Operation Not in Vain: Police in Las Cruces arrest 77 alleged felons
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- Las Cruces Police, New Mexico State Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and DEA are working together to execute Operation Not in Vain.
Over the first month of the operation, officers have made 77 felony arrests, 50 misdemeanor arrests, and more than 320 traffic citations.
The operation, which honors the memory of Officer Jonah Hernandez, is expected to run through November 2024. Hernandez was killed in the line of duty in February 2024.
"The operation also tallied 270 consensual contacts with members of the community and 144 meetings with local businesses during the first month of the operation," a spokesperson for LCPD explained.
Las Cruces Police officials provided the following numbers for the operation from August 5 through 31.
- 4 DWI arrests
- 9 Firearms seized/recovered
- 10 Separate narcotics seizures
- 12 Stolen vehicles seized/recovered
- 13 Warrants (search/arrest) completed
- 38 Criminal citations issued
- 50 Arrests (misdemeanor)
- 60 Field interviews
- 70 Trespass warnings
- 77 Arrests (felony)
- 124 Reports taken
- 322 Traffic citations
