On February 11 of this year, Las Cruces, all of us, lost the first Las Cruces Police Department officer in the line of duty. Officer Jonah Hernandez, a husband and father to two young boys, gave his life for the safety of our community. His loss is a true tragedy and will never be forgotten.
During National Police Week, May 10 through 16, 2025, Officer Hernandez will be honored by having his name added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. His family will join those of thousands of other officers across our nation that have made the ultimate sacrifice for the communities they loved. His LCPD family is humbly asking for our support to also attend, so that they can escort Officer Hernandez’s family and others during the week-long event in our nation’s capital. His brothers and sisters in blue still grieve for their monumental loss; sending them to mourn and honor him in this way could help them heal.
Any and all donations are welcome and much appreciated. Donations can be made at the Las Cruces Police Department or any Citizen’s Bank branch. Checks can be made out to the Las Cruces Traffic Section. If you would feel more comfortable handing it to one of Officer Hernandez’s brothers in blue, Officer Johnny Barrientos can be reached at 575-691-5436 or email at jbarrientos@lascruces.gov.
What a great honor it would be for the Las Cruces Police Department, in memory of Officer Hernandez’s selfless sacrifice, if the community that they all love came together to ensure that Officer Hernandez’s dedication ceremony were attended by his colleagues and friends. I ask that Las Cruces come together, not just for Officer Hernandez, but for his family and friends. Anything helps, and it shows our police officers that Las Cruces loves them and recognizes their unwavering dedication in the face of crushing sacrifices by each of them, every day.