Santa Fe appoints third-generation police officer as interim top cop 

SANTA FE — Thursday was a busy day for the Santa Fe Police Department and its new interim chief, Thomas Grundler, who's been with the department for nearly 22 years.

In a span of less than 24 hours, officers responded to two significant calls near St. Francis Drive, both alleging violent crimes that required the closure of a section of this main city artery and the deployment of SWAT teams.

Despite two tense situations, which led to the arrest of a 33-year-old local woman and the ongoing search for a man who allegedly fired a rifle from a rooftop, Grundler seemed fresh by early Friday morning, ready to support his staff through the next round of calls.

"It's definitely a responsibility," he said of the role, to which City Manager Mike Scott appointed him on Dec. 20 following the retirement of former chief Paul Joye. "Any leadership role you take on is a responsibility. You're responsible for every man and woman who works within the department, and ultimately, the buck stops with you if something's wrong."

After a stint in the Army, Grundler said he "bounced around for a while" as he contemplated a career in law enforcement, a family calling, he said.

His stepfather retired from the department as a deputy chief, and Grundler's grandfather was a deputy chief with New Mexico State Police. His other grandfather died in the line of duty with the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office in 1954.

Grundler's mother, a retired lieutenant with the Santa Fe Police Department, was the one who convinced him to follow in his family's footsteps.

"It was her incessant mothering, where basically she said, 'I know you'll love it — you will absolutely love it.' She wasn't wrong," Grundler said with a laugh. "It's a calling that I didn't realize was something that was going to affect me so much."

Grundler joined the department when he was 34-years-old and served as a patrol officer for 5 years before working shifts as a sergeant. He eventually ran the agency's DWI program before he was promoted to lieutenant and worked in internal affairs. In 2023, he made captain.

As chief, he said he wants to ramp up the department's community policing efforts, combined with cutting edge law enforcement technology that can help officers be more efficient with their time.

"When you're going from call to call to call, it can be very difficult," he said. "That's one of the reasons why I want to push technology, because there's a force multiplier that will further free up our officers to be able to make those contacts."

He said the Santa Fe Police Department is no stranger to turnover and consequent staffing shortages, but he'd be reluctant to call on the New Mexico National Guard for support, as happened in both Albuquerque and Española last year.

"I'm a firm believer that law enforcement and the separations of the military and law enforcement should be intact. I think that's our job," he said. "Don't get me wrong, there might be serious ... extenuating circumstances where that could be appropriate, but that's part of the reasons why we have martial law."

Grundler is still serving in his former deputy chief of operations role as he fills in as chief.

He said he would "probably put in" for the long-term role to lead the department.

When he contemplates the next chapter in his career, he recalls what his mother told him after his first day.

"I got home, and she was like, 'How was your first day?' I was like, 'Alright, I love it,'" he said. "She was pretty happy with herself, but it's been a wonderful career."

John Miller is the Albuquerque Journal’s northern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at jmiller@abqjournal.com.