New police chief has degree, 18 years experience

Posted by Arlyssa Becenti | Jul 7, 2016 | News |

Phillip Francisco

WINDOW ROCK

The search is over. The Navajo Nation has finally hired its first chief of police in nearly a decade.

Phillip Francisco, 40, from Farmington, was one of two applicants who were deemed qualified to interview for the position. Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety Director Jesse Delmar said in a phone interview that Francisco’s impressive nearly 20 years in law enforcement, along with his education, stood out to him.

“He’s worked with San Juan County Sheriff’s Department, City of Aztec and now he’s working for the city of Farmington … and his education component, those are the biggest things,” said Delmar. “We’re very excited and looking forward to working with him.”

It was only last month that the Law and Order Committee passed legislation ordering a new chief of police to be hired by July 13. Committee Chair Edmund Yazzie (Churchrock/Iyanbito/Mariano Lake/Pinedale/Smith Lake/ Thoreau), who has been chair of the committee since the 22nd council, has always been vocal about hiring a chief of police and now he is appreciative that the hiring has actually happened.

“I feel really pleased with this,” said Yazzie. “It’s for the officers who are out on the street, criminal investigators, the detention officer, now they finally have a direction of where law enforcement is going to go. It’s been needed for years.”

Yazzie also said that it had become disheartening when a rotation of different individuals would play the role of acting chief of police for the past 10 years.