2011 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 29: Law Enforcement
Article 5: Educational Institutions; Traffic Regulations and Police Officers, 29-5-1 through 29-5-4
Section 29-5-3: Post-secondary educational institutions; boards authorized to establish campus police force; qualifications and authority of campus police officers.

29-5-3. Post-secondary educational institutions; boards authorized to establish campus police force; qualifications and authority of campus police officers.

A. As used in this section "post-secondary educational institution" means a community college operating pursuant to Chapter 21, Article 13 NMSA 1978, a technical and vocational institute operating pursuant to Chapter 21, Article 16 NMSA 1978 and an area vocational school operating pursuant to Chapter 21, Article 17 NMSA 1978.

B. The governing board of a post-secondary educational institution may adopt and promulgate traffic regulations to apply to areas within the exterior boundaries of the lands under control of the board, including streets and highways.

C. The governing board of a post-secondary educational institution may employ and assign duties to persons as campus police officers for the community college.

D. Persons employed as campus police officers by a post-secondary educational institution governing board:

(1) shall have the powers of peace officers within the exterior boundaries of lands under the control of the board, including streets and highways;

(2) shall at all times while on duty carry commissions of office issued by the board;

(3) shall fulfill the requirements for certification in Subsection A of Section 29-7-6 NMSA 1978 within one year of the date of first employment;

(4) may enforce all applicable laws, ordinances and campus traffic regulations within the territory in which they have powers of peace officers; and

(5) may make arrests for violations of laws, ordinances and campus traffic regulations that they have authority to enforce, but no arrest is valid unless the arresting campus police officer is at the time of the arrest wearing:

(a) a distinctive badge issued to him by the post-secondary educational institution governing board and bearing the name of the post-secondary educational institution; and

(b) a distinctive uniform prescribed and issued to him by the board.