Nat'l Police Week: Remembering NJ Officers Who Died

NEW JERSEY — May 9-16 is National Police Week, and this year, America will remember the 119 police officers who died in the line of duty so far in 2021, including 63 who died of coronavirus.

This is only for the first part of 2021. Here are all the police officers nationwide who died in the line of duty so far this year: Officer Down Memorial Page

So far in 2021, coronavirus was responsible for the majority of police officer deaths nationwide, causing 63 deaths so far, according to the site.

After coronavirus, the second thing that killed police the most was gunfire (19 officers killed), being intentionally stuck by a car/vehicular assault (15 officers killed), line-of-duty car accidents (7 officers killed), assault (4 officers killed) and being stabbed to death (2 officers killed).

A death by coronavirus is considered by FEMA to be a line-of-duty death, as police officers are considered essential workers and could not isolate in their homes during the pandemic.

Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was raised in South River, died this year in the Capitol Hill riots and government insurrection.

In New Jersey, one officer died so far in 2021 in the line of duty, and it was because of coronavirus: That would be Newark Police Officer Hector Moya, who died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

(Other members of law enforcement died in New Jersey so far this year, but their deaths were not considered on the job.)

Officer Moya died on Jan. 13, 2021 at the age of 55.

As Patch reported in his memorial, he had served with the Newark Police Department for 22 years, having joined the force in 1998. His assignments included the Fugitive Apprehension Unit, Auto Crimes Division, Special Victims Division and patrol within the 2nd, 4th and 5th precincts.

Moya was the the seventh Newark police officer to succumb to COVID-19, city officials said.

In 2020, COVID caused 234 of the 362 line-of-duty deaths nationwide.

Before the virus hit, 150 active police officers died across the United States throughout 2019.

After the coronavirus, shootings have caused the most police line of duty deaths nationally, causing the deaths of nine police officers so far in 2021. 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 this week in May 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.

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.

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