Roll of Honor
David Edwin MacAlpine
Incident
Captain David "Mac" MacAlpine died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 while he worked the checkpoint located at NC17 and the South Carolina state line.
Captain MacAlpine was a United States Marine Corps veteran. He had served with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office for 30 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Captain David Edwin MacAlpine died on September 17, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 53.
He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at New Hanover County Sheriff's Office.
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, two daughters, two granddaughters, and mother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-F828A699- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. David is one person.
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Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Captain MacAlpine gave the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office 30 years.
Thank you for your service to the Castle Hayne community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain MacAlpine.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
David Edwin MacAlpine served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1987â1991) before joining law enforcement.
Captain David Edwin MacAlpine 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 NC, 37 of 664 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.6% of this state's fallen. That is 5.6 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 4 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Edwin MacAlpine's cause is highlighted.
How David Edwin MacAlpine Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. David Edwin MacAlpine is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Military Service
David Edwin MacAlpine served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1987–1991) before joining law enforcement.
Visit David Edwin MacAlpine’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from New Hanover County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
