Southern Ute tribal member, Philman Lopez was hired in June of 2023, as a trainee with the Southern Ute Police Department. On Monday, Dec. 11, he completed the required training and graduated from the Southwest Regional Law Enforcement Academy. Lopez was pinned with the SUPD Badge by his daughter Mia Lopez. The academy spanned 20 weeks and included a wide variety of law enforcement training in Criminal and Children’s Code, driving, firearms, arrest control, active threat, building searches, and police procedures. Lopez will begin his training with SUPD in early January 2024 after completing the Colorado POST Exam.