Ambassador Program
About
APD’s Ambassador Program was created in the fall of 2020 and was designed to facilitate clear, consistent lines of communication with different groups within the community who have not previously had a voice with the police. Building trust with the community is a critical component to making the public safer.
When APD began recruiting officers to become Ambassadors for diverse groups within the community, there was tremendous interest and the unit continues to grow.
APD Ambassadors are expected to host at least one scheduled formal communication event each month and provide monthly briefings to Chief Medina. The Ambassadors outline topics of discussion and provide the department with suggestions in which APD can improve in community relations based on the conversations they are having with the different groups they are working with.
If you are interested in learning more about the Community ambassador Program, reach out to one of our ambassadors listed below.
Meet Our Ambassadors
Lieutenant Jennifer Garcia
Community Ambassador Coordinator
Lt. Jennifer Garcia is a Native Burqueña, raised on the west side of Albuquerque. She attended NMHU and UNM where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in counseling and Guidance. Prior to joining APD in 2003, she worked as a youth a family counselor at a local non-profit agency and shelter and also served as a treatment coordinator for a youth residential facility.
Contact Lt. Garcia: [email protected]
Sergeant Alex Rahimi
Faith Community Ambassador
Alex has been with the Albuquerque Police Department since 2013 and spent the majority of his career in the Field Service Bureau responding to calls for service from the community. During that time, he received certifications as a Field Training Officer, C.A.R.E. Officer (Child Abuse Response), and Enhanced Crisis Intervention! Alex is currently a Detective in the Recruiting Unit and is finishing his promotional process of becoming a Sergeant.
Contact Officer Rahimi: [email protected]
Officer Hannah Goodman
Youth and Faith Based Ambassador
Officer Goodman finds meaning in her work through a sense of connectedness. As a member of APD’s Downtown Unit, she has the privilege of working closely with Albuquerque’s increasingly diverse downtown community and frequently serves as a facilitator for the Downtown Public Safety ECHO.
A Hoosier born and bred, Officer Goodman comes from Bloomington, IN where she studied anthropology at Indiana University. Officer Goodman began her law enforcement career in Santa Fe in 2018 and joined the Albuquerque Police Department in 2021.
Officer Goodman assists the APD Academy staff as a PEACE investigative interviewing instructor and is passionate about continuing to develop an expertise in the field.
Contact Officer Goodman: [email protected]
Officer Chase Jewell
LGBTQIA2S Community Ambassador
Chase, a born and raised Albuquerque native, has been a member of the Albuquerque Police Department since 2018; and has served as a Police Officer since he has started with the department. Chase shares a passion for community-oriented policing and ensuring the safety of the public here in Albuquerque. He believes that the Ambassador Program is an essential element in restoring trust and rebuilding relationships with often forgotten about communities. While being an officer, he has obtained certifications in Enhanced Crisis Intervention (ECIT), he works with our Mobile Crisis Team as an alternate officer and is a member of the Emergency Response Team. Chase is also one of the Uniformed Public Information Officers. He holds a bachelor's degree in Public Communication and Political Science with a focus in Constitutional Law.
Contact Officer Jewell: [email protected]
Officer Lisa Neil
LGBTQIA2S Community Ambassador
Sergeant Neil is an experienced member of the Albuquerque Police Department, serving since 2008. Over her 16 years as a police officer in Albuquerque, she has developed a diverse skill set, holding roles as a Field Investigator, a detective in the Impact and Homicide Units, and a Basic Training Instructor at the Albuquerque Police Academy.
Her mission is to foster better communication and understanding between the police and the community, working towards bridging gaps and building trust.
Contact Officer Neil: [email protected]
PSA Alexis (Astrid) Chavez
LGBTQ+ Community Ambassador
PSA Alexis (Astrid) Chavez graduated from the Albuquerque Police Department Police Service Aide Academy in April 2025. Born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Alexis has been an active member of the LGBTQ+ community for the past seven years and identifies as genderfluid, using he/she/they pronouns.
Alexis is passionate about serving the community, Alexis is dedicated to building meaningful relationships with LGBTQ+ community members and youth by listening to their experiences, understanding their needs, and fostering trust and connection.
Contact PSA Chavez: [email protected]
Officer Emmanuel Solis
Hispanic Community Ambassador
Officer Emmanuel Solis joined the Albuquerque Police Department in 2013. Officer Solis has volunteered to assist with different collateral duties within the department to include the PIO program for the Spanish stations and the Ambassadors program. Officer Solis’ Hispanic background has helped him better engage with the community.
Contact Officer Solis: [email protected]
Officer Diomedes Cordoba
Hispanic Community Ambassador
Officer Diomedes Augusto Cordoba-Diplakis was born and raised in Panama. He is 100% proud of his roots and traditions. Officer Cordoba came to the Land of Enchantment in 2011 and has been with the Albuquerque Police Department since 2018. He is half Panamanian and half Greek. Officer Cordoba is bilingual certified by the department in Spanish, and he teaches the Spanish survival class for the cadets at the Academy.
Officer Cordoba is also currently assigned as a Bike patrol officer in the Foothills Area Command. Being Hispanic, he can understand the challenges and barriers of coming to a new country and making sacrifices to accomplish your goals and, in that way, being able to help the community in the best way possible.
Contact Officer Cordoba-Diplakis: [email protected]
Officer Jorge Villalobos
Hispanic Community Ambassador
Originally from the state of Chihuahua in Mexico, Officer Villalobos immigrated to the state of New Mexico in 1997 and has been a resident of the city of Albuquerque for over 20 years. After working 10 years as a district manager in the retail and restaurant industry, he transitioned to the Albuquerque Police Department in August of 2020 and is currently an officer with the Traffic Section, Motor Unit.
As a member of the Hispanic community, Officer Villalobos is aware of the struggles the community can face when interacting with law enforcement, whether they are due to the lack of information or because they are worried about their immigration status. As an Ambassador for the Hispanic community, his goal is to educate the members of the community and become a useful resource that Hispanic leaders and organizations can utilize to improve the safety within of community members.
Contact Officer Villalobos: [email protected]
Detective Miriam Michel
Hispanic Community Ambassador
Detective Miriam Michel was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to parents who immigrated from Durango, Mexico. Inspired by their hard work and sacrifices, she is proud to be the first member of her family to serve as a police officer in the United States.
Detective Michel joined the Albuquerque Police Department in 2020 with a commitment to serving her community and making a positive impact. She currently serves as a Detective with the Major Crime Scene Team, where she supports critical investigations throughout the city.
As a proud member of the Hispanic community, Detective Michel is passionate about strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the communities APD serves. She is committed to building trust, encouraging open communication, and helping ensure Hispanic community members feel comfortable seeking assistance when needed. Through her service, she hopes to inspire others by demonstrating the importance of representation and working together to create safer, stronger communities.
Contact Detective Michel: [email protected]
Seargent Andrew Gonzales
Hispanic Community Ambassador
Sergeant Andrew Gonzales is a lifelong New Mexican who was born and raised in Northern New Mexico. With 18 years of law enforcement experience, he has dedicated his career to serving the community, protecting the public, and building trust between the Albuquerque Police Department and the people it serves.
Growing up in New Mexico has given Sergeant Gonzales a deep appreciation for the state's rich culture, traditions, and diverse communities. He is committed to strengthening relationships with Albuquerque's Hispanic community by fostering open communication, encouraging collaboration, and building lasting partnerships.
Sergeant Gonzales believes that public safety is built on trust, mutual respect, and meaningful community engagement. Through his service, he strives to create positive connections that help make Albuquerque a safer, stronger, and more united community.
Contact Sergeant Gonzales: [email protected]
Officer Jennifer Giron
Refugee Community Ambassador
Officer Jennifer Giron has been with the Albuquerque Police Department since 2017. She was born and raised in southern California. Jennifer graduated from the University of New Mexico with a double major in Criminology and Spanish. She was a part of the Southeast Proactive Response Team for 2 years where she learned the importance of community engagement. Jennifer has been inside as a Detective for almost 3 years and is currently assigned to the Performance Review Unit.
Contact Officer Giron: [email protected]
Sergeant Marcelina Martinez
Native American Community Ambassador
Officer Marcelina Martinez is an enrolled member of Isleta Pueblo. She has a Bachelor’s degree from UNM in Political Science and started her law enforcement career in 2014. She is also a personal trainer and specializes in body sculpting. While she is off duty, she spends her time weight training and running.
She enjoys building and maintaining relationships with the citizens of Albuquerque. Her grandfather, who was a Navajo Code Talker was an unsheltered neighbor in Albuquerque for the better part of his life. This allows her an understanding for the need for more resources for the unsheltered neighbors who migrate into the city from the reservations across the country.
Contact Officer Martinez: [email protected]
Sergeant Michael Rico
Native American and Asian Community Ambassador
Yá’át’ééh shik’éí dóó shidine’é, Michael Rico yinishyé. Hasht ł 'ishnii Nishlí dee chi łíí Tó Dine’é éí bashishchiin Kiyaa'áanii éí dashicheii dóó dee chi łíí Tó Dine’é éí dashinalí Ákót’éego diné nishłį́.
Sgt. Michael Rico was born in 1977 in Gallup, New Mexico and is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. He grew up in the Mariano Lake-Pinedale, New Mexico area and attended boarding school in Mariano Lake, NM and graduated from Gallup High School in 1995. Go Bengals! Michael joined the Albuquerque Police Department in November 2007 (99th cadet class). He promoted to the rank of Sergeant in August 2021 and is currently assigned to the Northwest Area Command.
Michael entered the US Navy in June 1999 and retired in July 2021 after 21 years of service. He am a Military Veteran and served as an Intelligence Specialist to include combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He graduated from Wayland Baptist University with a Master’s Degree of Education (2015) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Justice Administration (2007). Rico is committed to serve and will strive to bring awareness to the strength and resilience of Native American and Asian people as their Ambassador for the Albuquerque Police Department. He actively seeks like-minded, goal-driven people to build a network of mutually beneficial relationships. He understands the importance of collaborating with others to look for ways to connect Law Enforcement with Indigenous and Asian communities locally and globally. He will seek methods to support and improve the community relationships to sustain Native American and Asian cultures and will continue to validate Tribal teachings by practicing traditional ways and participating in continuing to pay it forward for Indigenous and Asian Languages.
Contact Sgt. Rico: [email protected]
Lieutenant Juan Cabrerra
Veteran Community Ambassador
Lt. Juan Cabrerra has been serving the Albuquerque community since 2003. Prior to his time with APD Juan was active duty U.S. Air Force in Albuquerque at Kirtland AFB.
Juan joined the Army National Guard for six years before transferring to the Air Force Reserves and is still serving. In total, he has been serving the community for 19 years and has been serving our great nation for 24 years. He was in combat for two tours, one to Iraq (OIF) and one to Afghanistan (OEF).
Contact Lt. Cabrerra: [email protected]
Officer Trevor Garcia
Veteran Community Ambassador
Officer Garcia was born and raised in New Mexico. He joined the Marine Corps right after high school where he served from 2018 to 2022. Throughout his time in the military, he learned the importance of community engagement and wants to bring that same level of importance to law enforcement. He joined APD in 2023, and serves as a field officer is a member of the Honor Guard.
Contact Officer Garcia: [email protected]
Officer John Holler
Senior Citizen Community Ambassador
John Holler was born and raised in Albuquerque, NM. While attending Cibola High School he earned several state swimming titles, records and All American status. He went on to swim for Texas A&M and Arizona State University. After college he joined the New Mexico Air National Guard and started his career with the Albuquerque Police Department in 2017.
John spent the majority of his career assigned to the Field Services Bureau. As an officer, John learned one of his passions and strengths within the job was communicating. To strengthen this skill he has gone through Enhanced Crisis Intervention Training (ECIT) and earned his associate’s degree in Communication. Currently, he is assigned to the SWAT team within the Special Operations Division.
Contact Officer Holler: [email protected]
Breanna Roybal
Senior Citizen Community Ambassador
Breanna Roybal has been a Professional Staff Member of the Albuquerque Police Department since 2021. She began with the Records Division and has since worked her way up to the Compliance and Oversight where she currently serves as the Administrator for the Force Review Board. She was born and raised in a small town in Northern New Mexico and moved to Albuquerque where she continued her education. In her free time she enjoys the outdoors, spending time with her dachshund and family.
Contact Ambassador Roybal: [email protected]
Officer Rob Duren
African American Community Ambassador
Officer Rob Duren has been with the Albuquerque Police Department since March of 1989. His current duty assignment is an Instructor at the Police Academy with the Advanced Training Unit. Officer Duren moved to Albuquerque in 1984 from Los Angeles, CA.
Contact Officer Duren: [email protected]
Officer Dion Bethea
ADA Community Ambassador
Officer Dion Bethea was born and raised in the State of Florida and has lived in several states. He loves to travel and to experience different cultures. The ADA Community is a community that Officer Bethea is passionate about. Officer Bethea is proud to have two family members with special needs. Officer Bethea is proud to honor individuals with Down syndrome and the entire ADA Community. Ambassadors and their families work hard to raise awareness for the Foundation’s mission of significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through research, medical care, education and advocacy.
Contact Officer Bethea: [email protected]
Sergeant Danny Padilla
ADA Community Ambassador
Sergeant Danny Padilla has been with the Albuquerque Police Department for 15 years. He has worked in the Field Services Bureau, Crimes Against Children Unit, Child Exploitation Detail and the Internal Affairs Force Division. Sergeant Padilla has also served as a Public Information Officer, a Field Training Officer and has taught Spanish to cadets at the academy.
Contact Officer Padilla: [email protected]
Detective Vic Olvera
Unhoused Community Ambassador
Detective Vic Olvera has served with the Albuquerque Police Department since 2003, beginning his career as a Police Service Aide before becoming a sworn officer in 2006. During his career, he has worked in patrol, the Emergency Response Team (ERT), the Downtown Action Team as a bicycle officer, and now serves as a detective in the Crisis Intervention Unit.
Throughout his career, Detective Olvera has built strong partnerships with community organizations, behavioral health providers, and outreach teams to connect individuals experiencing homelessness or mental health crises with critical resources and support. His experience has reinforced the importance of collaboration, trust, and compassionate policing in creating lasting solutions.
As a Crisis Intervention Detective Olvera is dedicated to improving outcomes for individuals and families in crisis while strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the community. He is passionate about building trust and helping ensure Albuquerque remains a safe, supportive, and connected community.
Contact Detective Olvera: [email protected]