Christopher Broadhead
Deputy Sheriff

Christopher Broadhead

Polk County Sheriff's Dept. — Winter Haven, FL
Illness
End of Watch August 23, 2021
Age 32
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
The Vigil Panel 176 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Christopher Broadhead died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Deputy Sheriff Broadhead served with the Polk County Sheriff's Office for 10 years.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Deputy Sheriff Christopher Broadhead died on August 23, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 32.

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 wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-C90D557A
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 Broadhead gave the Polk County Sheriff's Office 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Winter Haven community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Broadhead.

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

Agency

Location Winter Haven, FL
Platform Identity pcso.polk.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 23, 2021
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Age 32
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail COVID19

Deputy Sheriff Christopher Broadhead 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 FL, 81 of 1,008 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 8% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

At Polk County Sheriff's Dept., 1 of 18 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.6% of this agency's fallen.

Polk County Sheriff's Dept.
1
of 18 officers
5.6% Illness
FL — Statewide
81
of 1,008 officers
8% Illness
Nationwide
2,974
of 32,508 officers
9.1% Illness

National Cause Distribution

How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Christopher Broadhead's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Christopher Broadhead Compares

Age at End of Watch
32
This officer
Avg for Illness: 47.8 years
Years of Service
10
This officer
Avg for Illness: 18.9 years

When Illness Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Christopher Broadhead is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
294
Feb
198
Mar
185
Apr
226
May
201
Jun
181
Jul
217
Aug
281
Sep
291
Oct
376
Nov
239
Dec
285

Incident Location