Public Safety

The Las Cruces police and fire departments encourage homeowners and tenants to check smoke alarms and install new batteries this weekend when daylight saving time begins and clocks are adjusted to ‘spring forward’ one hour. Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 8, 2026. Las Cruces first responders…

Police have arrested a 27-year-old Las Cruces woman suspected of intentionally abusing a young boy who was in her care. Jennifer Hernandez, 27, formerly a Pre-K teacher at a local childcare and development center, is charged with seven counts of intentional child abuse. All seven charges are third-degree felonies. In…

The Las Cruces Police Department is airing a new episode of Bridging the Badge on Thursday, February 26, offering the community a closer look at the department’s Park Rangers as they work independently in city parks. The episode focuses on Park Rangers who have been on their own for about…

A United States District Court jury exonerated four Las Cruces Police Department officers who were defendants in a federal civil rights lawsuit stemming from a March 2021 vehicle pursuit and shooting involving a 25-year-old man. Jonathan Lamar Strickland, 25 at the time of the 2021 shooting, filed the federal lawsuit…

A residential structure fire on Cedardale Drive caused damage to a home earlier today. Just before 11 a.m. Tues., Feb. 24, firefighters were called to the 1000 block of Cedardale Drive. Upon arrival crews observed a large amount of smoke coming from the garage and attic of the residence. Firefighters quickly initiated an…

The Las Cruces Fire Department announces Deputy Chief Sean Heck has been accepted into the highly respected Executive Fire Officer Program, a distinguished professional development initiative designed for senior fire service leaders across the nation. Only seven members of LCFD have completed this prestigious program since its inception in 1985. The…

Las Cruces firefighters responded to a residential structure fire early Friday morning. At about 2 a.m. Fri., Feb. 13, firefighters were called to a home on the 800 block of N Miranda St. for a structure fire. Firefighters found heavy fire coming from the rear of the residence and quickly…

The Las Cruces Police Department’s Traffic Unit issued 57 citations during a one-hour traffic enforcement operation held Wednesday along El Paseo Road. The 57 citations included 18 for speeding, 16 for having no proof of insurance and 14 for failing to provide vehicle registration. Other citations were issued for miscellaneous…

Police have arrested a Las Cruces woman suspected of giving birth to baby girl Saturday evening in a portable toilet at Burn Lake and then disposing the newborn in the holding tank. Sonia Cristal Jimenez, 38, is charged with one felony count of intentional child abuse resulting in death. The…

The man believed to be responsible for Tuesday’s deadly shooting on west Amador Avenue has been arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter. Gino Pina, 26, was arrested Tuesday evening and charged with a felony count of voluntary manslaughter. Shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, Las Cruces police were…

Las Cruces police are investigating a shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon and resulted in the death of a 53-year-old man on west Amador Avenue. Shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, Las Cruces police were dispatched to the report of a confrontation between two men on the 900 block…

The Las Cruces Police Department is marking the second anniversary of the death of patrol officer Jonah Hernandez with a private memorial to honor and celebrate his life. Hernandez, who had been with the Las Cruces Police Department just two years, was stabbed multiple times after responding to a trespassing…

The suspect believed to be responsible for Sunday’s officer-involved shooting on south Valley Drive has been identified as 28-year-old Johnny Ray Morales. The Las Cruces Police Department and Officer-Involved Incident Task Force are investigating the incident that began shortly before 7:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. Preliminary information indicates an…

The Las Cruces Police Department is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, Feb. 8, with the initial call received at approximately 7:21 a.m. Preliminary information indicates an officer working approved off-duty employment at Walmart, 1550 S. Valley Drive., was flagged down regarding a bicycle theft. The officer located…

The 1990 mass-shooting that claimed the lives of three children and two adults at a Las Cruces bowling alley is now marking its 36-year anniversary, and police are continuing to seek information that may help bring justice in one of the most heinous crimes ever committed in New Mexico. The…