Jerry Hogrefe, a longtime Taos County law enforcement officer with more than four decades of public safety experience, has announced his candidacy for Taos County magistrate judge.

Hogrefe, who has served in a range of roles from dispatcher to sheriff and police chief, said the decision to seek the bench comes after years of consideration.

“This decision comes with much thought and consideration,” Hogrefe said. “Being a magistrate judge is something I have deep compassion for and set as a goal of mine years ago. I haven’t run for this office before because the timing just hasn’t been right — until now.”

Hogrefe said he has long respected the work of the county’s magistrate judges and chose not to challenge sitting judges in previous election cycles. He cited the recent retirement announcement of Magistrate Judge Ernest Ortega as prompting his decision to run.

“I wouldn’t, and didn’t, run a campaign against any of them out of the respect I have for them,” Hogrefe said. “With Judge Ortega’s recent announcement of retirement, the timing is right for me to step into the role.”

Hogrefe began his public safety career in 1984 as a dispatcher and animal control officer. That same year, he joined the Red River Volunteer Fire Department and became a reserve deputy. In 1985, he earned EMT-Basic certification and volunteered in emergency medical services for 29 years. He also became certified as a structural and wildland firefighter.

In 1988, the year he married his wife, Susan, Hogrefe became a full-time deputy marshal for the town of Red River. He was promoted to sergeant in 1992 and appointed town marshal in 2006. During his 25 years in Red River, he attained executive-level law enforcement certification, the highest certification available in New Mexico, and became an instructor in multiple public safety disciplines, including as an adjunct instructor for the New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy.

In 2010, Hogrefe joined the Taos Police Department and later served as interim chief of police under then-Mayor Darren Cordova. He resigned in 2014 to run for Taos County sheriff, winning election that year and re-election in 2018. After serving the two-term limit, he remained with the sheriff’s office for about 18 months as undersheriff for Sheriff Steve Miera.

Among his most notable accomplishments as sheriff, Hogrefe pointed to a 2018 operation in Amalia that resulted in the dismantling of a compound described by authorities as a terrorist training site. Federal prosecutors later secured life prison sentences for four individuals accused of training children to target federal workers, government buildings and schools.

Hogrefe left the sheriff’s office and was appointed chief of police for the village of Angel Fire in June 2024, a position he currently holds.

“My career in law enforcement has been very rewarding,” he said. “But the time has come for me to focus on the judicial side of the law and trade my gun for a gavel.”

Magistrate judges in New Mexico preside primarily over traffic and misdemeanor cases, conduct first appearances in felony cases and determine whether probable cause exists to bind cases over to district court. They also review arrest and search warrant applications, oversee certain civil cases involving claims under $10,000 and conduct jury trials in misdemeanor cases, which use six-person juries.

Hogrefe said his decades of courtroom experience — including filing court documents and testifying in hearings — have prepared him for the role.

“I know and appreciate what is necessary to determine reasonable suspicion and probable cause,” he said. “I am well suited, fair-minded and strive to bring a balance of fair treatment for both the accused and the victim.”

If elected, Hogrefe said he would consider factors such as the severity of offenses, criminal history and pretrial services recommendations when making decisions on bail, release conditions and sentencing.

“I want to be your next magistrate judge of Taos County and continue to serve the community I have chosen to be my home,” he said.

Hogrefe said voters can find more information about his campaign on Facebook under his name.