NMHU officers upset with chief

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) - A dispute between the New Mexico Highlands University police and security department and its chief has escalated, and officers are now threatening to hold a vote of no-confidence on their leader and form a union.

The Las Vegas Optic reports ( http://bit.ly/H6u17e ) that six officers signed onto a March 13 letter to NMHU President Jim Fries outlining their concerns and notifying the university of the plans for a no-confidence vote and for beginning the process of forming a union.

They say the university recently installed a monitoring system to keep track of what officers are doing and when they check buildings.

Highlands Spokesman Sean Weaver said the university's officials are discussing the matter.

In January, several officers were given written reprimands for failure to follow departmental policy and for insubordination.