Chief Denny Haycox

Dencil G. Haycox (Denny), District Commander of the Indiana State Police, retired; Chief Rio Rancho Police Department, retired; Police Officer, Nevada Legislature Police, and Police Officer Nevada Department of Public Safety Capitol Police Division, Retired.  Age 83, of Las Vegas, formally Rio Rancho New Mexico and Seymour Indiana, passed away peacefully Friday, April 27, 2018 at St. Rose Dominican Hospital in the comfort of his loving family.

Dencil was born in English Indiana to the late Charles A. and Neliie Francis Haycox.  He was a graduate of English High School where he was an all-Scholastic athlete in basketball.  He attended Indiana State University where he played basketball 2 years until he joined the United States Army for 2 years then when onto the Indiana State Police in 1957.

During his career with the Indiana State Police, he was part of the first State Police rescue Dive Team, as well as the SWAT team.  Dencil retired from the Indiana State Police as a District Commander after 24 ½ years.  On his last year in 1981 with the Indiana State Police, he received the prestigious State Trooper of the year award for the entire State of Indiana.

In 1981, Rio Rancho was a newly incorporated City and they hired Dencil as the police planner from a large list of highly qualified candidates.  The task was to build the police department from the ground up.  Dencil Haycox researched along with his wife Lucille Haycox, designed and implemented every aspect with great detail for the Rio Rancho Police Department within 98 days.  Dencil was appointed Rio Rancho’s first Police Chief to command the new police department.   After 3 years as the Police Chief, the Mayor along with the City Council had a meeting with Dencil.  They advised, the budgets were extremely tight and he needed to design a service which consolidated several of the cities services.  Dencil researched and developed the Department of Public Safety incorporating the Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services, Code enforcement, Motor Vehicles, and Animal Control.  He was named the Director of Public safety commanding all Departments.

In 2001 Dencil received the “Home Town hero award from the City of Rio Rancho, retired and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada.  It was not long before he was hired with The Department of Justice and deployed overseas to Arman Jordan.  He was hired as an International Instructor to train the newly appointed Iraqi Police Officers as the United States was liberating Iraq.

In 2005 Dencil was hired as a Police Officer working for the Legislative Police protecting all legislative employees and property, as well as citizens drawn by the legislative process.  In 2007 Dencil was hired as a Police Officer by The Department of Public Safety Capitol Police Division and retired in 2013.

Dencil was an avid Indiana College basketball fan, as well as a UFC and Boxing fan.  Dencil was a past member of the Freemasons, American Legion, Elks, Kiwanis, and International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Most of all, Dencil was dedicated to his family.  His family meant everything to him and he meant the world to them.  Dencil will always be remembered with an incredible sense of humor and a big heart.  The wisdom he so generously shared guided countless people throughout life.  His leadership protected thousands, not only the Police Officers working for him, but the citizens of Indiana, New Mexico, Nevada and several Countries in the Middle East.

Beloved husband for over fifty years of Lucille M. Haycox.

Devoted father to Joseph Haycox, Charlie Haycox and his wife Melissa, Karen Haycox, Carol Schlachter, Nedra Williams and Her husband Flave, Dencil Haycox Jr, Carletta Crummy and her husband Mike, Step sons Michael and his wife Carmen-Gloria, Noel Schlachter and his wife Dee, Joe Schlachter and his wife Rhonda.  Robert Schlachter (Deceased), and Jim Schlachter (Deceased) survived by his wife Fran.

Loving Uncle to many nieces and nephews. 

Loving grandfather to 33 grandchildren, 34 great grandchildren, and 2 great great-grandchildren.

Visiting Hours will be held at Mesa Baptist Church located at 1411 Golf Course Road SE, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 on Thursday, May 10, 2018 from 1-3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m.  Relatives, friends, and all who would like to attend are invited.

The funeral services are also at the Mesa Baptist Church Friday, May 11, 2018 at 10 a.m.

For those who wish, donations in Chief Haycox’s memory may be made to Daniel’s funeral home located at 4310 Sara Rd. Rio Rancho, NM 87124.