A meal fit for heroes: law enforcement officers honored at Crime Stoppers Luncheon

As New Mexico Public Safety Secretary Jason Bowie said, the work of law enforcement officers is often a thankless job.

But on Wednesday at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Albuquerque, four officers got their thanks and more at the 11th annual Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers Heroes Luncheon. The nonprofit Crime Stoppers each year chooses to honor at the event a group of law enforcement officers nominated by their peers for their selfless actions in the line of duty.

“We give them a nice reward, a free lunch and some recognition,” said Jayme Gonzales, the Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers board chair. “It’s very important that our organization shows how proud we are of law enforcement.”

The event doubles as Crime Stoppers’ largest fundraising event of the year. More than 300 people attended this year, which raised roughly $13,000, according to Gonzales. All of the funds will go toward the rewards that are offered for any anonymous tips that Crime Stoppers receives to help solve a case.

As for the four officers recognized on Wednesday, two are from the Albuquerque Police Department, one from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and one from the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office. These are their stories.

APD officer Precious Cadena

Cadena was nominated by fellow officer and her supervisor for the last year, Sgt. Brandon Parra. She and her partner, officer Gilbert Gomez, responded to a call for service on Oct. 29 that involved the well-being of a young child.

“This child was subjected to horrible treatment from his biological mother and stepfather,” Parra wrote in his nomination form. “The injuries to the child were so severe that officer Cadena had to take a minute to gather her emotions.”

Cadena and Gomez removed the child from the mother and got him to safety. The mother also was arrested for attempting to hit Cadena. Several medical professionals and Crimes Against Children detectives later said that the child would have lost his life due to the mistreatment.

“Officer Cadena handled the call in a professional manner and saved this child’s life, I believe Officer Cadena is more than deserving of the Hero nomination,” Parra wrote.

BCSO Det. Kevin Carhart

Carhart has had a deep passion for the care and well-being of animals dating back to his time working as a Bernalillo County Animal Care Services officer in 2012. Using his training and experience in animal cruelty, he joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2015. In 2023, he became a detective with the special victims unit, where he continues to serve today. He was also instrumental in relaunching the Sheriff’s Office Animal Cruelty Task Force and is the lead investigator for animal cruelty cases. Over the past year, he has led numerous cases that have resulted in the rescue of more than 100 dogs, puppies and other animals from abusive conditions.

Nominated by Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Autumn Neas, Carhart was praised for his work helping both people and animals. “His relentless pursuit of justice for these animals, combined with his work as a full-time member of the special victims unit, (speaks) volumes about his dedication to the well-being of both people and animals in our community,” Neas wrote.

APD Sgt. Jeffery Bludworth

On the trip home from his June 6 shift, Bludworth saw a man standing on a pillar outside the fencing of a catwalk over Interstate 40, near Coors. Bludworth, who was on the phone with his wife at the time, told her he was going to see what was going on. As he turned his car around, he watched as the man ran across the interstate and headed east on the bike path until he reached a point above the middle of the Rio Grande below. The man was holding a knife to his throat and threatened to jump off the bridge.

Bludworth, who had prior crisis intervention training, was able to deescalate the situation by talking to the man and convincing him to surrender.

Nominated by Albuquerque Police Department Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock, Bludworth was commended for his work to help save the man’s life.

“I’m there to protect my community, and this was my opportunity to protect someone,” Bludworth told the Journal.

2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office Agent Sarah Martinez

Joining the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office in April 2022 as a member of its tax and revenue department, Martinez was primarily tasked with tax-related criminal investigations. But last year, she was moved to the crime strategies unit, and she has apprehended the most fugitives in the unit over the past year. Martinez is also assigned to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s task force, a newly formed team that focuses on fentanyl abatement. In June, she arrested Kristopher Darling, who was ignoring court orders and failing to appear in court. Darling was also charged along with two other suspects in a 2023 murder case.

When Martinez is not catching criminals, she spends time coaching her children’s youth baseball team. Nominated by the DA’s office, Communications Director Nancy Laflin wrote that Martinez has been a model for community improvement.

“Sarah’s qualities embody that of a public servant who strives every day to make a positive difference in our community,” Laflin wrote.

Awards and recognition

In recognition of their achievements, the four award recipients received a handmade wooden carving that features the emblem of their law enforcement agency, their name and the year of their award. “It’s something they can hold on to through the rest of their career and beyond,” Gonzales said. “It will always be something for them to look back at.”

Photos from the 11th annual Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers Heroes Luncheon