Officer Ronald Roland Phillips, Jr.

Officer Ronald Roland Phillips, Jr.

United States Department of Homeland Security - Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Government

End of Watch Sunday, July 26, 2020

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Ronald Roland Phillips, Jr.

Officer Ronald Phillips died after contracting COVID-19 while fingerprinting a detainee who was COVID-positive in Phoenix, Arizona.

Officer Phillips had served with the United States Department of Homeland Security for nine years and had 13 years of law enforcement experience. Prior to serving with Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations, he had served with the United States Border Patrol and the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his wife, three children, parents, and siblings.

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.

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

Bio

Age 49
Tour 13 years
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause COVID19
Location Arizona

communicable disease, COVID-19, prisoner custody

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Most Recent Reflection

View all 5 Reflections

I refused to acknowledge it for the longest time but here I am. Funny, charismatic, loving, and the father I wish I had choose to live with. I will always love him, I wasn't able to show it that much when he was alive but I hope by aspiring to be as kind as he was I'll make him proud.

I miss you.

Jack Phillips
Son

December 31, 2023