Fire Chief Investigated for Making Traffic Stop

June 10, 2016
Valencia County Fire Chief Steven Gonzales is under investigation after he reportedly stopped a driver over the weekend.

A New Mexico fire chief is under investigation after he reportedly stopped a driver over the weekend.

Valencia County Fire Chief Steven Gonzales could be heard over dispatch after he pulled over a driver on I-25 Saturday afternoon in Los Lunas, according to KRQE-TV.

After he requested a city officer to meet him, he then the call was canceled after the driver apparently realized he was not an officer.

"Can I have a Los Lunas police officer meet me on I-25 just south of [mile marker] 203? I have a vehicle, silver Camry pulled over [for] excessive speed and reckless driving," Gonzales is heard saying.

The officer was sent, but then Gonzales tells the dispatcher: "Ma’am at this time the vehicle departed It's the silver Toyota Camry."

Los Lunas Police Chief Naithan Gurule was not pleased after discovering the fire chief conducted the stop.

"Law enforcement are the only ones that can make a traffic stop," Gurule told the news station. "Somebody who's not law enforcement is not trained in conducting traffic stops. You also have the issue of, you don't know . . . what's gonna happen."

Los Lunas Police are investigating Gonzales' actions and are trying to talk to the driver he pulled over.

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