New Mexico honors three fallen law enforcement officers

SANTA FE - Three New Mexico law enforcement officers were honored Thursday at the New Mexico Department of Public Safety's Law Enforcement Memorial, where their names were unveiled on a memorial. The black marble memorial wall, which now lists 210 names, is dedicated to the memory of New Mexico law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty.

In a ceremony that included a 21-gun salute, a law enforcement helicopter flyover, a flag-folding ceremony and a flag presentation, Artesia Police Department Corporal Thomas Frazier, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Deputy Game Warden Ananias "Norris" Green and New Mexico State Police Patrolman Darian Jarrott were honored by hundreds of police officers, citizens and family members. Game Warden Green's induction comes 81 years following his death.

Patrolman Darian Jarrott

Jarrott was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop of a known offender on Interstate 10 near milepost 101 in Luna County. The driver of the vehicle was the subject of an ongoing narcotics investigation and was en route to Las Cruces to participate in a drug deal. Jarrott was assisting members of the United States Homeland Security Investigations when he stopped the vehicle. The man opened fire on Jarrott, fatally wounding him before fleeing the scene in the pickup truck. Jarrott had served with the New Mexico State Police for five and a half years.

Corporal Thomas Frazier

Frazier was killed in an automobile crash on U.S. Highway 285 near milepost 77, north of Artesia, about 10:45 a.m. May 21, 2021. He was involved in an active investigation when his vehicle collided with the back of a tractor-trailer that was turning off the roadway.

Frazier had served with the Artesia Police Department for five years and was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division. He had previously served with the Shenandoah County, Virginia, Sheriff's Office for 12 years. He also served as the chief of the Sun County Volunteer Fire Department in New Mexico. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Deputy Game Warden Norris Green

Green was shot and killed by a hunter who mistook him for a deer in the Grapevine Canyon area south of Alamogordo on Nov. 15, 1941. He was riding through the brush of the canyon approximately 75 yards from the hunter when he was shot. The hunter was arrested and charged with manslaughter. Green had previously served as a jailer and deputy sheriff in Otero County and as city marshal of Alamogordo. He was survived by his wife, daughter and mother.

The names and circumstances of each death can be found at http://www.nmlememorial.org.

A stream of the memorial is available at https://fb.watch/d6mCGKU3t5/.

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