Hobbs police chief handoff: Franklin picked, clearance still pending
Hobbs NM – David Franklin has been selected to lead HPD, but the appointment is still conditional while a background check is completed.
Hobbs has picked David Franklin as its next police chief, but the appointment is not final yet. In a June 4 report, the Hobbs News-Sun said City Manager Manny Gomez extended a conditional offer, and Franklin still needs to clear a background check before a start date can be set.
That distinction matters because the Hobbs Police Department is still in transition. The department’s own divisions page continues to list Wade Lyons as acting chief and shows the deputy chief position as currently vacant. So while the city has identified its next chief, HPD has not fully moved into a settled leadership structure.
What the local report said
The News-Sun reported that Franklin was selected after a hiring process that included an advisory committee, a public meet-and-greet and final interviews. Gomez told the paper that Franklin was the highest-scoring candidate and that the selection matched the interview results and community feedback. Franklin told the paper he was honored to be chosen and looked forward to meeting with stakeholders and residents once the transition is complete.
The report also said Franklin was one of three finalists, alongside Lyons and retired Illinois deputy chief Richard Velasquez. For residents, the main takeaway is simple: Franklin has been selected, but he has not yet taken over the post.
What HPD’s own pages show now
HPD’s divisions page still lists Wade Lyons as acting chief and the deputy chief slot as vacant. The department’s careers page also shows active recruiting for police positions, including certified and non-certified officers. That does not explain every staffing issue inside HPD, but it does show that hiring remains active while the leadership change is unfolding.
For a city department, those details matter. Residents rely on clear command structure, and a chief transition can affect how quickly a department settles into its next phase of hiring and administration. In Hobbs, the practical question is not just who was chosen, but when the selection becomes a final appointment and how soon the department’s top ranks stabilize.
What to watch next
The next concrete step is the background check and any follow-up city announcement or formal action that comes after it. The City of Hobbs commission page is the public place to watch for meeting notices, agendas and meeting archives. Until that final clearance happens, the safest reading is that Hobbs has selected its next police chief, but HPD is still operating under acting leadership.
