Los Alamos Police Commander Roberts Retires After 16 Years, Joins National Guard Full Time

Cmdr. Daniel Roberts said goodbye to his colleagues at the Los Alamos Police Department on March 2, closing out a 16-year career that took him from academy valedictorian to the department's Professional Standards Commander. On April 1, he will report to the Oñate Complex in Santa Fe to begin a full-time assignment with the New Mexico National Guard as Administrative Officer for the 515th Regimental Training Institute.

Roberts joined LAPD in 2010, graduating first in his academy class. Over the following decade and a half, he worked his way through nearly every layer of the department: Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, general police instructor, Detective, Sergeant, Operations Commander, and ultimately Professional Standards Commander. His profile as Operations Commander described executive-level leadership over 39 sworn officers responsible for security and law enforcement services in a county that is home to the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory.

His tenure included responding to some of the most consequential emergencies in county history. Roberts participated in the state emergency response to the Los Conchas fire and assisted in the evacuation of the town, one of the more demanding operational tests the department has faced in recent memory.

The assessment of his career from those who worked with him was unambiguous. "Commander Roberts began his law enforcement career with the Los Alamos Police Department in 2010, graduating as valedictorian of his academy class, an early indicator of the excellence that would define his career," read a tribute to his service. "Those who worked alongside him always knew where they stood. His expectations were clear, his principles firm, and his decisions grounded in fairness and ethics."

Roberts' departure is a transition rather than a full step back from public service. The Los Alamos Reporter identified him as LTC Roberts in connection with the new assignment, reflecting his standing within the New Mexico National Guard. His role at the 515th Regimental Training Institute at the Oñate Complex will shift his focus from street-level law enforcement and departmental oversight to military training administration in Santa Fe.