'Units rolling ... manpower in the streets'

Aug. 6—Reports of shots fired in Clovis have become a recurring theme on social media sites and news outlets.

Clovis police say the criminal activity is not limited to one section of town, it's not driven by any single factor and it's not the worst it's ever been here.

"Every shooting is different," Police Chief Roy Rice said as he sat at a table in his office last week with a reporter and two members of his administrative staff, Capts. Roman Romero and Robbie Telles.

Wednesday morning's shooting death of Shammiel Kirven, 17, for example, was an accident, Rice said.

Records show most of the city's crime victims are not random, but involve people who know each other.

Records also show crime has been worse.

In 2004, Clovis recorded 10 homicides, according to records provided by Romero.

"That year there were also three homicides in Curry County as well," Romero said.

Rice said the department is not downplaying what is going on in the city.

"We have units rolling," he said. "We have manpower in the street."

Four of the Curry/Roosevelt county area's seven homicides so far this year took place in Clovis: Kelsey Cash, 28, in March; Manuel Rodriguez, 43, in May; Victor Davila, 22, in July and the teenager who died last week.

Suspects have been apprehended in all four of those cases.

Of course it's not just homicides that keep Clovis police busy. In June, a bullet hit a church building and another found the leg of a victim. A July shooting put Jesus Navarrette in the hospital and another July shooting resulted in injury at a city shopping plaza.

Rice said the police department has a plan and is tackling the violence.

"We formed a unit," Rice said. "We've plotted out what night is most likely to have shots fired incidents. One member of our task force watches entries on social media."

Rice said officers will soon be going into schools and meeting with students.

"We are doing whatever we can," he said.

Rice said investigations have led to the discovery that the same weapon was being used in a number of recent drive-by shootings.

The Clovis Apartments on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard have been the scene for a number of recent shootings, which has not escaped investigators.

"We have no laws in New Mexico about nuisance properties like they have in Texas," Rice said. "But we are working with management at the apartments on the matter."

"There are good people who live there," Romero said of the apartments. "They are afraid. Fear of crime is worse than crime."

Rice, Telles and Romero said the department is "working on some fixes" with the apartment complex.

"We will always need the public's help," Romero said.

Romero said if people want anonymity in reporting they can get it with the new "Tip411" app and Curry County Crimestoppers.

Rice said there was information submitted to "Tip411" that led to the suspect in Wednesday's shooting death.

Rice said methamphetamine or fentanyl traffic is not driving the city's shooting incidents.

"We have incidents of overdoses from these drugs," Rice said.

The chief and his two administrative officers encouraged the community to get involved, to report what they know.

"Help us help you," Romero said. "Clovis will become what you want it to become."