In valor, there is hope. And in Rio Rancho, a large crowd gathered in May to honor the courageous police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Rio Rancho hosted its annual Fallen Officer Memorial at Veterans Monument Park in front of a somber, emotional crowd filled with uniformed officers from various departments, including Rio Rancho Police Department, New Mexico State Police and Corrales Police, along with community members.
Mayor Gregg Hull reflected on the courage and dedication of fallen officers, emphasizing the community’s commitment to remembering their sacrifices.
“We gather to remember and honor the brave officers who made the ultimate sacrifice and service to our community. Today, we reflect on their courage, their dedication and their unwavering commitment to protect and serve,” Hull said. “Each year, we come together at this memorial to pay tribute to the fallen officers who, with selflessness and honor, put the safety and well-being of others before their own. We pause to remember their lives, their legacies and the families and the loved ones they left behind. We also stand united in our shared responsibility to ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten.”
RRPD Chief Stuart Steele delivered a powerful message about the significance of the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers nationwide. He shared personal stories of officers like New Mexico State Police Officer Justin Hare and Las Cruces Police Officer Jonah Hernandez, who lost their lives while trying to help others.
Hare was shot and killed in 2024 while conducting a welfare check on a disabled vehicle that was stopped on I-40, west of Tucumcari. Hernandez was stabbed to death about a month before Hare was killed while responding to a trespassing call in Las Cruces.
“This is sacrifice. Our police officers accept the calling willingly. Our families don’t, and somehow they still lose everything,” Steele said. “Why do we do it? We do it because we believe passionately in the cause, in the goodness of people. We believe in the sacred freedoms of people.”
Steele spoke about the calling of police officers, who “run in when others so hastily run out.” He referenced John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” highlighting that officers often die protecting people they don’t even know.
The ceremony specifically honored three Rio Rancho Police Department officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Officer Germaine Casey (End of Watch: August 27, 2007)
Casey died after crashing his motorcycle while riding in a motorcade as President George W. Bush prepared to leave Albuquerque following a fundraiser.
The motorcycle was near the front of the motorcade, and the president saw the wreck as he drove past on the way to the airport.
President Bush released a statement after Casey’s death.
“It is a high calling to choose to serve and protect your fellow citizens, and I will always be indebted to Officer Casey’s service,” the president said, adding that the officer’s wife and two teenage children were in his thoughts and prayers.
The 40-year-old Casey had been with the Rio Rancho Police Department since 2005 and had previously worked with campus police at the University of New Mexico.
Officer Anthony Haase (End of Watch October 26, 2014)
Haase was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Rio Rancho while responding to a domestic violence call.
During the response, Haase’s vehicle left the road and struck a ditch.
Haase was sworn in as a police officer only five months earlier, but had worked for the Rio Rancho Police Department for one year. Haase, who was also a standout baseball player at Rio Rancho High School, was 24-years-old when he died.
“His memory is etched in my heart forever. Anthony goes to what became his final call, and when he summons help on the radio, he recognizes he is seriously injured and uses the radio to tell his family he loves them. Anthony’s last radio transmission was, ‘Tell my family I loved them.’”
Officer Gregg “Nigel” Benner (End of Watch May 25, 2015)
Benner was shot and killed while making a traffic stop in Rio Rancho.
Benner saw a vehicle driving erratically with a female driver and her boyfriend, who were looking to burglarize a home. After stopping the vehicle, the passenger gave false identification and then fled with the driver during questioning. Benner pursued them until the passenger shot his girlfriend and pushed her out. Benner stopped to help her before resuming the pursuit. The suspect then shot Benner multiple times. Mortally wounded, Benner asked the female for the suspect’s name before collapsing.
Benner was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Rio Rancho Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife, two children and three stepchildren.
“My hope is we acknowledge officers as human beings with families who love them. My hope is that every person comes alongside our officers, that we will rally to better this profession,” Steele said. “My hope is we come to see police officers as sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, and as friends.”