Between 2015 and 2020, the Hobbs Police Department faced multiple allegations of racial discrimination, retaliatory practices, and use of racial slurs by officers. A significant lawsuit filed in 2017 by three former officers highlighted these issues, leading to a $1.4 million settlement in 2021. The lawsuit revealed patterns of targeting minority neighborhoods to meet traffic stop quotas, use of derogatory language by officers, and a hostile work environment for minority officers. Disciplinary actions during this period included verbal counseling for the use of racial slurs, with limited formal reprimands. The department has since undergone leadership changes, including the hiring of a new Chief of Police in 2019 and a new Deputy Chief in 2020, aiming to address these systemic issues and improve community relations.
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