Rio Arriba County

Rio Arriba County was the ninth county originally created for the Territory of New Mexico in 1852. The county seat was initially sited at San Pedro de Charmita, and shortly afterwards at Los Luceros. In 1860, the seat was moved to Plaza del Alcalde.

Since 1880, Tierra Amarilla has been the county seat. The Battle of Embudo Pass took place in the southern part of the county during the American invasion in January 1847.

The county has a total area of 5,896 square miles, a population of approximately 40,040, and its northern border is the Colorado state line. It is the fifth largest county in NM by area. The highest point in the county is the summit of Truchas Peak at 13,102 feet. Española is one of the more populated cities in the county with a portion of the central and eastern section in Santa Fe County.

The county has an abundance of outdoor activities and points of interest including Abiquiu Lake, the Chama River (a tributary of the Rio Grande), the Jicarilla Apache Reservation, Puye Cliff Dwellings, and the Monastery of Christ in the Desert.

Upcoming Events

Oct
22
Thu
2026
FREE Online Webinar: Effective Employee Discipline
Oct 22 @ 9:30 am – 12:00 pm

ON-LINE: Effective Employee Discipline Training

INSTRUCTOR:  Mark Allen, NMC General Counsel

Date: Thursday, October 22, 2026

Time: 9:30am-12pm

Participant certificates will be provided.  

Target Audience: Any county supervisor, manager, and HR employees tasked with advising on discipline.  

Description: This training will provide the keys to correct poor performance in a fair and equitable manner without inviting litigation.  Participants will come away with a better understanding of the role of discipline and when it is warranted; progressive discipline and determining the appropriate discipline; drafting effective disciplinary documents; conducting predetermination (Loudermill) hearings and understanding the principles of due process; the importance of treating employees fairly & consistently; the roles of the supervisor/manager, HR, and legal in the disciplinary process; and the keys to avoiding liability when imposing disciplinary action. The principles taught (if followed) will increase the odds of avoiding disciplinary appeals and winning if appealed.

Registration Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AthlhFgUSN6V6DPo3fJVkw

 

 

Nov
16
Mon
2026
Advanced Supervisor Leadership Course @ PSPG, 8341 Washington St. NE. Albq., NM
Nov 16 @ 8:00 am – Nov 20 @ 5:00 pm

Description

Review of basic leadership and supervision 101 concepts, defining the terms leadership, management, and supervision, review of leadership theory and principles, review of destructive leadership approaches, employee temperament review, agency/department morale, 16 hours of table-top critical incident scenarios, emotional intelligence and a brief self-assessment, performance standards, performance reviews, discipline, and recognition, training assessment, plan and implementation, burn out and peak performance, HR review and civil liability, establishing policy and procedure, effective project management, ethics in

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Advanced CIT Albuquerque -Sept 2024

Nov
30
Mon
2026
Detention Field Training Officer @ 1851 Copper Loop, Las Cruces, NM
Nov 30 @ 8:00 am – Dec 1 @ 5:00 pm

Description

This training is designed specifically for the detention environment and will review the role of a detention FTO. This role is critical in maintaining safety and compliance within detention facilities. Proper training ensures that new officers are well prepared to handle the challenges of their positions. It provides instruction on adult learning principles, documentation, evaluation, and best practices for mentoring and developing new detention officers.

This course is free to NMC Law Enforcement Insurance pool members.

 

https://www.nmcounties.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/16-Hr-De-Escalation-Albuq-April-2025-1.pdf

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Employment Opportunities