Gallup police warn residents about scam caller posing as chief

A scam caller has been posing as Gallup Police Chief Erin Toadlena-Pablo and demanding information from residents, a move officials say can trick people into surrendering personal details to someone they believe has law-enforcement authority.

The Gallup Police Department first issued a press release on April 27 after receiving reports that a man was pretending to be the chief of police. By May 8, the warning was back in local circulation, underscoring how convincing a fake police call can sound in a city where residents are used to hearing about warrants, traffic stops and other police business. When a caller claims to be the chief, the goal is often simple: get the person on the phone to react quickly before they have time to verify anything.

That is why the impersonation is so effective. Police authority carries weight in Gallup and across McKinley County, and scammers borrow that trust to pressure people into handing over information they would never give a stranger. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that impostors often fake caller ID, claim a victim is facing arrest and push for payment through cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency or payment apps. Real officers do not call to threaten arrest as a way to force payment.

Gallup Police said the department’s actual chief is Erin Toadlena-Pablo, with Billy Padavich serving as deputy chief. The department describes itself as a community-oriented agency with 60 commissioned officers, 10 public service officers and 6 civilian employees. That structure makes the office name well known enough that a scammer can sound credible by using it.

Residents who get a suspicious call should hang up and verify the information through official channels, not through the number that appeared on the screen. The Gallup Police Department’s main number is 505-863-9365. Non-emergency police services are handled through McKinley County Metro Dispatch Authority at 505-722-2002 or 505-722-2231. Emergencies should go to 911. If someone needs a report number, Records can be reached at 505-863-9365.

The warning matters because the best defense is catching the fraud before a caller gets money, a Social Security number or any other sensitive information. In Gallup, the chief’s name may be familiar, but a real officer will not demand personal details from a random phone call.