Cabinet Secretary Jason R.Bowie of the New Mexico Department of Public Safety mourned the death of a sergeant from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the statement issued on Tuesday, February 24, said.
Bowie said he was heartbroken by the death of Sgt. Michael Schlattman. He described the fallen officer as courageous and deeply committed to serving his community.
Schlattman died Monday after a tractor-trailer rear-ended his patrol unit, pinning him beneath it during a traffic stop. The fallen officer was conducting a stop shortly before 5 pm on Interstate 40 eastbound near the 170, according to a sheriff’s office statement posted on social media.
Officials said a tractor-trailer slammed into the rear of the vehicle as he stepped outside his cruiser. Schlattman was trapped underneath the vehicle when the impact pushed the cruiser forward. Responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
Bowie extended his condolences to the officer’s family, friends, and fellow officers. The department stands in solidarity with the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. He called Schlattman’s death an incredibly difficult time.
“Sergeant Schlattman served with professionalism and dedication,” Bowie said. He urged the public to keep the officer’s loved ones in their thoughts and prayers.