Honoring the fallen
Officers killed in line of duty remembered at memorial

Grants Police Lieutenant Corey Allen bows his head during the reading of the Police Officer's Prayer during the Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony in Grants Friday. — © 2009 Gallup Independent / Cable Hoover

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — It was a perfect morning for area law enforcement agencies to honor fallen comrades who have died in the line of duty.

Grants, Milan and New Mexico State Police, Cibola County Sheriff’s Department, representatives of several correctional facilities, Grants Fire and Rescue and families and friends of both officers who died turned out at the Riverwalk, Park amphitheater on a sunny, 70-degree morning.

Riverwalk Park’s stream and ponds reflected the few clouds in the sky along with an occasional gentle ripple. Families played with children at the other end of the park, oblivious to the proceedings in the amphitheater.

The daughter of a fallen officer and several officers commented on the memorial service and how meaningful it is to each of them.

Yvette Jaramillo, daughter of Nash Garcia, who died in 1952, said she was 7 when her father died. New Mexico State Police Officer Lloyd Aragon, also of Grants, died in 2001.

“I saw a state police car come driving up to the house and I ran out yelling ‘Daddy, Daddy,’ ... but he (Garcia) was already dead by then,” she said. There are three sisters in the family, she said, Yvonne Vega and Yolanda Montano.

“This is the first time we have had a memorial for Dad here in Grants,” she said. Memorials had been held in Gallup and Albuquerque previously.

The family has held up fairly well over the years, she said. The sisters’ mother and Garcia’s wife, Martha Chavez, will be 96 in July, Jaramillo said.

“We really want to thank Steve Sena for having this memorial for dad here this year,” she said.

Sena, Grants police chief, said: “This is an honor for me to do something for my fallen brothers.

“It’s something that should be done every year to help people remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice serving and protecting the public,” he said.

Grants police officer Jesse Nieto, while pointing to the small one-half inch wide black band covering the front of his police shield, said: “We are wearing black bands across our badges to remember our fellow officers who have fallen. We should remember them.”

Cibola County Sheriff Johnny Valdez, who arrived with Undersheriff Felix Saavedra, said the memorial service is a “huge honor,” for him.

“It goes to show that when an officer puts on his uniform and badge, what kind of dedication he gives, even his life, to protect the public,” he said.

“It’s a tragedy when an officer is killed, We must remember the families when that happens. We keep the peace and order and when one of us falls, it hurts,” Saavedra said.

“We cannot forget the past, the ultimate sacrifice that our officers gave for us,” Sen. David Ulibarri said.

“These officers here today, are always in harm’s way, out there protecting the general public,” he said.

Two New Mexico State Police officers, James Jenkins and Sgt. Rick Doty, knew Aragon.

Both worked with him, Jenkins as a deputy sheriff, Doty as his supervisor.

“He had a great heart, He was always one to work efficiently and worked well with other agencies,” Jenkins said.

Doty said Aragon never complained, always worked whatever shift he was assigned, and to the best of his ability.

He also said Aragon had a big heart and loved his family.
During the service, Grants Mayor Joe Murrieta, the featured speaker, said the officers serving today must be vigilant.

“We want to see your smiling faces here for a number of years.”

“We, the public, should always be proud of our law enforcement officers,” he said.

There was a 21-gun salute made up of officers from the various law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities.

In 2008, 35 states including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands had 133 law enforcement officers who died or were killed in the line of duty.