Community Conversations:Las Cruces business owners unite to tackle crime, promote safety

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — In today’s Community Conversations, spokespersons for the Businesses For a Safer Las Cruces joined the KFOX14 Morning News to talk about the crime they are trying to combat at businesses in La Cruces.

Vic Villalobos and Donna Stryker with the organization explained why they started their business.

“Because there was so much happening in Las Cruces, there was concern as a business owner and property owner of the crime, the homelessness and the destruction of property,” said Stryker.

Stryker said she has been a business owner for 13 years and Villalobos for about 20 years.

Villalobos said LCPD officer Jonah Hernandez was killed in the corner of his property.

Villalobos said that the incident was at the forefront to bring the seriousness of the issue to light.

Villalobos said he and Stryker began talking to other business owners.

“We hadn’t realized how bad it was,” said Villalobos. “We realized we needed to come together to bring some change.”

Villalobos said the main issues have been trespassing, assaults, break-ins, and vandalism.

Businesses For a Safer Las Cruces meets on the second and fourth Monday of every month at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.

The organization has a list of businesses that are supporting law enforcement by providing discounts to them and rest areas.

Businesses For a Safer Las Cruces has a Facebook group where the community can join.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:

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