For the month of September, expect to see many members of Florida law enforcement wearing their mourning bands over their service badges.

What You Need To Know

  • In Florida, 15 law enforcement officers have died this year

  • 12 of those deaths connected to COVID-19

  • Nationwide, 169 officers have died

  • 91 of those deaths connected to COVID-19

The Florida Sheriff's Association and the Police Chief's Association are remembering all members of Florida law enforcement killed in the line of duty this year. The majority of those who have died passed away because of COVID-19.  

The announcement was made in an official proclamation.

“It’s a dangerous job to begin with," Tempe Terrace Police Chief Ken Albano said. “When we go about doing our job, on a normal day-to-day basis, the threat to that we face before COVID was we might not make it home. Now, during COVID we make take something home that could harm our families.” 

Ask any patrol officer, coronavirus is definitely in the back of their mind at every single call.

“It’s a weird time, we are in weird times right now," Officer Hector Torres said. He contracted COVID-19, and he believes he got it during a traffic stop. 

“It really freaked me out. But it was, it was, it was crushing to be honest with you," he recalled. "Hearing the doctor say, ‘Hey, ya know, you have tested positive. Here are the measures you have to take.’ Quarantine, and obviously coming home notifying my wife, notifying my kids, notifying my job. It was rough.”

Torres recovered. He is one of the lucky ones.

In Florida this year, 15 law enforcement officers have died as a result of perils of the job.

A dozen are connected to the coronavirus.

“Even though people look at us as we might be super men and women, we are not. We are just as vulnerable, and even more so, because certain elements of our citizenry can quarantine. They can decide not to be exposed to the dangers that COVID presents. Police officers can’t," Chief Albano said.

For anyone who isn't in law enforcement but wants to help in some way, Chief Albano says a simple thank you goes a long way.

“We love and we appreciate their support," said Chief Albano. "Whatever is out there, whatever is said, the core, the foundation, the fundamental beliefs of all of us is that we are here to serve as those guardians and protectors."

“If you got to mask up, masks up. If you gotta stay home, stay home," Officer Torres added.

Nationwide, 169 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty this year -- 91 of them from COVID-19.