Sheriff Manuel (Manny) Gonzales, III, is a lifelong resident of Bernalillo County who graduated from Rio Grande High School in 1981, served in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years, and earned an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) in 1994 and a Bachelors degree in Management from Wayland Baptist University in Albuquerque in 2009.

He started working for the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office in 1989 as a patrol officer and over the next 20 years climbed the ladder to his most recent post—Commander of Support Services. There, his assignments ranged from Patrol Commander to SWAT leader, School Resource Officer, and member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team.

Throughout his career with the Sheriff’s Office, Gonzales has been assigned to numerous public safety initiatives including the Sexual Assault Task Force, Hurricane Katrina Response Task Force, and the Family Advocacy Center. He has also served as a volunteer for many local charities such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, United Way of Central New Mexico, and the American Cancer Society.

He was appointed sheriff on November 30, 2009 to fill the four year term ending December 31, 2010, which was vacated by former Sheriff Darren White.

The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office currently employs 350 people and has a more than $28 million annual budget.

Sheriff Gonzales states, “I am a lifelong resident and have present and future concerns for the public safety for my family, friends, and citizens of our community. I am willing to commit the effort and make the investment to ensure that these public safety issues are addressed effectively and efficiently.”