Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Brian Norton died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 while arresting a subject for aggravated battery, aggravated intimidation, resisting a peace officer, obstructing justice, and obstructing service of civil process who was COVID-19 positive.
Deputy Norton had served with the Ford County Sheriff’s Office for two years and in law enforcement for 10 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Deputy Sheriff Brian J. Norton died on February 5, 2022 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 45.
He is one of 884 officers honored here.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his father, brother, and girlfriend.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-68A38A1F- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Deputy Sheriff Norton gave the Ford County Sheriff's Office 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Paxton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Norton.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Brian J. Norton is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In IL, 66 of 1,318 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 4.1 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Brian J. Norton's cause is highlighted.
How Brian J. Norton Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Brian J. Norton is highlighted in Feb.