Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Chris Smith died after contracting COVID-19 during a confirmed exposure at the McLennan County Tax Office at 215 North 5th Street in Waco.
Deputy Smith was a U.S. Air Force veteran. He had served with the McLennan County Sheriff's Office for two years and had previously served with the Waco Police Department for 28 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Deputy Sheriff Christopher Alan Smith died on September 21, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 59.
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 child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-F2C66ECC- 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 Smith gave the McLennan County Sheriff's Office 30 years.
Thank you for your service to the Waco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Christopher Alan Smith served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Deputy Sheriff Christopher Alan Smith 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 TX, 204 of 2,421 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 8.4% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At McLennan County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 7 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 14.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Christopher Alan Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Christopher Alan Smith Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Christopher Alan Smith is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from McLennan County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
