Sheriff’s Office celebrates 175th anniversary
Members of the Taos County Sheriff’s Office gathered on Thursday (Oct. 21) to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the local law enforcement agency.
The anniversary date coincided with Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe’s 55th birthday, but Hogrefe made Steven Lee, the first appointed sheriff in Taos County, the focus of the day. Lee was appointed sheriff in 1846 when New Mexico was still a territory.
“We know that that was in October 1846, so we know that was 175 years ago,” Hogrefe said. “We don’t know exactly what day, so yeah, maybe I kind of just picked today as my birthday to kind of match up with that celebration.”
Hogrefe claims that Taos County had the first sheriff’s office in New Mexico, but the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office made a similar claim when U.S. General Stephen Watts Kearney occupied Santa Fe in Aug. 1846, during the MexicanAmerican War.
Lee was killed in the Taos Revolt, along with New Mexico Territorial Gov. Charles Bent and several others, on Jan. 19, 1847 near the Taos Plaza.
“I’m very honored that he was the first sheriff and I’m the last. It’s very sad that he was killed in the line of duty. That’s an honor I hope I don’t receive,” joked Hogrefe.
A story by the Taos News in 2015 stated that the revolt ended in bloodshed on Feb. 3, 1847 after the “rebels took refuge in the Taos Pueblo church of San Geronimo. The American army bombarded the adobe church with cannon balls and set it on fire. Many Native and Hispanic New Mexicans, mostly women and children, were killed. Many believed to be rebels were rounded up and executed.”
For the anniversary celebration, Hogrefe brought out antique weapons, handcuffs and badges that were relevant to the time when Lee was a sheriff.
New commemorative badges designed by Hogrefe were pinned on each of the officers to distinguish the office’s founding in 1846.
Sheriff’s office members were then congratulated and recognized for their work, with Hogrefe making a comment about each and every deputy.
Community members in attendance included 8th Judicial District Attorney Marcus Montoya, local defense attorney Alan Maestas and Anastacia “Anise’’ Golden-Morper, a candidate running for New Mexico lieutenant governor.
Golden-Morper also took to the podium and mentioned her family’s history of working in law enforcement, including her father, who was the sheriff of Torrance County for eight years.
After getting emotional from recounting a childhood experience where her father had to respond to a call at a Thanksgiving dinner, she pledged unwavering support for the sheriff’s office and law enforcement in general. She openly supports the “Back the Blue” movement, which has worked to garner support for law enforcement amid criticism of police departments in recent years.
“I know when you put that uniform on, what you do for the rest of the citizens ... half of them don’t even have a clue. I also know that when you put your blue jeans on and that T-shirt on, you still in your mind have that uniform on,” said Golden-Morper.
The celebration wrapped up with Hogrefe pinning each employee. The police radio went off, and everyone in the area went silent.
“Let’s hope that we don’t have any calls,” chuckled Hogrefe quietly. Luckily the celebration went off without a hitch.