Mariposa welcomes first responders for National Night Out

RIO RANCHO — National Night Out, an annual connection between first responders and the community they serve, was celebrated in Mariposa Aug. 6.

Mariposa Community Safety Committee Co-Chair Jeanne Gowan said the turnout increased from the community’s previous celebration in 2024.

“It’s only 5:20 (p.m.). We have had over 100 people that have already showed up. We know that because we’ve given out over a hundred tickets,” she said.

Nationally, according to Gowan, around 38 million people were expected to turn out for the event. In Mariposa, Gowan expected about 500 people.

There were several vendors present as well including US Wildlife, DEA and even snake wranglers.

“Because we do have quite a few snakes,” Gowan said.

As with last year, the event helped promote Mariposa’s community watch group. Gowan said last year’s event helped the community get its first Neighborhood Watch sign.

“We have a liaison now with Officer Daisy Gomez. We’re working to get our second sign, and we’re still the neighborhood with the lowest crime rate in all of Rio Rancho, which is still the safest city, so we’re pretty happy that we live out here,” she said.

Gomez, who was at the Mariposa event with fellow Rio Rancho Police Department officers and K-9 Officer Rio, said the event gives them a chance to engage with the community.

“At the end of the day, we are all a family here, and we’re here to help each other, and we love the support that we get from our community,” she said. “And that’s what National Night Out is all about.”

She added that families ask about keeping their homes protected, preventing thefts in the car and the home, and general information about how to stay safe. She also said they inform the kids about stranger danger.

“If you see something report it,” she said.

Gomez also said the department hopes to see more community invitations to National Night Out in the future.

RRPD wasn’t the only representation from Rio Rancho’s finest. Rio Rancho Fire and Rescue also attended the event in Mariposa. Deputy Chief, soon to be chief, James Wenzel said RRFR gets invited every year and they enjoy the event.

“We just like to come out and interact with our community and talk about public safety and what our capabilities are,” he said.

The booth at National Night Out also gives RRFR a head start on public education month, a time when they travel around the school district educating the students about fire safety. He said they also take the opportunity to educate the community about home fire safety, including smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, exit plans in the event of fires and more.

Popular with the kids, according to Wenzel, is the blow up smoke house that teaches people escape plans.

But the event has more importance than just educating the community for Wenzel.

“It allows us to interact with each other outside of the emergency scene. So when you call 9-1-1, that’s not a good time for everybody to kind of talk about those services, and this is an ability for us to be in a very relaxed atmosphere to showcase what we do, to meet us, the citizens of the city, the communities we serve, and answering the questions they have, and you kind of build that camaraderie,” he said.

Two members of the community, husband and wife Patrick and Barbara Hornef, said they feel safe in Mariposa and Rio Rancho in general.

“We have five children ranging in age from 30 to 10, and we have four grandchildren. I mean, most importantly, I would think is that our communities are safe for all four of our grandchildren, who actually live in the community as well,” Patrick said.

Both see the event as a way to show appreciation for first responders.

“It’s a blessing to live here, and we really appreciate all the efforts of public service,” Barbara said.

Gowan said the event was a success and plans to keep hosting it annually.

“To promote unity in the neighborhood. In this day and age, there’s a lot of disunity, and we like to keep it a more friendly neighborhood, which it really is, and this way you get to meet some people that you’ve never met and their dogs,” she said.