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Department of Public Safety

About the Department

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety (DPS) promotes a safe and secure environment for the State of New Mexico through intelligently led policing practices, vital scientific and technical support, current and relevant training, and innovative leadership. DPS oversees the New Mexico State Police, the Law Enforcement Records Bureau, the Forensic Laboratory, the Law Enforcement Academy, and the Identification Bureau.

Latest News

Sense of service: New Mexico Department of Public Safety Concealed Carry Unit takes pride in assisting public with concealed handgun licenses
Aug 28, 2026
For the New Mexico Department of Public Safety Concealed Carry Unit, customer service is number one. Working from an office in Albuquerque, the unit which falls within the Law Enforcement Records Bureau, reviews applications for concealed handgun licenses, conducts...
Dispatchers graduate from state law enforcement academy
Aug 21, 2026
SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Public Safety Law Enforcement Academy held graduation for their latest Public Safety Telecommunicator Class (#172) today, continuing a training program that has prepared dispatchers across New Mexico since 1976. Held four times...
Sheriffs praise progress, support continued modernization at New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy
Aug 19, 2026
New Mexico Department of Public Safety leadership, including representatives from the Law Enforcement Academy, recently attended the 2026 Sheriffs’ Association Conference in Ruidoso, where they shared updates, heard directly from sheriffs, and strengthened...

Most Popular Services

Fingerprints and Background Checks
Public Safety • Department of Public Safety
New Mexico Applicant Fingerprint Processing (NMAPS) is the applicant background check solution that is totally electronic and provides New Mexico residents the means to complete their required federal and state background checks quickly and conveniently. Your first point of contact to check on the status or any delay of your application should be the agency you initially submitted your application and prints to. Once prints are submitted to DPS electronically your agency will receive a response from DPS within 24-48 hours and from the FBI within 48-72 hours.
Concealed Carry Application
Public Safety • Department of Public Safety
Link below to the concealed carry application.
Law Enforcement Academy
Public Safety • Department of Public Safety
The New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy strives to serve the State of New Mexico with ideas and innovations shaped more by experience and the rule of law than by emotion, more by best practices than by politics, and more by intellect than by impulse. In doing so, we will responsibly serve the public safety community, New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy Board and citizens of the state of New Mexico by providing exceptional training opportunities while enforcing the statutory and administrative laws and responsibilities entrusted to the agency, by demonstrating the character & competence demanded of the profession in the 21st century.
New Mexico State Police Application Process
Public Safety • Department of Public Safety
To apply for a career with the New Mexico State Police, please visit the application website and follow the steps outlined.
Missing Person Clearinghouse
Public Safety • Department of Public Safety
The Missing Persons Clearinghouse is responsible for posting missing persons to the public website, and releasing alerts to the media. The Clearinghouse also keeps in contact with the police agencies and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to keep all information current. As a Clearinghouse we release Amber Alerts and Silver Alerts to the media. A person can be reported missing at any time when their whereabouts are unknown and are believed to be in danger, regardless of age.