As the Bloomfield Police Department mourns the shooting of one of its officers, other law enforcement agencies in the region have stepped up to help.
The Farmington Police Department, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico State Police will handle calls in Bloomfield this weekend and perhaps longer, according to Bloomfield Police Chief Phillip Francisco.
“The officers are grieving and having a hard time,” Francisco said, adding many officers anticipate going to Albuquerque to see officer Timothy Ontiveros, who is in critical condition at UNM Hospital.
“We’re in standby mode,” Francisco said.
Ontiveros, 32, has been with the department since December 2024 and was previously with the Farmington Police Department. He also is a volunteer firefighter with the Aztec Fire Department.
“This is a very emotional time for all law enforcement here in the Four Corners,” said Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe. “We have an officer, who is well-known in the area, fighting for his life.”
Hebbe said his department heard Bloomfield Police were struggling, so “we joined in and agreed to cover shifts for them.”
“We’ve had others help us out. We’re very proud to help out,” Hebbe said.
“We’re a law enforcement family no matter if you wear a badge or a star,” Sheriff Shane Ferrari said, adding he knows how much the Bloomfield Police Department is hurting.
Ferrari added that he has deputies who attended the academy with Ontiveros and his department had a “need to find out where we can help.”
The help came in the way of giving Bloomfield Police “some time to be together and go through this mourning process,” Ferrari said, adding “we absolutely want to help out our partners.”
The Aztec Fire Department is helping out with a fundraiser for Ontiveros. A Frito Pie luncheon will be noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Aztec Senior Center, 101 S. Park Ave. The cost is $10, and all proceeds go to Ontiveros.
