A member of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Patrol has donated a handcrafted wooden saddle stand to the Historical Museum of Lawmen as a tribute to a fellow patrolman who died in November of 2014. The stand is part of a new display that features a saddle that belonged to the late William “Bill” Crawford, who volunteered with the sheriff’s department since 2001.
Crawford’s family donated the saddle to the museum, located inside the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department main headquarters at 845 N. Motel Boulevard. Sgt. Dan Makens, who leads the horse team for the mounted patrol, decided to make the stand as a gift that would honor his late friend and colleague.
A small dedication was made earlier this week at the museum. In attendance were museum coordinator Jim Beasley, Sgt. Makens and Capt. Bud Lulich, who heads the mounted patrol.
Crawford, 66, was a lifelong resident of Las Cruces. At the time of his passing, he was the longest-serving volunteer with the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Patrol.
The saddle is on display inside the museum, which is open to the public and free of charge Monday through Friday during regular business hours and also on the second and fourth Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Information from Doña Ana County