National Police Week: Texas Officers Who Died In Line Of Duty

Austin TX

05 May, 2021

3:00 PM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — The biggest effect the coronavirus pandemic had on National Police Week isn't that activities in Texas and elsewhere have been postponed, but the number of police officers whose lives and careers were cut short by the virus. While their names won't be read at the National Police Officers' Memorial Service until its Oct. 16 rescheduled date, they will be honored virtually during National Police Week from May 9-16 this year. The coronavirus has been cited for 19 police officer line of duty deaths in Texas in 2021, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page. Nationally, 63 of the 119 police line of duty deaths in 2021 as of May 4, just under 53 percent, have been due to the virus. COVID-19 caused 234 of the 362 line of duty deaths nationwide in 2020. Before the virus, 150 active police officers died across the United States throughout 2019. This year, 21 police officers in Texas died while on duty, including the virus-related deaths. They were: Deputy Sheriff Alexander Gwosdz Worked: Harris County Sheriff's OfficeEnd of watch: April 22, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Corrections Officer Jimmy Garcia Worked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions DivisionEnd of watch: April 15, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Trooper Chad WalkerWorked: Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway PatrolEnd of watch: March 31, 2021Cause of death: Gunfire Corrections Officer Luis Arturo Hernandez, Sr.Worked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions DivisionEnd of watch: March 31, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Corrections Officer III Tracey AdamsWorked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions DivisionEnd of watch: March 6, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Officer Carlos MendozaWorked: United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field OperationEnd of watch: February 24, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19 Parole Officer Troy K. MorinWorked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Parole DivisionEnd of watch: February 23, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Corrections Officer IV Tawiwo ObeleWorked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions DivisionEnd of watch: February 16, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Major Estaban "Stevie" Ramirez, IIIWorked: Bell County Sheriff's OfficeEnd of watch: February 16, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19 Deputy Constable Manuel Phillipe De La RosaWorked: Hays County Constable's Office - Precinct 2End of watch: February 16, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Police Officer Mitchell PentonWorked: Dallas Police DepartmentEnd of watch: February 13, 2021Cause of death:Vehicular assaultCorrections Officer IV Vicky JamesWorked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions DivisionEnd of watch: February 10, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19 Investigator Eddie B. Hutchison, IIIWorked: Walker County Criminal District Attorney's OfficeEnd of watch: February 10, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Detective Pedro Junior "Pete" MejiaWorked: Pasadena Police DepartmentEnd of watch: February 6, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Detention Officer Robert PerezWorked: Harris County Sheriff's OfficeEnd of watch: February 2, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19 Special Agent Robert Allan Mayer, Jr.Worked: United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Professional ResponsibilityEnd of watch: January 30, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Lieutenant Treva PrestonWorked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions DivisionEnd of watch: January 15, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Corrections Officer IV Alfred JimenezWorked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions DivisionEnd of watch: January 15, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19 Constable Sherry Kay LangfordWorked: Henderson County Constable's Office - Precinct 1End of watch: January 14, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Lieutenant William Lyle GardnerWorked: Denver City Police DepartmentEnd of watch: January 7, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19Sergeant Randall SimsWorked: Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Correctional Institutions DivisionEnd of watch: January 3, 2021Cause of death: COVID-19 After the coronavirus, shootings have caused the most police line of duty deaths nationally, as "gunfire" was cited by the Officer Down Memorial Page in 19. Nine police officers died by "vehicular assault," seven in car crashes and six were fatally hit by a car. President John F. Kennedy in 1962 designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week as Police Week. The Memorial Service began 20 years later with about 120 survivors and supporters of law enforcement gathering in Senate Park, according to the event's website. Since then, before the pandemic it had grown to attract up to 40,000 attendees every year. The National Police Week schedule features a series of events, including seminars and a candlelight vigil. Due to the coronavirus, the candlelight vigil has been put off to Oct. 14, and the national police survivors conference to Oct. 15.