Roll of Honor

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Sergeant

Charles F. Dotson

Baton Rouge Police Department — Baton Rouge, LA

Veteran → Illness

End of Watch January 24, 2021

Age 58

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

The Vigil Panel 174 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 26

Incident

Sergeant Charles Dotson died of complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Sergeant Dotson was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Gulf War. He had served with the Baton Rouge Police Department for 22 years and had previously served with the Iberville Parish Sheriff's Office.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Sergeant Charles F. Dotson died on January 24, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 58.

He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Baton Rouge Police Department.

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 wife, son, nephew, and father.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-LA-4589C079
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Charles. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Charles is one person.

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Tributes

The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Sergeant Dotson gave the Baton Rouge Police Department 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the Baton Rouge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Dotson.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Baton Rouge Police Department

Type Other

Location Baton Rouge, LA

Platform Identity brpd.ebr.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 24, 2021

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Age 58

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Cause Detail COVID19

Military Service

Charles F. Dotson served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sergeant Charles F. Dotson is one of 1 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In LA, 28 of 595 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 4.7% of this state's fallen. That is 4.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Baton Rouge Police Department, 2 of 27 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 7.4% of this agency's fallen.

Baton Rouge Police Department

of 27 officers

7.4% Illness

LA — Statewide

of 595 officers

4.7% Illness

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Illness