NEWS RELEASE: Statement of Public Education Department Secretary Arsenio Romero on the passing of Las Cruces officer Jonah Hernandez

For Immediate Release

Contact: Nate Williams

Public Information Officer

New Mexico Public Education Department

505-699-9791

nathan.williams@ped.nm.gov

Feb. 13, 2024

Statement of Public Education Department Secretary Arsenio Romero on the passing of Las Cruces officer Jonah Hernandez

Officer from Secretary Romero’s hometown killed in the line of duty

SANTA FE, NM – Today, Public Education Department Secretary Arsenio Romero issued the following statement on the passing of Las Cruces Police Officer Jonah Hernandez:

“It is always a tragedy to hear of a police officer killed in the line of duty. It strikes that much closer to the heart when it happens in your hometown. Las Cruces is a wonderful community that my family and I have been proud to call home. My heart sank when I learned of the passing on Sunday of Las Cruces Officer Jonah Hernandez in response to a call. I grieve for Officer Hernandez, his wife and two sons who must now find the strength to carry on. I also grieve for Officer Hernandez’s fellow officers who lost a colleague and a friend, and the Las Cruces community who lost a dedicated public servant.”

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