LAS CRUCES - Thousands of mourners filled the Pan American Center on the campus of New Mexico State University on Sunday for a funeral service for Officer José Ismael Chavez, the Hatch police officer killed on Aug. 12 in the line of duty.
Law enforcement officers from coast to coast — coming from as far away as New York, Chicago and San Diego — paid their final respects to the fallen officer.
A funeral procession, which began Sunday morning in Hatch, reportedly spanned 11 miles as it made its way south on Interstate 25 toward Las Cruces. The hearse carrying Chavez’s body was greeted by more than 100 American flags held by members of the Patriot Guard Riders from Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Ruidoso, Roswell, Alamogordo and El Paso, an organization whose members attend funerals of members of the U.S. military, firefighters and police officers at the invitation of the decedent’s family.
The hearse traveled beneath two Garrison Flags hoisted above Arrowhead Drive as it approached the Pan American Center. Hundreds gathered around the facility’s east ramp for the arrival of the motorcade as a light rain fell.
The service featured a variety of speakers, including:
- Doña Ana County Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil
- Sunland Park Police Chief Jaime Reyes
- United States Honor Flag founder Chris Heisler
- Bishop Oscar Cantú
- Hatch Mayor Andy Nuñez
- Doña Ana Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Kelly Jameson, who read a letter on behalf of Hatch Police Chief James “Trey” Gimler and Lt. Corey Watkins
- Third Judicial District Attorney Mark D'Antonio
- Damon Martinez, U.S. attorney for the District of New Mexico, who read a letter from U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch
- U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M.
- New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez
“Officer Chavez’s decision to protect and to serve was a decision to love,” Cantú said. “His final words, ‘Tell my mother that I love her; tell my girls that I love them,” — in his final moments, he was thinking about love.”
Jameson, reading the address prepared by Gimler and Watkins, recounted Chavez’s job interview with the department. Dressed “like a Wall Street banker,” he told the chief, “I just need a chance to prove myself.”
The 33-year-old Chavez served for two years on the eight-man force.
Martinez fought back tears as she spoke. As the daughter and wife of law enforcement officers, and as a former prosecutor, she said Chavez’s death hit close to home.
“I saw my father and my husband walk out the door, every single day, with their uniforms, their bulletproof vests and their guns,” Martinez said. “It was all they had to protect themselves, but more importantly, to protect you and me. When that call doesn’t come in, or they don’t pull into the driveway on time, your heart starts to beat faster. As a loved one of a law enforcement officer, we know those things are possible.”
Addressing Chavez’s two daughters, Janiley and Aryam, Martinez said, “Your daddy will be walking alongside you for the rest of your life as your guardian angel.”
“We will all miss him very much,” she concluded, before walking over to kneel before the family, offering her condolences.
After a three-volley salute, the playing of taps, and bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace," a tearful Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority dispatcher issued Chavez’s final call.
Outside the Pan American Center, mourners gathered around Chavez’s police cruiser, standing in silent witness and piled under with flowers.
Charles House, who works with the U.S. Border Patrol, stood near the car after the service.
“It was amazing,” he said of the memorial service. “It was something I’d never seen before. Being in the law enforcement community — I’ve worked in law enforcement for the last 10-plus years — seeing the community pull together for one of our own is just overwhelming.”
NMSU offered the use of the Pan American Center for the service at no cost.
“We’re honoring a fallen officer that also happened to be a student at New Mexico State University,” President Garrey Carruthers told the Sun-News before the service began. “He had 116 credits, and had just registered for this semester. He’s one of our family, and we want to take care of our family.”
Carruthers said he plans to recommend to NMSU’s Board of Regents that Chavez’s criminal justice degree be conferred posthumously.
“We are already putting together the paperwork, and plan to ask the regents in December that he be awarded a baccalaureate degree,” Carruthers said.
Miriam Martinez, a distant relative, attended the funeral wearing a shirt with Chavez’s photo on it.
“All of the love and support that everyone has shown truly reveals what a hero he was,” Martinez said. “He was the best father I ever knew.”
Jose Gonzalez attend the service with his mother, Martha Gonzales. Jose grew up with Officer Chavez, he explained.
“My memories of him are of us growing up — two goofball kids, running around the neighborhood, riding our bikes and causing common, juvenile mischief,” he laughed. “Seeing the community come out like this to support him is really awesome. My brother is a law enforcement officer with DASO, and I’m a juvenile corrections officer, to see the community come out and support law enforcement officers is heartwarming.”
Beth Vesco-Mock, executive director of Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley, said Chavez worked for her three times at the shelter.
“José was in my first hiring class in 2008,” she recalled. “He was not a U.S. citizen at the time, and didn’t have his GED. While he worked at the shelter, he took night classes to get his citizenship, his GED, and even graduated from Doña Ana Community College. He always wanted to be a police officer. That’s all he wanted to do.”
Chavez was born in Juárez.
Vesco-Mock said Chavez was working for her when he got the job in Hatch.
“I told him, ‘That’ll be a good job for you. Nothing ever happens in Hatch,’” she said.
Chavez’s love for animals — and knack for handling them — served him well as an officer. Much of his job was working animal control, and Vesco-Mock said Chavez frequently brought stray and feral animals to the shelter to be spayed and neutered. His colleagues on the police force jokingly called him “The Chihuahua Whisperer.”
“He was really an animal-lover at heart,” she said. “José worked in the puppy room for years, and I bet a lot of people would realize they’ve had a connection with him if they’ve been into the shelter. He was just an absolutely wonderful young man.”
Chavez is survived by his parents Maria Ramirez and José Chavez; his daughters; and his sisters Patricia Ramirez and Lupita Chavez, according to his obituary.
A memorial fund has been created at Wells Fargo to benefit Chavez’s daughters. Donations to the Hatch Police Officer José Ismael Chavez Memorial Account can be made at any branch; the account number is 5955877427.
Copyright 2016 the Las Cruces Sun-News (Las Cruces, N.M.)
Tribune News Service
