Officer Omar E. Palmer

Omar E. Palmer

Officer Omar Palmer died after contracting COVID-19 after being exposed to an employee at John F. Kennedy International Airport, in New York City, who had tested positive. His condition worsened and he passed away on May 4th, 2020.

Officer Palmer had served with the Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field of Operations for 17 years and was assigned to John F. Kennedy International Airport Passenger Operations in Terminal 4. He is survived by his mother.

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 600 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.

Visit ODMP's COVID-19 memorial listing every officer who has died as a result of a confirmed or presumed exposure.