The New Mexico state police shall consist of a chief and such patrol officers, sergeants, lieutenants and captains as the secretary may deem advisable within the limits of the funds appropriated for the New Mexico state police; provided that the number of captains, lieutenants and sergeants shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the total number of the police, exclusive of the chief; but this requirement shall not be interpreted so as to require the demotion of any member of the previous state police division, the former motor transportation division or the former special investigations division.
NMS § 29-2-3