Officer Darrick Shaw

Moving on...
Police Sgt. Darrick Shaw, who has worked almost 13 years for the Tucumcari Police Department, is leaving the department to pursue a job with an international peace mission in the Middle East.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity,” Shaw said. “I love my job here and I’m going to miss it. There’s a family atmosphere here, and the biggest thing is the camaraderie among the officers.”

Shaw who began his law enforcement career as a narcotics agent has been responsible for seizing about $6 million in drugs during his tenure in Tucumcari. He has also found and or seized about $700,000 in cash related to illegal drug activities, Shaw said.

He estimates about $500,000 came back to the department to purchase equipment.

Most recently, he found $205,950 in the trunk of a car. The driver of the car relinquished ownership.  The local district attorney’s office has begun proceedings to have the funds awarded to the city by the district court.

Shaw has served as a canine officer in Tucumcari and in Raton, where he began his career in law enforcement and worked for almost five years.

He has also been awarded four letters of commendation and was named officer of the year in 1998.

Shaw leaves in several weeks and follows former police chief Daniel Lopez who resigned last month to seek a similar position.