A Police officer with the Columbus Division of Police has passed away after contracting COVID-19, the division announced on Thursday.
Officer James Strozyk, 49 years old, died due to complications of an illness while fighting COVID-19.
Strozyk had been with the division since the year 2004. He spent his entire 17-year term of his career serving Columbus.
“He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. Officer Strozyk’s commitment and dedication to his division and the community is a tremendous loss that will not be filled,” the Division of Police said on Facebook.
Last month, the Columbus Division of Fire lost firefighter Frank Duff to the virus as well.
Fuqua did confirm that Strozyk’s death is the first within the division related to complications from coronavirus.
Police officers had become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine as a profession in March, but it’s not clear what percentage of them have actually gotten the vaccine. The Washington Post reported in early May that 28% of Columbus police officers had reported getting a COVID vaccine, although the city at the time disputed that figure to The Dispatch.
The Fraternal Order of Police Capitol City Lodge No. 9, which represents Columbus police and other area police departments, also said in May that it did not know how many city officers had been vaccinated.