Farmington police close records department after evidence technician's death

The Farmington Police Department closed its records department Tuesday and Wednesday after Evidence Technician Stacy Peters was killed Monday in a head-on collision near Window Rock, Arizona. The shutdown affected the public counter where residents normally request offense reports, accident reports, video recordings, photographs, criminal background checks and alarm registrations.

Peters was traveling with her sister, Justine, on the way to a family camping trip when their vehicle was struck by a drunk driver, department spokesperson Shanice Gonzales said. The crash happened in Arizona near Window Rock, putting a sudden halt to work at a unit that handles some of the most routine police records requests in Farmington and across San Juan County.

Farmington Police Chief Steve Hebbe asked the community to keep Stacy and Justine’s family and co-workers in their thoughts and prayers. The department’s closure turned a personnel loss into an immediate service disruption, leaving residents who needed reports or records to wait while the records counter was closed for the two-day period.

The records and evidence counter is located in the police lobby, where citizens can also review the daily log and request the same files that help with insurance claims, legal matters and follow-up on police calls. Those services are part of the department’s public-facing work, and the temporary closure underscored how much day-to-day access depends on evidence technicians and records staff.

The Farmington Police Department describes itself as an internationally accredited and progressive law enforcement agency committed to maintaining the highest standards of personal and organizational integrity while providing the community a superior level of service. Peters’ death left a gap not only in that service, but in the internal work that supports investigations, preserves evidence and keeps records moving for the public.