Goal of Alamogordo's police chief is transparency

ALAMOGORDO – The new Alamogordo police chief has already begun making changes to his the department, and the first thing on his list is better dialogue among each other.

Syling was sworn in as chief by Municipal Judge Steven O. Lee at Alamogordo City Hall Monday. 

Alamogordo Police Department Lt. Detective Roger Schoolcraft was appointed as APD's deputy police chief.

Coming into the department, Syling is looking to create more transparency among law enforcement officials as well as the community.

Syling said he and Schoolcraft both agree the top priority is better communication among agencies.

“I think our number one priority speaking with Roger is obviously relationships within the department itself, within the community and definitely with the outside agencies,” Syling said.  “And developing a very good working relationship with the other agencies such as the sheriff’s department, the state police and first responders.”

Prior to becoming Alamogordo Police Department Chief Syling was the Otero County Sheriff's Office undersheriff for three years under Sheriff Benny House. He was named the new police chief by City Commissioners May 10.

Syling said the relationship he has with House can only improve now that he is police chief.

The only thing that will change is the distant of his office Syling said. He plans for both the police and Sheriff Office to work together on certain cases.

“I think we will very quickly be able to establish where we work together on a regular basis such as major investigations,” Syling said. “We’re all looking for the same couple of bad guys, lets share information let’s work together and let’s get those things done.”

He added both departments will try to meet in the middle to create as much transparency as possible.

“And we’re going to meet the sheriff’s halfway and their going to meet us halfway and I think we're both willing to go further than halfway to make it happen.”

House said Syling is the right man for the position and looks forward to working alongside his former undersheriff.

“He’s going to be a phenomenal asset to Alamogordo. I think he’s got a lot to take to the Alamogordo Police Department,” House said.  “I think they're really going to see a positive change. I’m looking forward to working with him as a partner in the law enforcement community.”

Syling and Schoolcraft have known each other for seven years and were on SWAT together.

“He has a wide span of experience as well as I’ve had,” Schoolcraft said about Syling. “I think if either one of us has a weakness in an area where the other is strong, we can complement each other and try to achieve the goals of what where trying to accomplish here.”

Syling said by having Schoolcraft as his deputy police chief will help make his job a little easier.

“Roger has been sitting in this chair for the last few months,” he said.  “He is familiar with the organization which is going to speed up my process of evaluating the department and learning the workings of the department.”

Schoolcraft was acting police chief until Syling was hired.

Syling is a graduate of Alamogordo High School and started working for the Las Cruces Police Department in 1993 as a patrolman. He left LCPD as a patrol sergeant in 2003. 

Syling left Las Cruces to be a sergeant in the Taos Police Department. He moved up the ranks until becoming Taos' chief of police in 2007. He was Taos' chief of police until 2009 and moved back to Alamogordo. He worked at the Alamogordo Police Department until about 2013, when he started working for the Otero County Sheriff's Office. In April 2013 Syling was named OCSO's undersheriff. He is a graduate of the 42nd Law Enforcement Command College in Plano, Texas, at the Institute for Law Enforcement Administration. 
ILEA provides premier professional education and technical support to develop law enforcement leaders and practitioners, according to its mission statement. 
His father, Jim Syling , is a retired New Mexico State Police District 8 captain in Alamogordo. His brother, Doyle Syling, retired as a sergeant at APD and now works as Alamogordo Public Schools' chief of staff.

Schoolcraft began his law enforcement career in 1983 when he was an officer at the Los Alamos Police Department for five years. He then went to Albuquerque Police Department where he was a detective for several years. In 1991 he was hired by the Alamogordo Police Department where he started as a patrol officer and worked his way up. Schoolcraft left the department in 1995 for 10 years to spend more time with his family.

“I put every ounce of everything I was into my career,” he said. “I thought it was time to spend time with my family instead of my career.”

During his 10-year hiatus he had various odd job around town and was a transport officer for the Otero County Detention Center. He came back to the police department in 2005 and has been there ever since.

House is looking to fill the OCSO undersheriff position but is still in the search process.