22 May 2024, El Paso, Texas, Avi Zimmerman – The following was submitted by an officer with the El Paso Police Department. If you would like to share your view, there is a contact form at the bottom of the page.

I have been with the El Paso Police for a number of years. After I left the Army, I decided to join and see if I could protect our city. I now know that I should have stayed in the Army, and this is why I am looking for a new job.

Most officers here really want to protect, service, and change hearts and minds of everyone out there. We are blocked from doing our job by the powerful few that want the be seen as a kingpin, or just don’t give a damn about anything but what their bank account says.

I have seen fellow officers, females, get harassed like others have said. Nothing is done about it. We all knew the case against Surface would go nowhere and now he sits at home, doing zero police work, and collects a check.

Why are the ones who give the department a bad name and a black eye allowed to stay? You talked about Officer Amparan, who should have been fired for falling asleep on the job, but is still here, knowing he is the reason two people died. But he’s allowed to stay.

I have to fight for overtime and never really get any because the select few get the emails first. How am I supposed to support my family if I don’t earn enough? When I see the same people getting overtime, day after day, and I can’t even get a bone half the time, I start not caring about the job.

Then there is the sergeant’s exam. Why can’t I get a shot at that? I’m not one of their handpicked lackeys. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great cops on that list, but most of them are not qualified to be a cop, much less become a sergeant.

I feel that I have wasted my time here. You talk to Chief Allen, when he was alive, or Chief Pacillas with your complaints and they respond like you are a child acting out and are the problem.

Everyone needs to start asking the department why it is the way it is. Why are we ok with this level of ineptitude in this city? Why isn’t someone coming in and demanding change? What more will it take? Cops with multiple DWI’s, cops falling asleep on the job, cops who are thieves, even a cop executing someone at a carwash just because he said he had a gun – what will it take for El Paso to start wanting a change in the Police Department?

Yours,

An El Paso Police Officer