A metro police chief has died due to COVID-19.KOCO 5 first told you about Chief Richard Stephens with the Union City Police Department back in January when he was admitted to the intensive care unit.The Union City Police Department says Stephens was the epitome of a great leader, and today they lost a brother, friend and hero. The small but mighty police department is down a brother in blue. Stephens battled COVID-19 in the ICU back in January. >> RELATED: Union City police chief dies from COVID-19“We really didn’t have a problem in the beginning of COVID. We had a few test positive here and there and then Chief Stephens came down with COVID and was put in the ICU at the end of December. It has really impacted our department being a small department,” Capt. Adam Taylor said. On Friday, the department announced Stephens’ passing. Several surrounding agencies showed their respects. The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial said that Stephens’ death marks the third COVID-19 line-of-duty death this year. >> RELATED: Oklahoma hospitals make winter weather preparations amid omicron surgeIn 2021, total line-of-duty deaths in the United States were 520. With 358 of them, COVID-19 was to blame. COVID-19 was the leading cause of death for frontline law enforcement last year.
A metro police chief has died due to COVID-19.
KOCO 5 first told you about Chief Richard Stephens with the Union City Police Department back in January when he was admitted to the intensive care unit.
The Union City Police Department says Stephens was the epitome of a great leader, and today they lost a brother, friend and hero.
The small but mighty police department is down a brother in blue. Stephens battled COVID-19 in the ICU back in January.
>> RELATED: Union City police chief dies from COVID-19
“We really didn’t have a problem in the beginning of COVID. We had a few test positive here and there and then Chief Stephens came down with COVID and was put in the ICU at the end of December. It has really impacted our department being a small department,” Capt. Adam Taylor said.
On Friday, the department announced Stephens’ passing. Several surrounding agencies showed their respects. The Oklahoma Law Enforcement Memorial said that Stephens’ death marks the third COVID-19 line-of-duty death this year.
>> RELATED: Oklahoma hospitals make winter weather preparations amid omicron surge
In 2021, total line-of-duty deaths in the United States were 520. With 358 of them, COVID-19 was to blame. COVID-19 was the leading cause of death for frontline law enforcement last year.
