Leadership
Cabinet Secretary
Gorden E. Eden, Jr.
Gorden E. Eden Jr.’s long and exemplary public service career began as a New Mexico State Police officer and included assignments in the Office of the Chief and the Training and Recruiting Division. Under the Department of Public Safety, he oversaw the Advanced Training Bureau until he was recruited by Northwestern University, Chicago IL, to serve as the Director of its prestigious School of Police Staff and Command, where he successfully expanded course offerings within the U.S. and internationally. He returned to New Mexico and served in other positions including Special Agent in the Attorney General’s Office and Director of the Motor Vehicle Division.
In May 2002, Eden was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the 19th United States Marshal for the District of New Mexico. In his 8 ½ year tenure, he successfully met the judicial security mission; created the Southwest Fugitive Task Force (SWIFT); led efforts to bring thousands of fugitives to justice; implemented the federal Adam Walsh Act related to sex offenders; and effectively expanded staffing to meet the growing needs of the District of New Mexico. As an active member of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Board, he was elected to serve several terms as Chair and Vice-Chair, representing the federal law enforcement agencies.
As a third-generation New Mexican, Secretary Eden is honored to serve as the Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Public Safety where he continues his collaboration with state, local and federal law enforcement partners to build safer communities. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration complemented by thousands of hours of advanced law enforcement, specialized and management training, and holds a U.S. Department of Justice Top Secret Security Clearance. He is an active member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police; the National Governors Association Crime Policy Advisory Board; the National Criminal Justice Association Board and Advisory Council; the HIDTA Executive Board; the National Sheriff’s Association; the Drug Enforcement Advisory Council; and the New Mexico Sentencing Commission. He and his wife have been married since 1978 and have two children.
Deputy Secretary
Patrick M. Mooney
Deputy Secretary Patrick M. Mooney has a strong law enforcement and military background with over 40 years of service to Federal, State and local departments. Pat Mooney served 7 years of active duty with the United States Air Force and another 21 years with the NM Air National Guard before retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Lieutenant Colonel Mooney completed assignments as an Instructor; Intelligence Officer; Public Affairs Officer; and finally as an Inspector General. He completed a tour in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.
His 25 years in federal law enforcement service started as a police officer with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and culminated with the U.S. Customs Service (I.C.E) in Albuquerque. Deputy Secretary Mooney held positions as Senior Pilot, Safety/Training Officer, Supervisory Agent and finally as Branch Chief. Deputy Secretary Mooney has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.
Shortly after retiring from federal law enforcement service, Deputy Secretary Mooney joined the Department of Public Safety in August 2003. He has served in both Special Investigations Division and the NM State Police Division.
NMSP Chief of Police
Robert Shilling
Robert Shilling has served the New Mexico State Police since 1992 when he joined the force as a patrol officer in Animas, Hidalgo County. Chief Shilling went on to serve as a Sergeant in the uniform bureau in Raton and then as a task supervisor for the Southwestern New Mexico Drug Task Force for the State Police.
After being promoted to Lieutenant in 2000 Shilling served as an assistant commander for Narcotics Investigations, as the agency’s public information officer, a Uniform Bureau assistant commander and assistant commander for Criminal Investigations.
In 2007 Shilling was promoted to Captain and was named the commander of Criminal Investigations. In October of 2008 he was promoted to Major and was named the Bureau Chief for the Law Enforcement Records Bureau. In mid-2010 he became the Law Enforcement Program Budget Director and Commander of Investigations. In January, 2011 Shilling was named as the Acting-Chief of the New Mexico State Police.
Robert Shilling, the father of two, is a New Mexico native who grew up near Silver City and graduated from Cliff High School in 1989. In 1991 Shilling graduated from the Western New Mexico University police academy and soon after became an officer with the Silver City Police Department before joining the New Mexico State Police.