherrif ended Nov. 28 with an unexpected appointment.
Lorenzo Valdez said he received a letter Nov. 24 from Mascareñas appointing deputy Paul Valdez as the Department’s second-in-command effective Tuesday.
“I had heard through the grapevine that he might offer me the job,” Paul Valdez said. “But it wasn’t until that day (Nov. 24) that Joe called to ask me if I’d take it.”
Lorenzo Valdez said he had not discussed hiring Paul Valdez with Mascareñas.
“I guess the sheriff just knew that Paul would meet the criteria,” Lorenzo Valdez said.
Mascareñas had until recently pushed to appoint as undersheriff Freddie Trujillo, a former Department and State Police investigator who plans to run for the sheriff’s seat next year.
Lorenzo Valdez had opposed the appointment, however, because the state Law Enforcement Academy Board has stripped Trujillo of his law enforcement certification from September 2008 to September 2010. County officials had questioned whether Trujillo would have been legally able to supervise certified deputies and commanders.
“I didn’t give up on hiring Freddie,” Masacareñas said. “I need someone in there now, so I’m giving Paul the job.”
No one has held the position since Mascareñas fired Nelson Cordova in 2007.
Paul Valdez said his responsibilities will include supervising all Department personnel. He will be “working on those areas where we’re weak, starting with personnel issues,” he said.
Lorenzo Valdez had also opposed hiring Trujillo because his salary demands were too high. Trujillo had requested a salary of about $65,000, according to County Commission Chairman Elias Coriz.
Paul Valdez will receive a salary of $50,774, or 85 percent of Mascareñas’ salary, County Human Resources Director Jessica Madrid said.
Mascareñas said he still plans to support Trujillo’s sheriff’s campaign.
Paul Valdez is the brother of State Police Sgt. Chris Valdez, the man Trujillo plans to appoint as undersheriff if he wins next year. Paul Valdez declined to say whom he will support in the sheriff’s race because as undersheriff, he will supervise two candidates, deputy James Lujan and Lt. Manuel Valdez. Lujan said Tuesday he would have liked Mascareñas to consider him for the undersheriff’s job.
“I feel like I also could have made a difference,” Lujan said.
Trujillo declined to comment on Paul Valdez’s hiring except to say that he will make an “excellent undersheriff” and that his hiring was a “good decision.” Paul Valdez, 55, was an Española Police officer from 1975 to 1998, then worked as Ohkay Owingeh Police chief until 2005, when he became a deputy.