Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Michael Tralka suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with a subject at 262 Philip Street.
He and his partner had responded to the home to investigate a domestic disturbance. The caller stated her brother was at the home and refused to leave. The man became belligerent and refused to leave. A struggle ensued during which Officer Tralka fell unconscious.
The other officers on the scene transported him to a local hospital in a patrol car. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Officer Tralka had served with the Detroit Police Department for nine years and was assigned to the Fifth Precinct.
Survivors
He was survived by his mother, brother, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-8D91E480- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Tralka gave the Detroit Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Tralka.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Michael Joseph Tralka is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MI, 39 of 718 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5.4% of this state's fallen. That is 1.4 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At Detroit Police Department, 8 of 250 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael Joseph Tralka's cause is highlighted.
How Michael Joseph Tralka Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Michael Joseph Tralka is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
249 officers from Detroit Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
