Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Steve Ackerman was killed in a single vehicle crash on Highway 285, near Encino, in Torrance County.
He was driving to Santa Fe on official business to join other sheriffs from throughout the state as they met with the state legislature.
Sheriff Ackerman had served with the Lea County Sheriff's Office for 14 years and had previously served with the Lea County Detention Center for 12 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-EC1BDD36- 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
26 years. You could have gone home.
Sheriff Ackerman gave the Lea County Sheriff's Office 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Lovington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Ackerman.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff Stephen Lawrence Ackerman is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NM, 59 of 193 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.6% of this state's fallen.
At Lea County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Stephen Lawrence Ackerman's cause is highlighted.
How Stephen Lawrence Ackerman Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Stephen Lawrence Ackerman is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Lea County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
