FBI agent, military veteran,
space engineer, oilfield worker, Police Chief

State Representative Dennis Kintigh is a retired FBI special agent and a former Air Force officer who worked in the military and civilian space programs. He also is a veteran of the Army National Guard and worked as an oilfield  pumper. In the fall and winter of 2010 he served as the Chief of Police, Roswell, NM.

He earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arizona in 1975, and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Force.
Rep. Kintigh served 4 years working in the military space program in Los Angeles.

After leaving the Air Force, Rep. Kintigh worked on the space shuttle program and with computer software engineering for Hughes Aircraft Corporation.

He also served in the Air Force Reserve and the California Army National Guard.

After graduating from  the FBI Academy in 1982, Rep. Kintigh joined a bank robbery  investigation squad in Los Angeles.

Rep. Kintigh was later assigned to FBI offices in Florida and the Washington Field Office, Washington, D.C.

He was transferred to the Roswell FBI office in 1992.
During his FBI career, Rep. Kintigh investigated high-profile cases involving the shooting of two agents in Florida, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism, a multi-state methamphetamine ring, a regional auto theft syndicate, and a murder-for-hire operation.
As an FBI agent, he fostered close working relationships with local law-enforcement agencies.

After retiring from the FBI in 2007, Rep. Kintigh worked as a pumper for HEYCO  in the Loco Hills area southeast of Roswell.
In August 2010 Rep. Kintigh was appointed Chief of Police for the Roswell Police Department. This was an interim position. The previous Chief and Deputy Chief retired and a new City Manager was being selected.  He served in this role until the beginning of the Legislative session in January 2011.

 

 

Legislative Service

First elected to the New Mexico State House of Representatives in November 2008, Representative Kintigh was sworn in on January 20, 2009.  During the session he was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee and the House Health and Government Affairs Committee.

 
Rep. Kintigh succeeded in passing House Memorial 78 which called for a study by various state agencies to look into increased transparency and openness in the State budget and revenue process.  The following year legislation to enact the Sunshine Portal for New Mexico was enacted into law.

During the interim period, Rep. Kintigh has been assigned to the Courts, Corrections, and Justice Interim Committee and the Legislative Health and Human Services Interim Committee.

 
In 2010 Rep. Kintigh had no opposition in either the Primary or General Election. His second term started Jan 2011. At that time the Democrat leadership assigned him to two different committees. He was assigned to Energy and Consumer and Public Affairs (CPAC). He has taken an active interest in mental health/behavioral health issues in New Mexico and is working with legislators from both parties to make fundamental changes in how we help troubled people.

In the summer of 2011 Congressman Steve Pearce asked Rep. Kintigh to lead a roundtable of experts and scientists in a detailed review of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to designate the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard (also known as the Sand Dune Lizard) as an endangered species. The resulting 20 page report (with 20 pages of appendix) has been credited with helping to cause the USFWS to re-evaluate that proposal.

Rep Kintigh’s pioneer work exposing the inherent problems with the film industry subsidy result in a “cap” on this program in 2011. Governor Martinez  and Democrat legislators agreed to limit the cost of this to subsidy to this politically well connected business.

 

 

Strong family roots

Rep. Kintigh’s father was a career educator and his mother was a nurse.

Rep. Kintigh and his wife, Carol, have been married over 30 years.  They have three daughters and six grandchildren.

The Kintighs are active at First Baptist Church in Roswell, serving as the interim youth pastors from July 2007 to January 2009.

Carol Kintigh has taught at Valley View Elementary School and St. Andrew’s School in Roswell. She served as a volunteer counselor at the Chaves County Pregnancy Resource Center.  Currently she is a volunteer for the Chaves County Citizens Review Boards which advises the State Distict court in child protective matters. She is also a member of the Roswell Assistance League.

Community and Organization Involvement

• Society of Petroleum Engineers
• Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI
• Leadership Roswell Alumni Association
• Rotary

Honors & Awards

Rep. Kintigh’s military and law-enforcement awards include:

• Air Force Commendation Medal
• Army Parachute Rating
• Certificates of appreciation from the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1997 and 1999
• Special Awards of Honor from the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association in 1996 and 2001
• Fraternal Order of Police, Pecos Lodge No. 55’s Federal Law Enforcement Officer of the Year in 2002
• Co-recipient of the 2005-2006 New Mexico Sheriff’s and Police Association Officer of the Year
• Legislator of the Year, New Mexico District Attorney’s Association, 2010.