Police Officer John Mestas died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.
Officer Sneed was Officer Mestas’ field training officer when they both contracted COVID-19.
Officer Mestas was a veteran of both the United States Army and the United States Air Force Reserves. He had served with the Double Oaks Police Department for three months and 15 years with the Hillsboro Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Tarrant County Hospital District Police Department, and Somervell County Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife and four children.
The Effects of COVID on Law Enforcement
Beginning in early 2020, thousands of law enforcement officers and other first responders throughout the country began to contract COVID-19 during the worldwide pandemic. Due to the nature of their job, law enforcement officers were required to work and interact with the community even as the majority of the country was self-quarantined. As a result, hundreds of officers died from COVID-related illnesses and other complications.
Corrections agencies, in particular, suffered tremendous losses due to the constant and close proximity between the corrections officers and large inmate populations. Since March 2020, ODMP has verified that over 900 law enforcement officers have died as the result of a confirmed or presumed exposure while on duty and continues to work with hundreds of other agencies that have suffered a COVID-related death.
Source: ODMP
https://www.odmp.org/officer/25934-police-officer-john-mestas