No officers seen in park during week of peaceful George Floyd protests in Las Cruces

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- As law enforcement officers across the country continue to oversee large protests which sparked after the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minneapolis, the situation is different in Las Cruces.

Protestors continue to gather regularly at Albert Johnson Park in downtown Las Cruces to mourn the life of George Floyd. Although the Las Cruces police headquarters just a block away, protesters told ABC-7 they have not seen any officers on foot at the park since their protests began on Saturday.

One protestor, Desiree Kriner, said the protests have all been peaceful.

“I'm a firm believer that once (police) start showing up people get a little anxious and things can go south,” Kriner said. “That's possibly why it's been peaceful because no one has really come to bother us.”

Another protester, Russell Bell, who's been attending since Saturday, said he feels protected. "I think that the police have been pretty nice the whole way around. I feel like they have me respect the first day that I was here," he explained.

The Las Cruces Police Department posted a statement on Facebook this week saying "these protests are what makes the Mesilla Valley so special."

LCPD added: "Like police departments across our country, the Las Cruces Police Department is constantly improving and evolving. We’re learning how best to serve our growing community. We’re developing a more diverse workforce and collective mindset that best serves our multi-cultural community. Are we perfect? No. Unfortunately, we will never be. But we are always striving to be a better department and to better serve our community."

ABC-7 reached out to LCPD but were unable to receive a comment.

Protesters said they would likely continue to protest outside Albert Johnson Park, which honors the memory of Las Cruces' first and only African-American mayor.