September 23, 2021
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COVID-19 likely to be leading cause of death for law enforcement officers in 2021 - WKRC TV Cincinnati

For the second year in a row, COVID-19 is likely to be the leading cause of death for law enforcement officers across the country. The virus accounted for nearly half of all deaths in the first part of the year. (WKRC File)
For the second year in a row, COVID-19 is likely to be the leading cause of death for law enforcement officers across the country. The virus accounted for nearly half of all deaths in the first part of the year. (WKRC File)

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - For the second year in a row, COVID-19 is likely to be the leading cause of death for law enforcement officers across the country. The virus accounted for nearly half of all deaths in the first part of the year.

The National Law Enforcement Memorial keeps track of every officer killed in the line of duty. Its mid-year report shows COVID-19 as the cause of the most officer deaths by a significant amount.

In 2020, more than half of all officers who died in the line of duty died from COVID-19.

Locally, two officers have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Butler County Sheriff's Deputy Robert Mills, a 32-year veteran, died earlier in September. Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Donald Gilreath III, a 15-year veteran, died in February.

Dan Hils has been with Cincinnati Police for more than 30 years. He's also the current president of the Fraternal Order of Police representing the department. Local 12 asked him for his thoughts on the number of officers nationwide who have died with COVID.

"I think you said it, 'with COVID.' I don't know if all those deaths are from COVID. I think the comorbidities are a big story when you're talking about whether somebody died 'with COVID' or 'from COVID,'" Hils said.

Local 12 asked Hils if he thought anymore could be done to protect officers.

"What can be done is vaccination, if you choose, or recognition of natural immunity [from contracting the virus and recovering]. And like I said before, that's the topic that, for some reason, has become the third rail nobody wants to talk about, natural immunity," Hils said.

Hils also points out many of the officers listed on the national memorial are reserve officers.

"Officers that are part-time and working into their late 60s and even 70s, and we all know that that's the zone where COVID is much more fatal," Hils said.

Nationally, at this point in 2021 compared to the same point in 2020, the number of line-of-duty deaths is the same. Firearms-related and traffic-related deaths are both up. Other causes though, which include COVID, are actually down year-over-year.

As for Cincinnati Police, Hils thinks most officers have already been exposed to the virus.

"Especially the street officers. I think that's one of the reasons you see right now there's not a lot of COVID infection. Along with the vaccine, natural immunity has is done its job of protecting the Cincinnati Police Department," Hils said.

Hils is optimistic for the department in terms of the virus and the risk the officers face.

"You'll never catch me saying that COVID isn't real. It's taken its toll, but it's one that I think we're mostly past the peak of. Variants or not, I think we're mostly past the peak," Hils said.



source: https://local12.com/news/local/covid-19-likely-to-be-leading-cause-of-death-for-law-enforcement-officers-in-2021

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