In an average year, 11 line of duty deaths is common for corrections officers, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year there were 218 corrections officers and 41 non-custody employees who died in the line of duty.
At 7:00 p.m. this Friday, One Voice United will host a virtual vigil to honor the men and women in corrections who have lost their lives in the line of duty due to COVID-19.
“Correctional officers and staff showed up as frontline essential workers while too often lacking the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), hazard pay, and medical safety measures to protect themselves and incarcerated individuals from COVID-19,” reads a statement from the organization. “Their work, often unnoticed and unrecognized by the general public, carried deadly risks borne by countless essential workers across the country.”
During the vigil, corrections officers from across the country will join together to recognize each of their sacrifices.
On the The One Voice United Gold Medal of Honor, their website states, “The One Voice United Gold Medal of Honor has been awarded posthumously to every corrections officer that has died in the line of duty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All fallen supervisors and other essential staff will also be recognized for their ultimate sacrifice with the One Voice United Supervisor Medal of Honor and One Voice United Essential Personnel Memorial Plaque, respectively. A list of the fallen that will be honored is available to view online.” https://docs.google.com/document/d/12KmL0WjzpbeJHB3cPBF8QK6uA1cEwlQ7RdYqXKNI_CE/edit?usp=sharing
The vigil will be livestreamed on Facebook. https://fb.me/e/I0yVr4Q2
For more information about the Medal of Honor Vigil, visit the One Voice United website. https://onevoiceunited.org/our-programs/medal-of-honor/
